Healthcare professionals' work engagement in Finnish university hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Concerns about the sufficiency and dedication of the healthcare workforce have arisen as the baby boomer generation is retiring and the generation Y might have different working environment demands. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To describe the association between work engagement of healthcare professionals' and its background factors at five Finnish university hospitals. METHODS: Survey data were collected from nurses, physicians and administrative staff (n = 561) at all five university hospitals in Finland. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire that comprised the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (9 items) and 13 questions regarding the respondents' backgrounds. Descriptive and correlational analyses were used to examine the data. RESULTS: Most respondents were female (85%) and nursing staff (72%). Baby boomers (49%) were the largest generational cohort. The work engagement composite mean for the total sample was 5.0, indicating high work engagement. Significant differences in work engagement existed only among sex and age groups. The highest work engagement scores were among administrative staff. CONCLUSIONS: Work engagement among healthcare professionals in Finnish university hospitals is high. High work engagement might be explained by suitable job resources and challenges, as well as opportunities provided by a frontline care environment. Attention should especially be paid to meeting the needs of young people entering the workforce to strengthen their dedication and absorption.

[Physicians' rounds on the wards in light of research literature]. / Lääkärinkierto tutkimuskirjallisuuden valossa.

Physicians' rounds have traditionally been used to assess and plan patients' treatments and to teach medical students. According to the studies analysed in the review, patients have mostly been satisfied with the information received in the course of the physicians' rounds and eager to be involved in planning and decision-making concerning their treatment. The development challenges are related to improving the confidentiality of information. Interaction between doctor, patient and nurse is slight, as is the involvement of nurses in processing matters. Various checklists would make rounds more systematic. Despite their essentially passive role, medical students see that rounds create useful learning environments.

Nursing intervention studies on patients and family members: a systematic literature review.

The development of evidence-based practice is a major current challenge in the fields of nursing practice and nursing research. A concerted effort is needed to develop and test interventions and to assess their impacts. The illness of one family member inevitably affects other family members and the whole family. Nursing interventions should be so designed that they support and enhance the life situation of both patients and their families. The aim of this study is to undertake a systematic review of nursing intervention studies on patients and family members published in international databases in 2001-2006. The main focus was on the targets, methods and impacts of interventions. The articles for the review were searched from Medline and Cinahl (n = 31) and analysed by content analysis and the RE-AIM evaluation model. The results showed that the interventions were targeted at patients with chronic diseases and individual family members. In addition to support components, the interventions included elements of teaching, counselling and education. The preliminary evidence indicated that the interventions were effective in relieving the burden of care and depressive symptoms of family members of Alzheimer, cancer, stroke and schizophrenia patients as well as in promoting their quality of life and coping. Nursing interventions are still in the development and testing phase. The challenge for the future is to broaden the scope and application of interventions in different nursing environments. Assessments of the efficacy of interventions should also consider their adaptation, implementation and maintenance in practical nursing.