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Background: The nurse leadership of a hospital is identified as the single most important aspect of the practice environment that impacts nurse outcomes. When nurses are satisfied with their jobs, they tend to remain with their employers and become more productive in their workplaces., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between leadership, job satisfaction and intentions to leave among registered nurses (RNs) working in hospitals in the North West and Free State provinces of South Africa., Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The population (N = 680) with the sample (n = 204) included RNs in medical–surgical units in both private and public hospitals in the two provinces. Data were collected using the RN4CAST questionnaire., Results: RNs were satisfied with the items pertaining to leadership except for praise and recognition (55.7%). They also indicated high levels of overall job satisfaction (70.5%) but were dissatisfied with wages (50%), study leave (40.9%) and opportunities for advancement (40.1%). Furthermore, 46.1% of the RNs intended to leave their current hospitals. The results indicated a relationship between leadership and job satisfaction (r = 0.47; p = 0.00) and between intention to leave and job satisfaction (d = 0.50)., Conclusion: The nurse managers played a significant role influencing RN’s level of job satisfaction, while job satisfaction was highly correlated with intention to leave. The nurse leadership can improve job satisfaction by giving praise and recognition to the RNs for jobs well done, and RNs should be afforded the opportunity to advance their careers through further studies.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between non-nursing tasks (NNTs), nursing tasks left undone (NTLU) and job satisfaction among professional nurses (PNs) in South Africa (SA)., Background: This study adds to the international debate about the relationship between non-nursing tasks, nursing tasks left undone and job satisfaction by studying the variables at individual nurse and hospital unit level., Method: A cross-sectional survey design of 1166 PNs in 60 medical and surgical units in 55 private hospitals and seven public hospitals., Results: Nationally, the three main non-nursing tasks performed were clerical duties (M = 1.81), arranging discharge referrals and transport (M = 1.38) and performing non-nursing care (M = 1.31), while the main nursing tasks left undone were comfort/talk with patients (62.2%), educating patients and family (57.9%) and develop/update nursing care plans/pathways (51.6%). Nursing tasks left undone were only related to three non-nursing tasks, and job satisfaction correlated most highly with nursing tasks left undone., Conclusion: Professional nurses conduct many non-nursing tasks, and leave several important nursing tasks left undone. Nursing tasks left undone cause the greatest degree of job dissatisfaction amongst professional nurses., Implications for Nursing Management: Role overlapping and work performed by professional nurses below their skill level should be identified and re-organised; support services should be employed and efficiently used., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: To describe the practice environment, job satisfaction and burnout of critical-care nurses (CCNs) in South Africa (SA) and the relationship between these variables., Background: CCNs are more sensitive to job satisfaction and burnout, and several studies have been published on the relationship between these variables. However, the research that was undertaken did not focus exclusively on the practice environment of CCNs or the context of SA., Method: The RN4CAST survey was used. A stratified sample of 55 private hospitals and seven national referral hospitals were included in the study. A total of 935 CCNs completed the survey., Results: The practice environment is positive, except for staffing and resource adequacy, and governance. The greatest job dissatisfaction is experienced with regard to wages, opportunities for advancement and study leave. CCNs have a high degree of burnout., Conclusion: The high degree of burnout is related to dissatisfaction with wages, opportunities for advancement, study leave and a practice environment with inadequate staffing and resources, and lack of nurse participation in hospital affairs., Implications for Nursing Management: Managers should ensure that adequate numbers of CCNs are on the staff allocation and provide opportunities for CCNS to participate in policy and governance of the hospital, while giving attention to good salaries and providing opportunities for advancement and study leave., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Objective: To examine the practice environment, nurse reported quality of care and patient safety, and nurse workforce outcomes in medical and surgical units in private and public hospitals in South Africa (SA), and determine the association of modifiable features of the hospital such as the practice environment and patient to nurse workloads on these outcomes. Design: Cross-sectional survey of nurses. Setting and participants: Nurses were surveyed in medical and surgical units of 55 private hospitals and 7 public national referral hospitals in SA. A total of 1187 nurses completed the survey. Measurements: Practice environment, patient to nurse workloads, nurse reported quality of care and patient safety, and nurse workforce outcomes including burnout, job satisfaction and intention to leave. Results: On a national level, more than half, 54.4% (634/1166) of nurses intend to leave their hospital within the next year due to job dissatisfaction and 52.3% (600/1148) rate their practice environment as poor or fair, while almost half, 45.8% (538/1174) report high levels of burnout and 44.9% (517/1152) are not confident that management will resolve patient problems. Public hospital nurses report more negative outcomes than private hospital nurses. Some 71% (320/451) of public hospital nurses rate their practice environment as poor/fair, 62.9% (281/447) are not confident management will resolve patient problems, and 59% (272/461) intend to leave their hospital within the next year due to job dissatisfaction. On a national level, more favourable practice environments are significantly associated with more positive nurse reported quality of care, and nurse workforce outcomes. This is true for private and public hospitals. Patient to nurse workloads are also significantly associated with more positive nurse reported quality of care and patient safety, and nurse workforce outcomes, but primarily in public hospitals. Conclusions: Improving the practice environment, including patient to nurse ratios holds promise for retaining a qualified and committed nurse workforce and may benefit patients in terms of better quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to describe the association between the practice environment and nurse educator outcomes (burnout, engagement, incivility, job satisfaction and intention to leave) in public nursing education institutions in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The practice environment holds the most promise for recruiting and retaining a qualified and engaged nurse workforce; however, the association between the practice environment and nurse educator outcomes has been relatively unexplored. Cross-sectional design. The Gauteng province was purposively selected, as it has the highest number of public nursing education institutions in South Africa. All-inclusive sampling was applied to public nursing educations institutions in Gauteng province (N = 6) and then to Heads of Department (N = 30; n = 17) and nurse educators (senior lecturers [N = 162; n = 45] and lecturers [N = 257; n = 80]). Data were collected during March to November 2018. The data were collected using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index; Maslach Burnout Inventory - Educators Survey; Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES); Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised (INE-R); job satisfaction and Propensity to Leave Scale. The results show that nurse educators are an aging population, with limited numbers having master's and doctoral qualifications. The most job dissatisfaction is regarding wages (M=2.0; SD 1.07); appreciation, recognition and rewards for good work (M=2.1; SD 1.01); and opportunities for advancement (M=2.2; SD 1.01). The nurse educators do not experience their public nursing education institutions as having a positive practice environment. Nurse educators experienced high levels of work engagement, moderate levels of burnout and low levels of incivility, that were highly correlated with the subscale of foundations of quality outcomes. They experienced moderate levels of job satisfaction but did not intend to leave their places of employment, which was highly correlated with the subscale of manager's ability, leadership and support. A positive practice environment improves nurse educator outcomes. The subscale of foundations of quality outcomes and manager's ability, leadership and support had the most impact on nurse educator outcomes, thus quality teaching practices should be cultivated and recognised; and managers must have the necessary skill and knowledge to lead effectively, while also including nurse educators in decisions that impact them and involving them in the affairs of the nursing education institution. There is a shortage of qualified nurse educators globally and in South Africa and urgent attention must be given to factors that influence the recruitment and retention of nurse educators. The practice environment holds the most promise for recruiting and retaining a qualified and engaged nurse educator workforce, especially regarding foundations of quality outcomes and manager's ability, leadership and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]