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Work conditions influencing professional development of specialist nurses in surgical care explored using the Job Demand-Resources theory : A qualitative study

Jakobsson, Jenny ; Jangland, Eva ; Engström, My ; Malmström, Marlene LU orcid and Drott, Jenny (2023) In Journal of Advanced Nursing 79(7). p.2610-2621
Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the work conditions that influence the opportunities for professional development of specialist nurses in surgical care. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Methods: With a purposeful sampling procedure, 14 specialist nurses in surgical care were included. Four focus-group interviews were conducted during November to December 2021 and deductively analysed using the Job Demand-Resource theory as a guiding framework. Reporting adheres to COREQ guidelines. Findings: Work conditions that were identified as job demands and that inhibited nurses' opportunities for professional development were mainly found at an organizational and leadership level. Primarily, those conditions included... (More)

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the work conditions that influence the opportunities for professional development of specialist nurses in surgical care. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Methods: With a purposeful sampling procedure, 14 specialist nurses in surgical care were included. Four focus-group interviews were conducted during November to December 2021 and deductively analysed using the Job Demand-Resource theory as a guiding framework. Reporting adheres to COREQ guidelines. Findings: Work conditions that were identified as job demands and that inhibited nurses' opportunities for professional development were mainly found at an organizational and leadership level. Primarily, those conditions included role ambiguity and time constraints caused by uncompensated nursing shortages that restricted the nurses from exercising their role. Such conditions could also discourage other nurses from further education. Job demands were seen as largely compensated for by work conditions identified as job resources and located mainly at an individual level, for example finding the work interesting and multifaceted. Most prominent was the participants' inner motivation to work with surgical patients and to continue to develop themselves and other nurses professionally. Conclusions: A prerequisite for professional development is that the specialist role is clearly defined in collaboration with representatives from the nursing profession and universities. Hence, hospital organizations need to reflect on how to utilize the competence. Also, it is important that nurse leaders promote the specialist nurses' motivation by supporting them in the exercise of their role. Impact: Findings from this study revealed work conditions that need to be acknowledged during hospital organizations' endeavours to maintain and enhance nursing competence. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient or public contribution was not applicable since the study focused on specialist nurses' working conditions.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Job Demand Resources theory, motivation, nurse specialists, occupational health, professional role, surgical care
in
Journal of Advanced Nursing
volume
79
issue
7
pages
2610 - 2621
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85149728888
  • pmid:36843299
ISSN
0309-2402
DOI
10.1111/jan.15618
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5aa47939-1f69-4133-8620-24c6682827bd
date added to LUP
2023-04-06 13:28:41
date last changed
2024-06-14 02:38:47
@article{5aa47939-1f69-4133-8620-24c6682827bd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the work conditions that influence the opportunities for professional development of specialist nurses in surgical care. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Methods: With a purposeful sampling procedure, 14 specialist nurses in surgical care were included. Four focus-group interviews were conducted during November to December 2021 and deductively analysed using the Job Demand-Resource theory as a guiding framework. Reporting adheres to COREQ guidelines. Findings: Work conditions that were identified as job demands and that inhibited nurses' opportunities for professional development were mainly found at an organizational and leadership level. Primarily, those conditions included role ambiguity and time constraints caused by uncompensated nursing shortages that restricted the nurses from exercising their role. Such conditions could also discourage other nurses from further education. Job demands were seen as largely compensated for by work conditions identified as job resources and located mainly at an individual level, for example finding the work interesting and multifaceted. Most prominent was the participants' inner motivation to work with surgical patients and to continue to develop themselves and other nurses professionally. Conclusions: A prerequisite for professional development is that the specialist role is clearly defined in collaboration with representatives from the nursing profession and universities. Hence, hospital organizations need to reflect on how to utilize the competence. Also, it is important that nurse leaders promote the specialist nurses' motivation by supporting them in the exercise of their role. Impact: Findings from this study revealed work conditions that need to be acknowledged during hospital organizations' endeavours to maintain and enhance nursing competence. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient or public contribution was not applicable since the study focused on specialist nurses' working conditions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jakobsson, Jenny and Jangland, Eva and Engström, My and Malmström, Marlene and Drott, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{0309-2402}},
  keywords     = {{Job Demand Resources theory; motivation; nurse specialists; occupational health; professional role; surgical care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{2610--2621}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Advanced Nursing}},
  title        = {{Work conditions influencing professional development of specialist nurses in surgical care explored using the Job Demand-Resources theory : A qualitative study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jan.15618}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/jan.15618}},
  volume       = {{79}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}