Well-being of intensive care nurses (WEBIC): a job analytic approach.

AIMS OF THE STUDY This paper presents the results of a validation study of the so-called well-being of intensive care nurses (WEBIC)-questionnaire that is designed to perform a detailed job analysis of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' jobs. BACKGROUND The WEBIC-questionnaire is based on modern sociotechnical systems theory, and distinguishes four integrated task categories: (1) operational, (2) organizing, (3) preparatory, and (4) supportive tasks. For each task, the WEBIC assesses (1) how demanding this task is, and (2) how satisfying the performance of this task is. Using the WEBIC, information is gathered about ICU nurses' qualitative workload, and typical job-related risks for ICU nurses' well-being at work can be mapped. METHODS A cross-sectional survey on work and well-being of almost 2000 ICU-nurses in 13 different European areas was conducted. Exploratory factor analyses were performed to study the validity of the factorial structure of the WEBIC-questionnaire. The construct validity of the WEBIC-questionnaire was studied by performing hierarchical multiple regression analyses of the WEBIC-factors on two types of job-related well-being, i.e. burnout and general job satisfaction. RESULTS Results of the exploratory factor analyses showed that the hypothesized four-factor structure of the WEBIC is confirmed by our data. Internal consistencies of the different factors varied from 0.77 to 0.91. Intensive care unit nurses' most central (operational) tasks turned out to pose the greatest demands, but also seemed to drive their satisfaction. With respect to the relationships between the four WEBIC-factors, and burnout and general job satisfaction, it was found that, especially for the satisfying tasks, significant relationships with these outcomes were found. CONCLUSION The reliability and construct validity of the WEBIC-questionnaire can be considered satisfactory. Furthermore, the questionnaire provides a systematical and detailed coverage of ICU nurses' tasks. In relation to this, the questionnaire is not only useful for scientific purposes but also for practical use.

[1]  C. Cooper Introduction: a discussion about the role of negative affectivity in job stress research , 2000 .

[2]  M. Frese,et al.  On the importance of the objective environment in stress and attribution theory. Counterpoint to Perrewé and Zellars , 1999 .

[3]  M. West,et al.  Sharing the burden - teamwork in health care settings , 1999 .

[4]  T. Wall,et al.  Strain as a moderator of the relationship between work characteristics and work attitudes. , 1999, Journal of occupational health psychology.

[5]  Julie H. Goldberg,et al.  Prevention of burnout: New perspectives , 1998 .

[6]  Wilmar B. Schaufeli,et al.  The Burnout Companion to Study and Practice: A Critical Analysis , 1998 .

[7]  Meni Koslowsky,et al.  Modelling the Stress-Strain Relationship in Work Settings , 1998 .

[8]  Abraham P. Buunk,et al.  Psychosocial aspects of occupational stress , 1998 .

[9]  D. Rees,et al.  Staff stress on the intensive care unit: a comparison of doctors and nurses , 1997, Anaesthesia.

[10]  Paul E. Spector Job satisfaction: application, assessment, cause, and consequences , 1997 .

[11]  Dieter Zapf,et al.  ‘Shared job strain’: A new approach for assessing the validity of job stress measurements , 1996 .

[12]  W. Schaufeli,et al.  Simplified Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System: the TISS-28 items--results from a multicenter study. , 1996 .

[13]  J. de Jonge,et al.  Job autonomy, well-being, and health : a study among Dutch health care workers , 1995 .

[14]  J. Vivés,et al.  Causal and emotional factors related to work stress in ICU nursing staff. The importance of accurate measurement. , 1994 .

[15]  N. Boumans,et al.  Working in an intensive or non-intensive care unit: does it make any difference? , 1994, Heart & lung : the journal of critical care.

[16]  P. Dewe Coping and the intensity of nursing stressors , 1993 .

[17]  M. Blegen,et al.  Nurses' Job Satisfaction: A Meta‐Analysis Of Related Variables , 1993, Nursing research.

[18]  B. Byrne The Maslach Burnout Inventory: Validating Factorial Structure and Invariance Across Intermediate, Secondary, and University Educators. , 1991, Multivariate behavioral research.

[19]  J. Tonkin,et al.  Registered nurse stress in intensive care units--an Australian perspective. , 1991, Intensive care nursing.

[20]  Robert Karasek,et al.  Healthy Work : Stress, Productivity, and the Reconstruction of Working Life , 1990 .

[21]  P. Dewe Identifying the causes of nurses' stress: A survey of New Zealand nurses , 1987 .

[22]  D. Cross,et al.  Stress, coping behaviors, and recommendations for intensive care and medical surgical ward registered nurses. , 1985, Research in nursing & health.

[23]  B. Muthén,et al.  A comparison of some methodologies for the factor analysis of non‐normal Likert variables , 1985 .

[24]  Laurie A. Broedling,et al.  Taxonomies of Human Performance: The Description of Human Tasks , 1984 .

[25]  Bailey Jt,et al.  The stress audit: identifying the stressors of ICU nursing. , 1980 .

[26]  Robert Karasek,et al.  Job decision latitude and mental strain: Implications for job redesign , 1979 .

[27]  J. Hackman,et al.  Toward understanding the role of tasks in behavioral research. , 1969, Acta psychologica.

[28]  Theodore Kunin The Construction of a New Type of Attitude Measure , 1955 .