Nursing outlook
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The processes and outcomes of nurses' work are described extensively in studies about patient care, nursing education and training, job satisfaction, health care quality and management, and organizational behavior. These studies evaluate the relationship between nurses' behavior and organizational health (ie, productivity) or between nurses' behavior and patient health (ie, medical error). Fewer studies probe the association between the nature of nursing work and the status of nurses' health despite the logical connection between how well nurses feel and how well they perform, or even, whether they discontinue working altogether for health reasons. ⋯ Moreover, studies about nurses' work and nurses' health are discussed in light of the limitations for connecting job stress to job changes or health outcomes over time. Current approaches for dealing with nurses' stress, such as the attraction to "Magnetism", may inadvertently impede progress in this area. Recommendations for the future are included.
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The nursing workforce is aging at an unprecedented rate yet little is known about the health and safety of older registered nurses (RNs). The survey reported here examined the relationships between demographic variables, job attributes (job satisfaction, control over practice, and job demands) and the physical and mental health and job-related injuries and health disorders of 308 nurses over the age of 50. Findings indicate that nurses with higher job satisfaction, higher control over practice, and lower job demands experienced increased physical health. ⋯ Nurses with higher job demands and those employed in hospital settings were more likely to have an injury. Overall, older RNs reported higher levels of physical and mental health than the national norm. Efforts must be made to keep older RNs healthy so we can retain them in the workforce.