The Impact of Hospital Amalgamation on the Job Attitudes of Nurses

Abstract

In this longitudinal panel study we examined nurses' reactions to hospital amalgamation in both the hospitals being acquired and the acquiring hospitals. Data were collected in 1992, two years prior to the amalgamation announcement; in 1995, in the initial phase of the hospital amalgamation; and in 1997, during the amalgamation implementation. Compared with the pre‐amalgamation period, nurses in both the acquiring and the acquired hospitals reported a significant decrease in job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational trust, and a significant increase in turnover intentions. Except for organizational commitment, nurses in the acquiring hospitals reported a greater deterioration in job attitudes indicating that they were more adversely affected by the amalgamation than nurses in the hospitals being acquired. Perceived organizational support and, to a lesser extent, immediate supervisor support played an instrumental role in promoting successful adjustment to the amalgamation. There was only limited evidence that perceived job insecurity and control‐oriented coping mediated the relationship between the support variables and job attitudes. Résumé Dans cette étude de panel, nous examinons les réactions des infirmières aux fusions des hôpitaux, à la fois dans les établissements acquéreurs et acquis. Les données ont été recueillies en 1992, deux ans avant l'annonce des fusions; ensuite en 1995, lors de leur annonce; et enfin en 1997, pendant leur mise en oeuvre. Les infirmières, tant dans les hôpitaux acquéreurs que dans les hôpitaux acquis, ont éprouvé une baisse considérable de leur satisfaction professionnelle, de leur engagement envers leur employeurs, et de leur confiance en leurs gestionnaires, de même qu'un désir accru d'abandon du métier ou de l'insitutiton en question. En particulier, la détérioration des attitudes a été plus marquée dans les hôpitaux acquéreurs, ce qui indique que ces infirmières se sont senties davantage mises à l'épreuve que celles dans les hôpitaux acquis. Cependant, l'adaptation à la fusion a été minimisée lorsque le soutien de l'établissement était bien perçu et, à un moindre degré, lors d'une constatation de soutien réel provenant de leurs supérieurs immédiats. Nous n'avons pas trouvé de preuve concluante que la perception de l'insécurité dans le travail, et les stratégies pour garder celle‐ci sous contrôle, aient influencé le rapport entre les paramètres du soutien et les attitudes envers le travail.

Revolution in Marketing: Market Driving Changes

“…However the most prevalent approach to organizational commitment in the literature is one in which commitment is considered an affective or emotional attachment to the organization (Allen and Meyer 1990). Armstrong-Stassen et al (2001) found that PSS was positively related to affective commitment; therefore, the following research question was created: RQ 2: Is PSS positively related to affective commitment?…”

Comprometimento organizacional: bases para uma abordagem processual

“…Em apenas 10 trabalhos (25,7%) variáveis do contexto organizacional foram efetivamente incorporadas à pesquisa. São exemplos: processo de fusão entre organizações (Armstrong-Stassen, Cameron, Mantler, & Horsburgh, 2001), processo de downsizing (Armstrong-Stassen, 2002), processo de mentoria (Donaldson, Ensher, & Grant-Vallone, 2000), movimentação na carreira (Johnston, Griffeth, Burton, & Carson, 1993). No conjunto de estudos analisados não se encontrou qualquer caso em que o contexto macrossocial fosse incorporado para ajudar a compreender a dinâmica do comprometimento organizacional.…”

“…No entanto, dentre os estudos, as mudanças do comprometimento tendem a estar mais relacionadas às experiências no trabalho do que a características individuais. Em alguns estudos, essas experiências são impactadas por variáveis de contexto macro como downsizing (Armstrong--Stassen, 2002), fusão (Armstrong-Stassen et al, 2001), mudanças tecnológicas (Majchrzak & Cotton, 1988), aquisição (Newman & Krzystofiak, 1993), e resultam no decréscimo do comprometimento organizacional. Os poucos dados encontrados mostram uma maior tendência ao declínio, apontando que as políticas e práticas organizacionais não estão conseguindo manter os níveis iniciais ou a predisposição dos trabalhadores em se comprometerem com as suas organizações empregadoras.…”

Trust in management and its relation to job satisfaction and intentions to remain for northern British Columbia nurses.

“…Armstrong-Stassen, Cameron, Mantler, Horsburgh (2001) found, in their paper examining the effects of hospital amalgamations, that trust was strongly related to job satisfaction (r=.47, p=.001) while Moss and Rowles (1997) show a difference in job satisfaction levels, depending of the characteristics of management styles. ShockleyZalabak, Ellis, Wi nog rad (2000) also looked at trust as a whole (but from a business viewpoint) and found that trust explains 60.8% of the variance in job satisfaction.…”

“…The litera ture that exists, however, does indicate that trust is an important factor in satisfac tion. Armstrong-Stassen, Cameron, Mantler, Horsburgh (2001) found in their paper, examining the effects of hospital amalgamations, that trust was strongly related to job satisfaction (r=.47, p=.001). In their paper examining burnout and nurses Laschinger, Shamian, Thomson (2001) found that while organizational trust (defined as trust that an employer will be straightforward and follow through on commitments) had relative ly low levels of direct correlation with job satisfaction, organizational trust was strongly correlated to organizational characteristics (like autonomy and decision making au thority; similar to what this study has defined as sources of job satisfaction) which were then, in turn, correlated strongly with job satisfaction.…”