Evaluating work ability and quality of life for clinical nurses in Taiwan

• Published in: Nursing outlook 2007-11, Vol.55 (6), p.318-326
• Main Authors: Chiu, Min-Chi, Wang, Mao-Jiun J., Lu, Chih-Wei, Pan, Shung-Mei, Kumashiro, Masaharu, Ilmarinen, Juhani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ability; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Attitude of Health Personnel; Burnout, Professional - epidemiology; Burnout, Professional - prevention & control; Burnout, Professional - psychology; Clinical Competence - standards; Correlation analysis; Health care; Health Facility Environment - organization & administration; Health Status; Hospital Departments - organization & administration; Humans; Job design; Job Satisfaction; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Nurse's Role - psychology; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Methodology Research; Nursing Staff, Hospital - education; Nursing Staff, Hospital - organization & administration; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Occupational Health; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Self Efficacy; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taiwan - epidemiology; Work Schedule Tolerance; Workload - psychology; Workload - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0029-6554; 1528-3968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2007.07.002

This study investigated the work ability and its relationship with quality of life for the clinical nurses in Taiwan. The survey was of 1534 nursing professionals from 8 different hospitals. Work ability of nursing professionals varied by age, work experience, working departments and hospital types. Work ability of nurses increased with age until after the age of 45. Personal health condition and physical workload were the main factors contributing to the decline of the perceived work ability for senior nurses. For young nurses, the mental demands of work were a critical influence on their work ability. Moreover, work ability of nurses varied among hospital type and department. The work ability of nurses was strongly associated with the quality and safety of the work environment and leisure time management. For improving and maintaining the work ability of nurses, countermeasures such as enhancing the ability to cope with the job’s mental demands for young nurses, and improving the job design to reduce physical workload for senior nurses are recommended.