title: Early Career Nurses: The relationship between Organisational Climate and Job Satisfaction and Burnout

authors: Were, Katie Jane

subjects: New Graduate Nurses

abstract: In the changing New Zealand healthcare sector, the need for nurses to seamlessly and successfully transition into clinical practice is critical, particularly for organisational success. The worldwide nursing shortage and projected changing demographics of the population make assessing the job satisfaction and burnout of nurses imperative, especially to establish a strong and capable workforce for the future. If provisions are not put in place to ensure that nurses are provided with adequate support in their early careers and that they work within a positive organisational climate, detrimental organisational outcomes may arise.

The current study was designed to identify early career nurses’ perceptions of their first two years of clinical practice, and how the organisational climate at a District Health Board (DHB) within New Zealand impacted on their success in clinical practice. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between three aspects of organisational climate (nursing relationships, charge nurse manager leadership, and staff organisation) on early career nurses’ perceptions of job satisfaction and burnout.

Ninety-one individuals completed the mixed method survey. Significant relationships were found between the main study variables. Cohesive nursing relationships, supportive charge nurse managers, and the adequate organisation of staff were found to positively correlate with job satisfaction and negatively correlate with burnout. Significant themes emerged in thematic analysis; namely, supervisor support, emotional labour, workload and staffing relations. 

The results of the study suggest that a supportive organisational climate is imperative toward increasing nurse’s job satisfaction and positive feelings about their job. Additionally the findings of this study highlight that cohesive nursing relationships, team-building skills of charge nurse managers and the organisation of staff may be something to prioritise. Thematic analyses largely supported quantitative findings indicating that on the whole, nurses would like to receive more support from supervisors in addition to the emotional labour of nursing. High workloads were acknowledged as a challenging aspect of nursing that was believed to impact negatively on patient care and nurses’ work-life balance. 

Future research should consider the challenges associated with high burnout in nurses and, where appropriate, explore possible change initiatives. Additionally, a 360O review of nurses’ transition to clinical practice may be useful in highlighting the discrepancies between how nurses believe they fare in their early careers and how their nursing colleagues perceive their transition. 

Overall, this study explores the notions of organisational climate and its contribution to the development of proficient and able nurses. This study has provided a strong base for future research, specifically in helping to build a sustainable nursing workforce for the future. Taken together, this research provides a comprehensive review of nurses’ experience in their early careers, and importantly, outlines what aspects significantly contribute to their satisfaction.

text: Early Career Nurses: The relationship between Organisational Climate and Job Satisfaction and Burnout In the changing New Zealand healthcare sector, the need for nurses to seamlessly and successfully transition into clinical practice is critical, particularly for organisational success. The worldwide nursing shortage and projected changing demographics of the population make assessing the job satisfaction and burnout of nurses imperative, especially to establish a strong and capable workforce for the future. If provisions are not put in place to ensure that nurses are provided with adequate support in their early careers and that they work within a positive organisational climate, detrimental organisational outcomes may arise.

The current study was designed to identify early career nurses’ perceptions of their first two years of clinical practice, and how the organisational climate at a District Health Board (DHB) within New Zealand impacted on their success in clinical practice. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between three aspects of organisational climate (nursing relationships, charge nurse manager leadership, and staff organisation) on early career nurses’ perceptions of job satisfaction and burnout.

Ninety-one individuals completed the mixed method survey. Significant relationships were found between the main study variables. Cohesive nursing relationships, supportive charge nurse managers, and the adequate organisation of staff were found to positively correlate with job satisfaction and negatively correlate with burnout. Significant themes emerged in thematic analysis; namely, supervisor support, emotional labour, workload and staffing relations. 

The results of the study suggest that a supportive organisational climate is imperative toward increasing nurse’s job satisfaction and positive feelings about their job. Additionally the findings of this study highlight that cohesive nursing relationships, team-building skills of charge nurse managers and the organisation of staff may be something to prioritise. Thematic analyses largely supported quantitative findings indicating that on the whole, nurses would like to receive more support from supervisors in addition to the emotional labour of nursing. High workloads were acknowledged as a challenging aspect of nursing that was believed to impact negatively on patient care and nurses’ work-life balance. 

Future research should consider the challenges associated with high burnout in nurses and, where appropriate, explore possible change initiatives. Additionally, a 360O review of nurses’ transition to clinical practice may be useful in highlighting the discrepancies between how nurses believe they fare in their early careers and how their nursing colleagues perceive their transition. 

Overall, this study explores the notions of organisational climate and its contribution to the development of proficient and able nurses. This study has provided a strong base for future research, specifically in helping to build a sustainable nursing workforce for the future. Taken together, this research provides a comprehensive review of nurses’ experience in their early careers, and importantly, outlines what aspects significantly contribute to their satisfaction.

year: 2016

title: Communicating identities: New Zealand fashion designers and creative exports

authors: Beattie, Olivia Lucy Elizabeth

subjects: Creative industries

abstract: This thesis investigates how New Zealand fashion designers construct and communicate a unique and fluid identity. There are two main focuses of the research. The first is how New Zealand fashion designers build and maintain a unique brand identity in the New Zealand market. This includes an in-depth analysis of the public relations and communication strategies both emerging and established fashion designers use. The second focus is how New Zealand designers communicate their brand identity to export markets. This includes an examination of how the New Zealand national identity has an effect on the communication of their identity in international markets.

