The relationship between staff perceptions of work environment and patient/staff ratios was studied at a state psychiatric hospital. Staff in three separate admission units indicated their perceptions by completing the Work Environment Scale. Significant differences in subscale scores were found among the units and correlated with staff/patient ratios. Hypothesized explanations for these findings are presented along with responses made, subsequent to the study, by the hospital.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ChernissC.Human service programs as work organizations: Using organizational design to improve staff motivation and effectiveness. In PriceR. H.PolisterP. (Eds.)) Evaluation and action in the social environment. New York: Academic Press, 1980. (a)
2.
ChernissC.Professional burnout in human service organizations. New York: Praeger, 1980. (b)
3.
ChernissC.Staff burnout: Job stress in the human services. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publ., 1980. (c)
4.
InselP. M.MoosR. H.Psychological environments: Expanding the scope of human ecology. American Psychologist, 1974, 29, 179–188.
5.
KahnR. L.WolfeD. M.QuinnR. P.SmockJ. D.RosenthalR. A.Organizational stress: Studies in role conflict and ambiguity. New York: Wiley, 1964.
6.
MoosR.Conceptualizations of human environments. American Psychologist, 1973, 28, 652–665.
