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.
