Nurses well-being in intensive care units: study of factors promoting team commitment.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care units (ICUs) are challenging work environments because of the critical condition of patients, and ICU nurses frequently lament low job satisfaction and high staff turnover. Nevertheless, organizational and work characteristics, and the quality of relationships with staff can help to maintain nurses' enthusiasm and increase job satisfaction. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse how nursing work environment factors affect identification and commitment among ICU nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 12 ICUs from four Italian urban hospitals. METHOD: A total of 222 nurses participated and completed a self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results show that nursing work characteristics are directly related to team commitment, and that the nursing work characteristics and team commitment relationship was mediated by both perceived supervisor support and job satisfaction. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Our findings may concretely contribute to literature and offer additional suggestions to improve nurses' work conditions and patient health in ICUs.

Risk groups for hepatitis A virus infection.

We report the conduct and results of a systematic search for evidence of risk of infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) among blood transfusion recipients, travellers, the military, healthcare workers, sewage workers, foodhandlers, day care assistants, institutionalised subjects, blood transfusion recipients, drug addicts, homosexuals, prisoners and other risk groups such a liver transplantees. We report our recommendations for the use of the HAV vaccine in these groups.