Balance, Health, and Workplace Safety: Experiences of New Nurses in the Context of Total Worker Health

Transitioning into independent professional practice may be a difficult and trying process for newly licensed nurses, who may be at risk for burnout and quitting their jobs. Issues related to new nurses’ well-being at work may also impact their personal lives. Using thematic analysis within the fram...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AAOHN journal 2019-10, Vol.67 (10), p.520-528
Main Authors: Oneal, Gail, Graves, Janessa M., Diede, Tullamora, Postma, Julie, Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina, Butterfield, Patricia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aggression
Burnout
Burnout, Professional
Female
Focus Groups
Health problems
Health promotion
Health risks
Humans
Male
Medical personnel
Mental disorders
Mental health
Middle Aged
Nurses
Nurses - psychology
Nursing
Occupational Health
Occupational safety
Oregon
Qualitative Research
Risk management
Safety
Violence
Washington
Well being
Work-Life Balance
Working conditions
Workplace
Workplace Violence
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Summary:Transitioning into independent professional practice may be a difficult and trying process for newly licensed nurses, who may be at risk for burnout and quitting their jobs. Issues related to new nurses’ well-being at work may also impact their personal lives. Using thematic analysis within the framework of Total Worker Health, this study examined factors related to the overall work, safety, and health of newly licensed nurses that should be addressed in work environments to promote well-being and prevent burnout and attrition. The main component of Total Worker Health is to find and understand the relevant issues that lead to safety and health risks in the workplace and affect workers’ well-being at work and home. The overarching concept of Balance between Work and Life included three main themes: Health, Work Environment, and Learning to Be (a nurse). These themes with their subthemes described the difficulties participants had in balancing the complex interactions of work conditions and social life changes during the transition from student to professional nurse. Participants identified new physical health problems, mental health challenges, physical violence, lack of support structures at work, and alterations in family and friend relationships. However, they also developed protective factors from new connections with coworkers. These findings showed that new nurses are vulnerable to many factors at home and work that affect well-being and may lead to burnout and attrition. Implications include interventions at work that focus on health promotion, group support, and safety risk prevention through occupational nurse management.
ISSN:2165-0799
2165-0969
DOI:10.1177/2165079919833701