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Research findings support the idea that workload is a significant stressor associated with a variety of deleterious psychological reactions, including burnout, in several different samples of workers. A theoretical model is put forth in the present study in which workload is seen as contributing to distress and depression. Increasingly, organisations are experiencing changes as a result of extensive downsizing, restructuring, and merging. As a result of fiscal restraint, hospitals have been forced to merge, close, downsize, and restructure. Workloads have increased among hospital staff, particularly nurses. This study applies a theoretical model to the understanding of the impact of workload on nurses employed in hospitals experiencing downsizing, particularly on their distress, burnout, and depression. Respondents were 488 nurses who were employed in hospitals that were undergoing restructuring and in which units had already been closed as a result of restructuring. Results of structural equation modeling showed that the data partially fit the model and that workload contributed substantially to levels of depression through distress reactions. Further results showed that cynicism, anger, and emotional exhaustion significantly operationalised distress reactions. This study is unique theoretically in linking anger, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion in a single model that predicts distress levels from workload. The findings that anger, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion operationalised distress indicate the importance of studying patterns of negative reactions and their consequences for depression. Implications of the results are discussed for interventions that can be taken by organisations in order to reduce workloads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, organizations are experiencing changes as a result of extensive downsizing, restructuring, and merging. In Canada, government-sponsored medicine has been affected as hospitals have merged or closed, reducing essential medical services and resulting in extensive job loss for hospital workers, particularly nurses. Hospital restructuring has also resulted in greater stress and job insecurity in nurses. The escalation of stressors has created burnout in nurses. This study examines predictors of burnout in nurses experiencing hospital restructuring using the MBI-General Survey which yields scores on three scales: Emotional exhaustion, Cynicism, and Professional efficacy. Multiple regressions were conducted where each burnout scale was the criterion and stressors (e.g., amount of work, use of generic workers to do nurses' work), restructuring effects, social support, and individual resources (e.g., control coping, self-efficacy, prior organizational commitment) were predictors. There were differences in the amount of variance accounted for in the burnout components by stressors and resources. Stressors contributed most to emotional exhaustion and least to professional efficacy. Individual resources were more likely to contribute to professional efficacy and least to emotional exhaustion. Stressors and resources accounted for approximately equal amounts of variance in cynicism. Three conclusions were drawn. First, present findings parallel others by showing that individual coping patterns contribute to professional efficacy. Second, emotional exhaustion was found to be the prototype of stress. Third, prior organizational commitment, self-efficacy, and control coping resulted in lower burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined relationships between hospital restructuring and downsizing stressors, work-family and family-work conflict, job and family satisfaction and psychological well-being. Data were collected from 686 hospital-based nurses, the vast majority women, using anonymous questionnaires. Two research models hypothesizing both direct and indirect effects among these variables were tested using LISREL. Considerable support was found for these models. Restructuring and downsizing stressors had significant relationships with work-family conflict but not family-work conflict. Work-family conflict and family-work conflict, in turn, had significant relationships with psychological health. These results indicate that those responsible for the implementation of organizational restructuring and downsizing must be sensitive to the larger family and community effects of these initiatives. Fortunately, a growing body of literature on best practice provides considerable guidance on how to more effectively plan and manage these transitions. Este estudio examina relaciones entre estresores relacionados a la reestructuracion y la reduccion de hospitales, el conflicto trabajo-familia y el conflicto familia-trabajo, la satisfaccion laboral y familiar, y el bienestar sicologico. Utilizando cuestionarios anonimos, se recopilaron datos de 686 enfermeros, la gran mayoria de ellos mujeres, con base en hospitales, Se utilizo LISREL para poner a prueba dos modelos de investigacion que plantearon como hipotesis efectos directos e indirectos entre estas variables. Se encontro considerable apoyo para estos modelos. Los estresores, reestructuracion y reduccion, se relacionaron significamente con el conflicto trabajo-familia pero no con el conflicto familia-trbajo. A su vez, el conflicto trabajo-familia y el conflicto familia-trabajo se relacionaron significamente con el bienestar sicologico. Estos resultados indican que los responsables de la implementacion de la reestructuracion y reduccion organizativas deben estar muy conscientes de los efectos familiares y comunitarias de estas iniciativas. Afortunadamente, una literatura cada vez mayor sobre la mejor practica nos proporciona consejos importantes sobre como mejor planificar y dirigir estas transiciones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which examined the effects of perceived hospital and union support on work satisfaction and psychological well-being of nursing staff during a period of hospital restructuring and downsizing. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.

Examines downsizing and restructuring within a stress-and-coping framework. Psychological effects of downsizing; Discussion on individual resources, stress and downsizing; Overview on social support and downsizing.

This study examines the relationship between hospital restructuring, psychosomatic reactions, anger and hostility in nurses. Scales assessed extent of hospital restructuring. Anger was assessed using the State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) Scales. Results suggested that restructuring is a stressful and anger-provoking experience which increases with more restructuring initiatives. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which examined whether a perceived self-efficacy can be measured as part of an interactive computer session while surfing the Internet. Measurement of generalized perceived self-efficacy in different cultures; Method: Results; Discussion.

Examines the relationship among organizational functioning and psychological variables in a sample of managers. Interrelations among individual difference, demographic and organizational factors; Higher qualifications for women; Psychological and organizational implications of marriage and family which vary with gender; Different function of social support for men and women.

Examines a research model developed to understand psychological burn out among school-based educators. Identification of predictor variables; Work stressors as strong predictors; Teaching as a stressful occupation; Effects of various panels of variables in models of occupational stress; Respondents; Effects of social support, individual and organizational coping efforts.

This study examined a research model developed to understand work satisfaction and emotional and physical well-being of teachers. Data were collected from 833 school-based educators using questionnaires completed anonymously. Five groups of predictor variables identified in previous research were considered: individual demographic and situational variables, work stressors, role conflict, social support and components of psychological burnout. Some support for the model was found. Individual demographic characteristics, work stressors and components of psychological burnout were strong predictors of work attitudes and emotional and physical health. Social support had little effect on these dependent variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]