Cohesion among nurses: a comparison of bedside vs. charge nurses' perceptions in Australian hospitals

Chaboyer, Wendy, Najman, Jake and Dunn, Sandra (2001) Cohesion among nurses: a comparison of bedside vs. charge nurses' perceptions in Australian hospitals. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 35 4: 526-32.


Author Chaboyer, Wendy
Najman, Jake
Dunn, Sandra
Title Cohesion among nurses: a comparison of bedside vs. charge nurses' perceptions in Australian hospitals
Journal name Journal of Advanced Nursing   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2001
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01886.x
Volume number 35
Issue number 4
ISSN 0309-2402
Start page 526
End page 32
Total pages 7
Place of publication Oxford
Publisher Blackwell Science Ltd
Collection year 2001
Language eng
Subject C1
730302 Nursing
370104 Urban Sociology and Community Studies
Abstract Aim. This study examines the extent to which hospital nurses view their working environment in a positive sense, working as a cohesive group. Background. Despite the fact that nursing in Australia is now considered a profession, it has been claimed that nurses are an oppressed group who use horizontal violence, bullying and aggression in their interactions with one and other. Methods. After ethical approval, a random sample of 666 nurses working directly with patients and all 333 critical care nurses employed in three large tertiary Australian hospitals were invited to participate in the study in the late 1990s. A mailed survey examined the perceptions of interaction nurses had with each other. The hypothesis, that level of employment (either Level I bedside nurses or Level II/III clinical leaders) and area of work (either critical care or noncritical care) would influence perceptions of cohesion, as measured by the cohesion amongst nurses scale (CANS) was tested. Results. In total 555 (56%) surveys were returned. Of these, 413 were returned by Level I and 142 by Level II/III nurses. Of this sample, 189 were critical care and 355 noncritical care nurses. There was no difference between Level I and II/III nurses in mean CANS scores. It is interesting to note that the item rated most positively was, 'nurses on the units worked well together', however, the item rated least positive was 'staff can be really bitchy towards each other' for both Level I and II/III nurses. There was no difference in CANS scores between critical care and noncritical care nurses. Conclusions. Nurses working in Australian hospitals perceived themselves to be moderately cohesive but, as would be expected in other work settings, some negative perceptions existed.
Keyword Nursing
Nursing Culture
Social Interactions
Critical Care Nursing
Horizontal Violence
Management
Staff
Horizontal
Violence
Q-Index Code C1

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: School of Population Health Publications
School of Social Science Publications
 
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Created: Tue, 14 Aug 2007, 16:24:13 EST