RN Work Project

This study explored explored direct and indirect influences of physical work environment on job satisfaction in a nationally representative sample of 1,141 early-career registered nurses. In the fully specified model, physical work environment had a non-significant direct effect on job satisfaction. The path analysis used to test multiple indirect effects showed that physical work environment had a positive indirect effect (p < .05) on job satisfaction through ten variables: negative affectivity, variety, workgroup cohesion, nurse-physician relations, quantitative workload, organizational constraints, distributive justice, promotional opportunity, local and non-local job opportunities. The findings make important contributions to the understanding of the relationship between physical work environment and job satisfaction. The results can inform health care leaders’ insight about how physical work environment influences nurses’ job satisfaction.

2014

Djukic, M., Kovner, C. T., Brewer, C. S., Fatehi, F., & Greene, W. H.

Research in Nursing & Health, 37(4) 312-325.

doi:10.1002/nur.21606.

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Based on the data collected in 2011 from 1,407 nurses who were a nationally representative sample of nurses who were licensed for the first time in 2004 and 2005, this study reported the verbal abuse that early career nurses experienced from other nurses.

2014

Kovner, C.T. Budin, W., & Brewer, C.S.

Nursing in the 21^st Century,  issue 3, 6/11.

(N21 is intended for educational, non-commercial use. )

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Registered nurse (RN) turnover is an important measure widely used in health-care workforce analyses. While at the same time there is a lack of consistency in the definition of turnover. These inconsistent definitions would finally result in various turnover rates. In this article we try to answer what does nurse turnover rate mean and what is the rate based on the data we collected through RN Work Project, which is the only multi-state, 10-year longitudinal panel study of new nurses.

2014

Christine T. Kovner, Carol S. Brewer, Farida Fatehi and Jin Jun

Policy Politics Nursing Practice. published online 25 August 2014

DOI: 10.1177/1527154414547953.

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Recent changes in U.S. health care and economics may influence the demand for nurses and the work choices of newly licensed RNs (NLRNs). We sought to compare the work lives of two cohorts of NLRNs licensed six years apart.  Response rates were 58% and 47%, respectively, for the 2004–05 cohort (N = 774) and the 2010–11 cohort (N = 1,613). The NLRNs in the later cohort were less likely to work in hospitals, special-care units, and direct care and more likely to work as managers, be enrolled in formal education programs, and view their work environments positively, resulting in more commitment to the organization. Also, those in the later cohort reported fewer local job opportunities, and a greater number held a second job.

Kovner, C., Brewer, C., Fatehi, F., & Katigbak C. (2014). American Journal of Nursing, 114(2), 26-34.

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The purpose of this article was to compare the concepts of an integrated nursing turnover theory with the concepts of one international migration framework.

2014

Brewer, C. S. & Kovner, C. T.

Nursing Outlook. 62(1), 29-38.

doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2013.09.002.         

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We surveyed 2 cohorts of early-career registered nurses from 15 states in the US, 2 years apart, to compare their reported participation in hospital quality improvement (QI) activities. We anticipated differences between the 2 cohorts because of the growth of several initiatives for engaging nurses in QI. There were no differences between the 2 cohorts across 14 measured activities, except for their reported use of appropriate strategies to improve hand-washing compliance to reduce nosocomial infection rates.

Djukic, M., Kovner, C., Brewer, C., Fatehi, F., & Bernstein, I. (2013). Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 28(3), 198-207.

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Ongoing assessments of nurses’ preparedness in quality and safety competencies are absent from prelicensure education programs.

2013

Djukic, M., Kovner, C., Brewer, C., Fatehi, F., & Bernstein, I. Aidarus, N.

Journal of Nursing Regulation, 4(2), 15-21.

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Verbal abuse in the workplace is experienced by registered nurses (RNs) worldwide; physicians are one of the main sources of verbal abuse.

2013

Brewer, C. S., Kovner, C. T., Obeidat, R.F. & Budin, W.

Nursing Outlook. 61(6), 408-416.

doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2013.01.004

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This study examined relationships between verbal abuse from nurse colleagues and demographic characteristics, work attributes, and work attitudes of early career registered nurses (RNs).

2013

Budin, W., Brewer, C. S., Chao, Y.Y. & Kovner, C. T

Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 45(3), 308-316

doi: 10.1111/jnu.12033.

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Increasing participation of registered nurses (RNs) in quality improvement (QI) is a promising strategy to close the health care quality chasm. For RNs to participate effectively in hospital QI, they must have adequate QI knowledge and skills.

2013

Djukic, M., Kovner, C., Brewer, C., Fatehi, F., & Seltzer. J.

The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. 44(1), 12-19.

doi: 10.3928/00220124-20121115-68

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