The role of the psychological contract in the motivation of nurses.

Purpose Although private health care is regarded as providing a premium quality experience for both patients and staff alike, it is not without its daily challenges for health professionals. This study aims to explore the psychological contract of nurses to develop a greater understanding of how employee-employer interaction impacts motivation levels. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with thirteen nurses at a private hospital in South Africa. Five nursing managers were interviewed to provide a management perspective. Thematic analysis was used to identify the salient elements of the psychological contract and to establish connections with motivational features. Findings The psychological contract of nurses was balanced in nature, contained predominantly relational elements and was characterized by the need for manager support, leadership and autonomy. Motivation was a by-product of fulfilment and was enhanced by a combination of tangible and intangible rewards. Practical implications Nursing managers should recognize their role in caring for the wellbeing of their staff and should be trained accordingly. Equipping nurses with the necessary tools to work autonomously, as well as acknowledging their skills, will stimulate confidence and improve motivation. Originality/value This study makes an important contribution to the existing literature on the psychological contract of nurses within the health-care system. It provides insight into relationship-based mechanisms that can be used to improve the motivation of nurses and thus impact the overall quality of patient care.

'IF You Drink Alcohol, THEN You Will Get Cancer': Investigating How Reasoning Accuracy Is Affected by Pictorially Presented Graphic Alcohol Warnings.

AIMS: To investigate the cognitive processing of emotive pictorial warnings intended to curb alcohol misuse, using novel methodologies adapted from the reasoning literature to assess whether emotive pictorial warnings alter reasoning. METHOD: In Study 1, individuals completed a version of the Wason selection task-evaluating warnings in which content type (Alcohol and Non-Alcohol) and emotional valence (Positive and Negative) were manipulated through imagery. In Study 2, people evaluated the certainty of outcomes described by alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related warnings in the form of If-Then statements. RESULTS: Study 1 found that in alcohol-related warnings, there was no difference in reasoning accuracy between positive and negative content. However, fewer correct responses followed exposure to negative general-health messages. Study 2 suggested that when a warning involves the potential consequences of drinking alcohol, accuracy is improved when the content is negative. However, when considering the consequences of abstinence, accuracy was greatest when the content was positive. This was supported by an inference by content interaction. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, negative imagery should be used with caution in health warnings, and goals carefully considered. In some cases imagery of negative outcomes may improve reasoning, however, its use in alcohol-related messages does not appear to be consistently beneficial.

Getting the picture: iconicity does not affect representation-referent confusion.

Three experiments examined 3- to 5-year-olds' (N = 428) understanding of the relationship between pictorial iconicity (photograph, colored drawing, schematic drawing) and the real world referent. Experiments 1 and 2 explored pictorial iconicity in picture-referent confusion after the picture-object relationship has been established. Pictorial iconicity had no effect on referential confusion when the referent changed after the picture had been taken/drawn (Experiment 1) and when the referent and the picture were different from the outset (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 investigated whether children are sensitive to iconicity to begin with. Children deemed photographs from a choice of varying iconicity representations as best representations for object reference. Together, findings suggest that iconicity plays a role in establishing a picture-object relation per se but is irrelevant once children have accepted that a picture represents an object. The latter finding may reflect domain general representational abilities.