Quality of work life and job involvement among nurses working at Ain Shams University Hospitals

Abstract

Nurses' recruitment and retention are continuous challenges facing health care organizations. For this reason, nurse managers have the responsibility to understand what attracts and retain nurses to a certain hospital. One important method that helps manager to achieve this task is assessing the quality of nursing work life (QNWL) and its relation to improve work-related attitudes as involvement. Aim: this study aimed to examine the relationship between quality of nursing work life (QNWL) and job involvement (JI) among nurses working at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Egypt. Methods: Design: A cross-sectional analytic design was utilized in conducting the study, with assessment of dependent (job involvement) and independent (quality of nursing work life) factors at the same point in time. This study was conducted on a stratified fixed random sample of 250 nurses working in four hospitals (Ain Shams University hospital, El Demerdash Hospital, Pediatrics Hospital, Obstetrics Hospital) in addition to psychiatric center affiliated to Ain Shams University. Data collection was through Brooks'(QNWL) questionnaire: (Cronbach alpha coefficient =0.90) and job involvement (JI) scale (Cronbach alpha coefficient =0.71). Findings: there is a significant positive correlation between total quality of nursing work life (QWNL) and job involvement among nurses working at Ain Shams University Hospitals (r=0.21) (p=0.0001), work design and work context as a dimensions of QWNL are correlated positively with Job Involvement . Conclusion and recommendations: The study provides further evidence of the correlation between the quality of nursing work life and their job involvement. It identified the work design and work context dimensions as the independent predictors of job involvement. The findings can be used in diagnosing the extent of nursing work environment problems in hospitals as a first step in designing strategies to improve the quality of healthcare workplaces. Hospitals administration can develop and implement employee benefit programs that might improve the work life of nurses, especially concerning the work context and work design dimensions.. Clinical relevance: The study findings provide information for policy-makers and nursing managers on areas that need to be addressed, to retain nurses within university hospitals. Another important implication is the need for outcome-driven research examining the effectiveness, and cost-benefit of specific strategies aimed at improving the quality of nursing work life and organizational productivity.