A COMPARISON OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND LEVELS OF DERIVED SATISFACTION BETWEEN NURSES WORKING ON A TRADITIONAL AND A RESTRUCTURED WORK WEEK SCHEDULE.
Contributors: New York University.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 242
Subjects: Recreation.
Description: This research compares leisure activities and levels of derived satisfaction for nurses on a traditional work schedule with nurses on a restructured work-schedule. The newness of restructured work-schedules probably accounts for the small number of studies undertaken to date. Previous research has focused on managerial benefits while minimal attention has been paid to the effects of increased leisure time on workers. The recent increase in the number of hospitals using some form of restructured work-scheduling, in a heretofore inflexible setting, provided the rationale for this study.

The sample consists of 326 nurses in 12 New York city hospitals: 163 nurses on a traditional workweek schedule and 163 on a restructured schedule. The categories were: (1) Sociodemographic personal data, (2) Sociodemographic nursing data, (3) Activity types and frequency of participation, (4) Vacation, (5) Satisfaction with activities, (6) Actual and desired work and vacation, (7) Use of additional leisure time, (8) Plans and reaction to restructured schedule.

It was found that in the type and frequencies of their obligatory and discretionary activities both sample groups were fairly homogeneous. Regardless of age, marital status, and presence of children their daily nonwork routine was influenced by their sex status with an emphasis on obligatory, home/family, and passive types of activities. However, the sample of workers on a restructured work-schedule expressed slightly more satisfaction in all but one activity category.

Although a significant number representing the traditional work-schedule reported a desire for increased leisure participation they appear to confirm that they feel more constrained by vocationally ingrained traditions. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-10, Section: A, page: 3156.

Thesis (ED.D.)--NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, 1985.

School code: 0146.