Work ability and work-related stress: A cross-sectional study of obstetrical nurses in urban northeastern Ontario

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Article type: Research Article

Authors: Nowrouzi, Behdin^{a; b; *} | Lightfoot, Nancy^b | Carter, Lorraine^d | Larivière, Michel^c | Rukholm, Ellen^e | Schinke, Robert^c | Belanger-Gardner, Diane^f

Affiliations: [a] Interdisciplinary PhD Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada | [b] School of Rural and Northern Health, Social Work, Nursing, and Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada | [c] School of Human Kinetics and Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada | [d] Centre for Flexible Teaching and Learning, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada | [e] Centre for Rural and Northern and Health Research, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada | [f] Health Sciences North, Sudbury, ON, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Behdin Nowrouzi, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada. Tel.: +1 705 626 4554; Fax: +1 705 671 6603; E-mail:bx_nowrouzi@laurentian.ca

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine: 1) if quality of work life (QWL), location of cross-training, stress variables, and various demographic factors in nurses are associated with work ability, and 2) nursing occupational stress, QWL, and various associated factors are related with nurses' work ability. There is limited research examining the obstetrical nursing environment. Given the amount of time and energy people expend at the workplace, it is crucial for employees to be satisfied with their lives at work. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted in 2012 in four hospitals in northeastern Ontario, Canada. A stratified random sample of registered nurses (n= 111) were selected. RESULTS: The majority of participants were female (94.6%) ranging in age from 24 to 64 years (M = 41.9, s.d. = 10.2). For the stress and QWL model, one variable: QWL (home-work support - see Methods for definition) (p= 0.015), cross-trained (see Methods for definition) nurses (p= 0.048), and having more than 4 patients per shift (p= 0.024) significantly contributed to the variance in work ability scores. In the logistic regression model, the odds of a higher work ability for nurses who received home-work support were estimated to be 1.32 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.66) times the odds of a higher work ability for nurses who did not receive home-work support. CONCLUSIONS: Work ability in the work environment of obstetrical nursing is important. To be high functioning, workplaces should maximize the use of their employees' actual and potential skills.

Keywords: Stress, work ability, workplace, obstetrics, nurses, employment, quality of work life, work organization

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-141976

Journal: Work, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 115-122, 2015