Project title
Improving Working Environments for Nurses in the Critical Care Unit
Funder
Funding Program
Erasmus+
Award URL
https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/2019-1-CY01-KA202-058401
Start date
October 1, 2019
Expected Completion
2022-01-31
Description
According to recent estimates on the availability of healthcare professionals in the Member States, the EU is expected to be confronted with a shortage of approx. 1 million health professionals by 2020. Shortages are expected to be particularly for Critical care Nursing, elderly care and general practice professionals (Kroezen, M. et. al. 2018). A continuing nursing shortage is envisaged to constrain health system reform and innovation, while also contributing to escalating healthcare costs (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011). Critical Care nurses are particularly at risk given the high-pressure nature of their specific specialty. In this context, reducing nursing staff turnover and increasing the appeal of the nursing profession becomes of paramount importance for the EU Member States.
Different analyses (Estryn-Behar, M. et. al., 2007; Bariball, L. et. al., 2015, Cortese, C., 2012) suggest that the main drivers for nurses leaving their current organisation and/or the nursing profession are generally related to the working conditions (e.g. relationship problems, emotional difficulties, time pressure and quality of care, dissatisfaction with use of one’s competence and lack of autonomy, work schedule difficulties, poor management, lack of career development opportunities, lack of acknowledgement).
Studies in the United States indicate that improved organisational features of nursing care, including better patient-to-nurse staffing ratios and sound work environments are associated with improved nurse wellbeing and better patient outcomes (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011). Measures implemented in the United States and Australia based on these findings have succeeded in increasing the attractivity of nursing as a career path and reverting the nursing shortage (close to 1 million nurses in 2000) that the two countries were confronted with (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011). Such initiatives included developing standards for healthy work environments or mandated safe nurse staffing rations. A healthy workplace is one where workers and managers collaborate to continually improve the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers and by doing this, sustain the productivity of the business (Burton, J., 2010). Research indicates a positive correlation between healthy nurse work environments, nurse job satisfaction and retention, and patient outcomes (Ulrich, B. et. al., 2014). The uptake of such initiatives in Europe remains however limited. (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011).
Different analyses (Estryn-Behar, M. et. al., 2007; Bariball, L. et. al., 2015, Cortese, C., 2012) suggest that the main drivers for nurses leaving their current organisation and/or the nursing profession are generally related to the working conditions (e.g. relationship problems, emotional difficulties, time pressure and quality of care, dissatisfaction with use of one’s competence and lack of autonomy, work schedule difficulties, poor management, lack of career development opportunities, lack of acknowledgement).
Studies in the United States indicate that improved organisational features of nursing care, including better patient-to-nurse staffing ratios and sound work environments are associated with improved nurse wellbeing and better patient outcomes (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011). Measures implemented in the United States and Australia based on these findings have succeeded in increasing the attractivity of nursing as a career path and reverting the nursing shortage (close to 1 million nurses in 2000) that the two countries were confronted with (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011). Such initiatives included developing standards for healthy work environments or mandated safe nurse staffing rations. A healthy workplace is one where workers and managers collaborate to continually improve the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers and by doing this, sustain the productivity of the business (Burton, J., 2010). Research indicates a positive correlation between healthy nurse work environments, nurse job satisfaction and retention, and patient outcomes (Ulrich, B. et. al., 2014). The uptake of such initiatives in Europe remains however limited. (Nurse Forecasting: Human Resources Planning in Nursing, 2011).