Burnout, Compassion Satisfaction, and Intent to Quit Among Long-Term Care Nursing Assistants in the Time of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated the stress and burden of those employed in long-term care (LTC) facilities due to staff shortages, increased risks on the job, and ever-changing COVID-19 protocol requirements. This study examines potential differences in pre-COVID-19 and current COVID-19 LTC facility employed nursing assistants on burnout, compassion satisfaction, job satisfaction, and intent to quit. The sample included 81 nursing assistants employed in LTC facilities across the United States, with data collected prior to (n= 42) and during COVID-19 related shutdowns (n= 39). Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5 (ProQOL 5), a single-item self-report measure of job satisfaction, and a two-item self-report measure of intent to quit their current employment. Nursing assistants during COVID-19 reported a higher level of burnout and lower level of compassion satisfaction than nursing assistants Pre-COVID-19. However, there were no differences in job satisfaction or intent to quit. The results suggest there may be additional factors that influence an individual’s decision to remain employed above and beyond the impacts of burnout and compassion satisfaction that may be unique to the caring professions. Future research might investigate factors that influence an individual’s decision to remain employed as a nursing assistant during periods of increased stress and burnout. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 related stress added to the already high levels of stress and burnout on nursing assistants calls for further attention and research devoted to psychological support of LTC staff during crisis and normal times.

CAREER PLATEAUING AND EMPLOYEE TURNOVER INTENTIONS: A CIVIL SERVICE PERSPECTIVE

Stagnation of employees in organizations especially in the civil service in developing countries is an existential issue, that is a potential determinant of intent to quit and actual turnover. Hence, the need to specifically determine the relationship between structural career plateauing (SCP) and turnover intentions of civil servants in South-East Nigeria. Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory was used in anchoring the work. The study adopted a survey research design with a population of 2318 civil servants working in the selected States Secretariats. A sample of 328 was arrived at through the application of Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination formula. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire, whose reliability was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha statistics, with a coefficient of .872. The analysis of data was done using a combination of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The result indicated that SCP was significant in predicting turnover intentions (R-Squared = 0.916679; p-value = 0.0000< 0.05). The study concluded that turnover intention is a phenomenon that is influenced by SCP, as plateauing of employees increase, so also does the intention of the employees to quit. Sequel to this, among others, it was recommended that heads of civil service need to ensure that there is equity, fairness and consistency in the promotion of workers, to avoid a feeling of inequity and injustice, which might make the workers less committed and more inclined to leave. Keywords: Career Plateauing, Employee Turnover Intentions, Structural Career Plateauing, Content Career Plateauing and Civil Service.

How work and family caregiving responsibilities interplay and affect registered dietitian nutritionists and their work: A national survey

Healthcare professionals provide paid care at work and potentially have caregiving responsibilities outside of work; work responsibilities in addition to child and/or elder care is considered double- or triple-duty care. Employees may experience conflict and/or enrichment as their work and family responsibilities interface. This study’s purpose is to explore the work and family interface of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), determine the prevalence of work-family conflict and enrichment, and identify characteristics associated with higher work-family conflict and enrichment scores. A survey instrument assessing caregiving responsibilities and work-family conflict and enrichment was distributed electronically to 4,900 RDNs throughout the United States. Frequencies, means, correlative relationships, and ANCOVA were calculated using SAS software 9.04. Of 1,233 usable responses, nearly two-thirds of RDNs (65.5%) reported providing either double-duty or triple-duty care. About half of RDNs (47.2%) reported work-family conflict and fewer (14.8%) reported family-work conflict. Additionally, most RDNs (79.4%) reported work-family enrichment and even more (85.2%) reported family-work enrichment. Higher work-family conflict scores had correlative relationships with higher levels of burnout, lower life satisfaction, and higher intent to quit. Higher work-family enrichment scores had correlative relationships with lower burnout, higher job satisfaction, higher career satisfaction, higher life satisfaction, and lower intent to quit. Understanding the unpaid caregiving responsibilities of RDNs and the interface of work/family responsibilities may provide insight into career planning for RDNs and guide managers of RDNs in efforts to amplify the contribution of RDNs.

