Balancing the scales-Nurses' attempts at meeting family and employer needs in a work-intensified environment
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Date
2020-11
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Rights
Abstract
Aims
This paper describes findings from a survey conducted in New Zealand exploring nurses’ decision-making about when to delay care, delegate care, hand care over or leave care undone. Unanticipated findings identified processes that nurses go through when deciding to take planned/unplanned leave when wards are constrained through budget limitations.
Background
Missed/rationed care is increasingly the focus of attention in international studies, identifying a complex interplay of organisational, professional and personal factors affecting nurses’ decision-making when faced with limited organisational time, human and material resources to provide care.
Methods
The survey presented nurses with Likert-scale questions with option for free text comments. This paper reports on the commentaries about work–life balance.
Results
Nurses described workload pressures that lead to rationing care affected them, and the long-term effect on them as individuals. Nurses verbalized the difficulties and associated guilt about taking leaving and sick leave when wards were short staffed.
Conclusions
Nurses consider how their absence will affect the workspace and their home first, considering the impact on themselves last.
Implications
The findings may provide valuable insights for nurse managers in relation to workforce allocations and resources where acknowledgement of work–life balance is considered.
Description
Refer SLs asking for accepted. Penny 15/8/2023
Keywords
missed nursing care, nursing, rationed care, work intensification, Humans, New Zealand, Nurse Administrators, Work-Life Balance, Workload, Workplace
Citation
Harvey C, Baldwin A, Thompson S, Willis E, Meyer A, Pearson M, Otis E. (2020). Balancing the scales-Nurses' attempts at meeting family and employer needs in a work-intensified environment.. J Nurs Manag. 28. 8. (pp. 1873-1880).