Abstract

Purpose: Clinical Partners (CPs) and Emergency Techs (ETs) are direct care bedside workers on the nursing units. CPs/ETs are generally considered to be ancillary personnel with little decision making functions and subject to the decisions made by others for them. Fulfilling the responsibilities of a CP/ETs requires a working relationship with the nurses that manage and direct their work functions. Yet, in patient care, the CPs/ETs are the di-rect care bedside workers and their actions and decisions make a difference in patient care. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationships among the CPs’/ETs’ perceptions of their work relationships with RN team managers, sense of empowerment as team members, and their job satisfaction.

Methods: The study was a descriptive correlational design using paper and pencil. Besides demographic questions, the study utilized two instruments, the Clinical Partner Work Environment Scale (CPWE) and the Benjamin Rose Nurse Assistant Job Satisfaction Scale (BRNAS). The surveys were anonymous and participation was voluntary. The sur-veys were distributed to CPs and ETs on the four medical-surgical units, ICU-PACU, and the Emergency Department at Doctors Hospital.

Results: A total of 56 CPs/ETs participated in the study. Our results indicate that our CPs/ETs are fairly satisfied with their positions, but are least satisfied with the pay they receive. Furthermore, respondents indicated a lower level of satisfaction with the amount of time they have to perform their jobs, cooperation between nurse team manag-ers & coworkers, the amount of support they receive to perform their jobs, and their chances to talk about concerns.

Conclusion: Job satisfaction of CPs/ETs may be linked to a number of variables of interest to healthcare administrators, including quality of care and clinical outcomes. Sat-isfied employees are less likely to leave an institution, thus investing in employees’ job sat-isfaction may help retain existing employees and attract new ones, lowering costs, and im-proving the continuity and quality of care. Nursing leaders must create positive work en-vironments that fosters teamwork and mutual respect in a supportive shared governance structure.

Publication Date

6-15-2018

Presented At:

13th Annual BHSF Research Conference

Content Type

Poster

Open Access

Available to all.

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