Projektname
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR CARE WORKERS`PERCEIVED HEALTH, PRESENTEEISM, RATIONING OF CARE, AND JOB SATISFACTION: A SUB-STUDY OF THE SWISS NURSING HOME HUMAN RESOURCES PROJECT (SHURP)

Forschungsleitung
René Schwendimann; Suzanne Dhaini

Forschungsteam
Dietmar Ausserhofer; Michael Simon; Franziska Zúñiga

Zusammenarbeit mit
Regina Kunz

Laufzeit
2013 bis 2016

Projektbeschreibung
Health care is one of the most perilous industries in terms of the prevalence on non-fatal, work-related injuries with rates equivalent to those seen in construction, trucking, and meat packing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in the USA the rate of work-related injuries in nursing facilities ranked second among all industries combined. In its 2013 release, the BLS reported 4.9, 4.8, & 4.8 injuries per 100 full-time workers in transportation & warehousing, construction, and healthcare industries (including hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities) respectively. Similarly, in 2012, Switzerland reports 3.3, 3.1, & 3.1 work-related injuries per 100 full-time workers in construction, transportation, and the health sector respectively. In the health service industry, more than half of the workforce is employed in hospitals and in nursing homes (NH). With the effects of shorter hospital stays, more and more NHs deliver sub-acute care that previously would have been provided in the hospital setting. NHs provide 24/7 care services to residents who can no longer sustain safely the basic activities of daily living in their homes. As a result, nursing home care workers (e.g. nursing staff) perform many physically & emotionally straining activities, which put them at risk for injuries. The literature identifies four major categories of work-related, non-fatal injuries in among NH healthcare workers: 1) ergonomic injuries, 2) needle stick injuries, 3) emotional exhaustion and burn-out, and 4) physical assaults. The risk factors that were identified to be associated with work injuries include the lack of ergonomic equipment, handling and lifting patients, and time pressure, and selected organizational characteristics (e.g. staffing level, average occupancy, turn-over & job dissatisfaction). In spite of the significant rate, only few studies have examined work-related health injuries in NH setting.

The purpose of the proposed study “Work related health complaints and injuries of nursing home careworkers” (HEAL) is to explore the various work-related health injuries and health complaints of careworkers in Swiss NHs, and to gain an understanding of the relationships between work stressors, work environment, staff socio-demographics, resident characteristics and work-related health injuries, as well as careworker outcomes including absenteeism and job satisfaction. To address this purpose the HEAL study will utilize survey data from the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (SHURP).

To address this prupose the HEAL study will utilize survey data from the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (SHURP, see www.shurp.unibas.ch)

Study aims

1.a. To describe the types and prevalence of work-related health complaints and injuries of careworkers in Swiss nursing homes;

1.b. To explore the health complaint and injury differences between job categories including RNs, Licensed PNs/caregivers, Nursing Assistants, and Nurse Aides.

2. To explore association between work environment, careworker variables, resident variables and health complaints and injuries in Swiss NHs namely back pain, needlesticks, fatigue, emotional exhaustion and burnout, and allergies.

3.To explore association between health complaints and injuries and careworker outcomes specifically, job satisfaction, absenteeism, intention to leave, and commitment.

4.To compare health complaints of nursing home careworkers to those of the general population as observed in the Swiss health survey.

Design

The HEAL study is a secondary data analysis based on the cross sectional, multi-center Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (2011 – 2013) using a representative sample of 163 NH across Switzerland. Utilized data come from 5,323 surveyed nurses and auxiliary care staff, as well as from NH administrators (Schwendimann et al 2013).