This research is important as there is little scholarly research on the creative industries in New Zealand, and none on the New Zealand designer fashion industry. Therefore, this research study has been developed to advance literature in this area and provide a basis for further research. While this research study will focus on the New Zealand designer fashion industry, it is hoped that the research will be applicable to other creative industries in New Zealand.

A key element of this research is to use the in-depth analysis of the designer fashion industry to provide recommendations on identity management for the New Zealand designer fashion industry and creative industries. Ultimately, this research provides these industries with a practical guide to create and communicate a unique identity in both domestic and export markets.

A collective case study method is used to collate the data and is analysed through an interpretive framework. The New Zealand fashion designers that comprise the case studies are Annah Stretton, Robyn Brooks, Jo Robertson, and Cyb le Wiren.

Key conclusions are that organisations in the creative industries need to put together an in-depth communications plan as early as possible in their business. This should focus on the creation and communication of a unique and fluid identity in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and allow them to actively respond to their environment. Industry bodies and New Zealand Trade  Enterprise play a key role in the development and export of creative organisations. These organisations need to develop better resources and support systems for the creative industries in order for them to reach their maximum potential.

text: Communicating identities: New Zealand fashion designers and creative exports This thesis investigates how New Zealand fashion designers construct and communicate a unique and fluid identity. There are two main focuses of the research. The first is how New Zealand fashion designers build and maintain a unique brand identity in the New Zealand market. This includes an in-depth analysis of the public relations and communication strategies both emerging and established fashion designers use. The second focus is how New Zealand designers communicate their brand identity to export markets. This includes an examination of how the New Zealand national identity has an effect on the communication of their identity in international markets.

This research is important as there is little scholarly research on the creative industries in New Zealand, and none on the New Zealand designer fashion industry. Therefore, this research study has been developed to advance literature in this area and provide a basis for further research. While this research study will focus on the New Zealand designer fashion industry, it is hoped that the research will be applicable to other creative industries in New Zealand.

A key element of this research is to use the in-depth analysis of the designer fashion industry to provide recommendations on identity management for the New Zealand designer fashion industry and creative industries. Ultimately, this research provides these industries with a practical guide to create and communicate a unique identity in both domestic and export markets.

A collective case study method is used to collate the data and is analysed through an interpretive framework. The New Zealand fashion designers that comprise the case studies are Annah Stretton, Robyn Brooks, Jo Robertson, and Cyb le Wiren.

Key conclusions are that organisations in the creative industries need to put together an in-depth communications plan as early as possible in their business. This should focus on the creation and communication of a unique and fluid identity in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and allow them to actively respond to their environment. Industry bodies and New Zealand Trade  Enterprise play a key role in the development and export of creative organisations. These organisations need to develop better resources and support systems for the creative industries in order for them to reach their maximum potential.

year: 2009

title: Street health: Practitioner service provision for Maori homeless people in Auckland

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

abstract: Drawing insights from interviews with Maori homeless people, health professionals, and relevant local and international literatures, this chapter focuses on the provision of medical care to homeless people. In particular, we propose that health services orientate to accommodate the worldviews and circumstances of Maori homeless people. Below we consider colonialism and societal developments that have led to homelessness among Maori today. We then present a case study of ‘Grant’, which was compiled from common aspects of various Maori homeless people who access health services at the Auckland City Mission (ACM); an organisation with a long history of catering to the needs and hopes of dispossessed groups, providing food, clothing, advocacy, social and health services. The relational orientation of healthcare at the ACM is discussed, and leads to an exploration of ‘judgement-free service space’ for meeting client needs (cf., Trussell & Mair, 2010). Lastly, we focus on how health professionals can respond to the multiple healthcare needs of Maori homeless people, in partnership with social services.

text: Street health: Practitioner service provision for Maori homeless people in Auckland Drawing insights from interviews with Maori homeless people, health professionals, and relevant local and international literatures, this chapter focuses on the provision of medical care to homeless people. In particular, we propose that health services orientate to accommodate the worldviews and circumstances of Maori homeless people. Below we consider colonialism and societal developments that have led to homelessness among Maori today. We then present a case study of ‘Grant’, which was compiled from common aspects of various Maori homeless people who access health services at the Auckland City Mission (ACM); an organisation with a long history of catering to the needs and hopes of dispossessed groups, providing food, clothing, advocacy, social and health services. The relational orientation of healthcare at the ACM is discussed, and leads to an exploration of ‘judgement-free service space’ for meeting client needs (cf., Trussell & Mair, 2010). Lastly, we focus on how health professionals can respond to the multiple healthcare needs of Maori homeless people, in partnership with social services.

year: 2012-09