Influence of workplace culture on nursing-sensitive nurse outcomes in municipal primary health care

Abstract

Aim: To explore the influence of workplace culture on sickness absences, overtime work and occupational injuries in municipal primary health care.

Background: The need to improve nursing sensitive outcomes has been highlighted. Therefore, an adequate understanding of the influence of workplace culture on nursing-sensitive nurse outcomes is essential for nurse managers to meet the requirements of improving nursing outcomes.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to incorporating the data from 21 inpatient acute care units of nine organisations at the Finnish municipal primary health care system from 2011 to 2012.

Results: Findings emphasise in particular the importance of the practice environment as being an interpretative factor for nurses' absences owing to sickness, overtime work and occupational injuries.

Conclusion and implications for nursing management: To ensure favourable nursing sensitive outcomes it is essential that there is a shared interest in the unit to invest in the creation of a supportive practice environment. Outcome improvements require a special focus on issues related to nursing management, adequate staffing and resources and intention to leave.

Keywords: outcome assessment; primary health care; work environment.