Comparison between the working environment of nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context

ABSTRACT Objective Comparing the working environment of nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context. Method A mixed methods research with concomitant triangulation of data developed in a university hospital in the South of Brazil. Participants in the quantitative study were 94 nursing assistants and 12 nurse managers. The data were collected using the Brazilian Nursing Work Index − Revised (B-NWI-R) and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Eight (8) nurse managers and 18 nursing assistants were interviewed for the qualitative study. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results The total B-NWI-R mean score for nurse managers was 2.15±0.39, and for nursing assistants it was 2.22±0.39. No statistical significance was identified in the comparison between the groups (p=0.508). The qualitative results show the existence of collaborative relationships between nurse managers and nursing assistants. Conclusion The working environment was similarly evaluated by nurse managers and nursing assistants in the hospital context.