A comparative study of organisational characteristics, work characteristics and nurses' psychological work reactions in a hospital and nursing home setting.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current study was twofold. First, we explored whether there were any differences concerning organisational characteristics, work characteristics and psychological work reactions in two types of health care setting, hospitals and nursing homes. Second, it was investigated and validated whether relationships between organisational characteristics, work characteristics and psychological work reactions found in research on hospital nursing are also present in nursing homes.

METHODS: The variables were assessed by questionnaires that were distributed among nurses and caregivers in 15 randomly selected general hospitals and 14 nursing homes in the Netherlands. Manova and hierarchical regression analyses were carried out to explore differences in the variables and in relationships between the variables.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results show that the major difference in hospital-based and nursing home practice is in the work organisation as assessed by the organisational characteristics "environmental uncertainty" and "decision authority". Relations found between variables are in majority in line with the JDC-model and confirm the applicability of this theory in different types of health care settings.