Use of a Mindfulness-Based Resiliency Intervention to Reduce Nurse Intention to Quit the Organization

Practice Problem: Nurse turnover is a rapidly growing problem that affects the healthcare industry worldwide. Nursing shortages created by increased turnover have a negative effect on patients and staff and create a financial strain on healthcare organizations. PICOT: For registered nurses within a select pilot group, does implementation of a mindfulness-based resiliency (MBR) intervention, compared to no intervention, reduce nurse intent to quit over an eight-week period? Evidence: The positive impact of resiliency on turnover was best described in eight articles and two doctoral papers. Studies using MBR interventions have been shown to improve the coping skills of nurses, and to decrease stress and reduce intention to quit. Intervention: The implementation of a MBR intervention was the selected intervention completed over an eight-week period. Participants completed a Personal and Organizational Quality Assessment-(POQA-R4) designed to measure personal and job‐related constructs pre and post intervention. Outcome: “Intent to quit” did not show a statistically significant change post-implementation of the MBR intervention. The result of the two-tailed paired samples t-test” was not significant (p=.179, alpha=0.05). However, clinical significance was achieved with reduction of stress for the 10 project participants. Conclusion: Reducing the intention to quit achieved clinical significance by promoting nurse well-being. Consideration should be given for implementation of the MBR intervention with a larger group of nurses.

Smokers who do not quit: Can the precaution adoption process model help identify hard-core smokers?

IntroductionHard-core smokers have been identified as a potential public health challenge. The trans-theoretical model lacks the specificity to identify hard-core smokers. The precaution adoption process model (PAPM) is a stage-based behaviour change model which includes ‘no intent to quit’ as a distinct stage and so may be useful in identifying hard-core smokers.AimsThe aim of this study was to apply the PAPM to a community based sample of smokers to determine whether it provides a useful approach to identifying hard-core smokers.MethodsWe surveyed smokers in Australia who were recruited through social media and an online data collection agency.ResultsThe sample included 336 current smokers, 11.9% were in Stage 4 of the PAPM – i.e. had decided not to quit. Stage 4 smokers are more resistant to quitting and marked by their similarities to hard-core smokers. This is further amplified when addressing Stage 4 smokers with no previous quit attempt.ConclusionsStage 4 smokers with no previous quit attempts are aligned with a hard-core smoker profile with higher levels of nicotine dependence, greater cigarette consumption and low socio-economic status. Further research is required to determine if PAPM is a valid predictive model for identifying hard-core smokers in clinical practice.

The influence of employee performance appraisal cynicism on intent to quit and sportsmanship

Purpose Using job demands–resources (JD–R) theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of job demands (difficult performance appraisal (PA) objectives) and job resources (performance feedback and leader member exchange (LMX)) on employee reports of PA cynicism. The paper also investigates the consequences of PA cynicism on intent to quit and bad sportsmanship. Design/methodology/approach Survey data on PA demands and resources, PA cynicism and turnover intentions were obtained from employees. Supervisors rated their employees’ level of sportsmanship. Findings Contrary to the predictions of JD–R theory, the authors found that employees are most likely to be cynical when they experience high levels of job resources (LMX and performance feedback) and high levels of job demands (difficult objectives). Research limitations/implications The study demonstrates that PA cynicism matters – employees with higher levels of PA cynicism were more likely to contemplate leaving the organization; employees with high levels of PA cynicism are rated as bad sports by their supervisors. Practical implications Employees are sensitive to gaps between the description and reality of a PA process which can trigger thoughts of organizational exit and ineffective work behaviors. human resource managers need to ensure that employees regard the PA process as valuable, useful and worth their time and effort. Originality/value The authors contribute to the PA literature by investigating the role of both job resources and demands. PA research has focused on the specification of job demands, underplaying the role of job resources in employee attitudes toward PA.