RN Work Project

To improve patient outcomes and meet the challenges of the U.S. health care system, the Institute of Medicine recommends higher educational attainment for the nursing workforce. Characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) who pursue additional education are poorly understood, and this information is critical to planning long-term strategies for U.S. nursing education.

2012

Kovner, C. T., Brewer, C. S., Katigbak C., Djukic, M., & Fatehi, F.

Journal of Professional Nursing.  28(6), 333-343. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.04.021.

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The impact of registered nurse (RN) staffing on patient care quality has been extensively studied. Identifying additional modifiable work environment factors linked to patient care quality is critical as the projected shortage of approximately 250,000 RNs over the next 15 years will limit institutions’ ability to rely on RN staffing alone to ensure high-quality care. In this study, we examined the association between RNs’ ratings of patient care quality and several novel work environment factors adjusting for the effects of two staffing variables: reported patient-to-RN ratios and ratings of staffing adequacy.

2011

Djukic, M., Kovner, C.T., Brewer, C.S., Fatehi, F.K., & Cline, D.D.

Health Care Management Review. 2013, 38(2), 105-114. doi: 10.1097/HMR.0b013e3182388cc3

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2012

Current evidence suggests that the economic recession has induced retired RNs to reenter nursing and working nurses to work more hours and delay retirement, thus easing the projected RN shortage. We wondered whether the economic downturn had affected new nurses’ work attitudes and behaviors, including those related to turnover.

Brewer, C. S., Kovner, C. T., Yingrengreung, S., & Djukic, M.

American Journal of Nursing, 112(3), 34-44.  doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000412637.63022.d4

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* Winner of Nursing Outlook’s Excellence in Policy Award

Nurse overtime has been used to handle normal variations in patient census and to control chronic understaffing. By 2010, 16 states had regulations to limit nurse overtime. We examined mandatory overtime regulations and their association with mandatory and voluntary overtime and total hours worked by newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs).

2012

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

Nursing Outlook. 60(2), 60-71. 

doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2011.06.006  

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2012

There is a large body of research related to nursing retention; however, there is little information specific to newly licensed registered nurse turnover. Incidence rates of turnover among new nurses are unknown because most turnover data are not from nationally representative samples of nurses.

Brewer, C. S., Kovner, C. T., Greene, W., Tukov-Shuser, M., & Djukic, M.

Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(3), 521–538. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05753.x

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2011

The purpose of this study was to explore early-career registered nurses’ perceptions of high-quality nursing care in hospitals. The study findings contribute to ongoing work intended to explore and define what quality nursing care is and how it ultimately impacts patients. The final sample analyzed for this article consisted of 171 narrative responses from hospital-based registered nurses. We used Krippendorff’s technique for qualitative content analysis to identify themes. Three themes emerged as integral to high quality nursing care: registered nurse presence, developing relationships, and facilitating the flow of knowledge and information.

Cline, D.D., Rosenberg, MC., Kovner, C.T., & Brewer, C.

Qualitative Health Research, 21(5), 673-682. doi:10.1177/1049732310395030

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About 25% of newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) leave their first job within two years, but only 2% leave the nursing profession in this same timeframe. Therefore, the researchers sought to discover what new nurses like best about being a nurse, in hopes of gaining information that might help facilities to reduce turnover rates. Data were collected between January and March 2009 from 1,152 NLRNs licensed in 15 US states. Krippendorff’s method was used to analyze survey responses. Five themes emerged: “providing holistic patient care,” “having an autonomous and collaborative practice,” “using diverse knowledge and skills to impact patient outcomes,” “receiving recognition,” and “having a job that is secure and stimulating.” Strategies are discussed that organizations might employ in helping NLRNs to realize what they best like about their work, which might lead to improved retention rates.

2011

Djukic, M., Pellico, L. D., Kovner, C. T., & Brewer, C. S.

Nursing Research and Practice, volume 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/968191

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In the newly licensed registered nurses, rural nurses and those living in small towns had significantly longer average commute times. Young married RNs and RNs with children also tended to have longer commute times, as did RNs employed by hospitals. The findings indicate that travel time to work varies significantly across locale types. Further research is needed to understand whether and to what extent lengthy commute times impact RN workforce needs in rural and urban areas.

2011

Rosenberg, MC., Corcoran, S.P., Kovner, C., & Brewer, C.

Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice, 12(1), 46-54.  doi: 10.1177/1527154411411926

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Responses of 2 369 newly licensed registered nurses from 3 generational cohorts—Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y—were studied to identify differences in their characteristics, work-related experiences, and attitudes. These responses revealed significant differences among generations in: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, work motivation, work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, distributive justice, promotional opportunities, supervisory support, mentor support, procedural justice, and perceptions of local job opportunities. Health organizations and their leaders need to anticipate intergenerational differences among newly licensed nurses and should provide for supportive working environments that recognize those differences.

2010

Keepnews, D. M., Brewer, C. S., Kovner, C. T., & Hyun Shin, J.

Nursing Outlook, 58(3), 155-163. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2009.11.001

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