THE EFFECTS OF A NURSING PRACTICE QUALITY CIRCLE ON ATTITUDES TOWARD GROUP WORK, SOCIAL SUPPORT, JOB SATISFACTION, WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PERCEIVED STRESS.
Contributors: University of Minnesota.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 248
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.; Education, Adult and Continuing.
Description: This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of an educational intervention teaching problem solving techniques and group process skills through a cooperatively structured group, the Nursing Practice Quality Circle (NPQC). The sample contained 63 hospital nurses, 42 RNs and 21 LPNs at a major midwest medical center on four medical units.

The dependent variables studied and the tools used for measurement were (1) Job Satisfaction, Index of Work Satisfaction, (2) Attitude Toward Group Work, Social Interdependence Scale, (3) Work Environment, Work Environment Scale, (4) Perceived Work Stress, a subscale of the Work Environment Stress Subscale and the Task Requirement component of the Index of Work Satisfaction, (5) Social Support, Social Support Scale, the Relationship dimensions of the Work Environment Scale and the Interaction component of the Index of Work Satisfaction. Subjective input was obtained from four pretest questions, two on satisfaction, one on stress, and one on work environment. NPQC members were asked to evaluate the NPQC by completing the Nursing Practice Circle Survey after completion of the intervention.

Staff nurses volunteered for the three NPQCs and Within Unit (WU) groups. The Out of Unit (OU) group was randomly chosen and staff nurses asked to volunteer. Three NPQCs met for two weeks in one-hour educational sessions and for 12 weekly one-hour meetings. Education included group problem solving and group process skills. The NPQCs practiced these skills by identifying and resolving unit problems during the meetings. All groups were pre and posttested.

The study revealed no significant differences the NPQCs and the WU or OU groups on Job Satisfaction, Attitude Toward Group Work, or Social Support. The Work Environment score was higher in the NPQCs than in the WU or OU. Involvement Scores were higher in the NPQC versus the WU and OU groups. The Work Stress subscale indicated that NPQCs have been buffered from stressful institutional change. Total negative change for the Stress subscale was much greater for the WU and OU groups than for the NPQCs. Medical Center restructuring during the research and sample size are limitations.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-09, Section: B, page: 4276.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, 1990.

School code: 0130.