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Job satisfaction and attitudes of nursing staff on a unit for the elderly severely mentally infirm, with change of location
Author(s) -
Humphris G. M.,
Turner A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1989.tb03417.x
Subject(s) - relocation , feeling , job satisfaction , nursing , unit (ring theory) , head nurse , nursing staff , medicine , work (physics) , psychology , social psychology , mathematics education , computer science , programming language , mechanical engineering , engineering
Relocation of the elderly has stimulated research into its effect on this vulnerable group. This study, by contrast, focuses attention on the staff response to relocation. Nursing staff on an Elderly and Severely Mentally Infirm Unit (ESMI) who were caring for the 50–60 inpatients completed a questionnaire, measuring job satisfaction and work‐related attitudes, immediately and after the relocation to a newly refurbished unit. A follow‐up was conducted 8 months after the change of environment. Only after the 8‐month follow‐up had overall levels of job satisfaction improved significantly. No changes over time were found in attitude to caring for ESMI patients or views about providing more facilitative activities as opposed to traditional nursing care. On all occasions there was a great sense of co‐operation amongst staff, but they were unsatisfied with the pressure of work. Morale and feeling part of a team effort dropped after relocation but regained original levels on follow‐up. Staff turnover was high for the duration of the study. Opinions concerning work were not associated with staff leaving immediately on relocation but low satisfaction levels did predict a future exodus of staff from the unit after the relocation.