The Work Environment Scale: a comparison of British and North American nurses

Baker, Gus A.; Carlisle, Caroline; Riley, Martin; Tapper, James; Dewey, Michael

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01966.x

Cited by 16 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…We felt that there was little to be gained from comparing our sample with results from this study. A second study (Baker et al . 1992) reports WES scores for a large heterogeneous ( N = 209) sample of UK nurses including 16 ‘mental handicap’ nurses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite this, a literature search (CINAHL, PsycInfo, MedLine) uncovered a very limited number of UK studies of mental health nurses’ perceptions of their working environment utilizing the same validated scale [Work Environment Scale (WES), Moos 1994]. A large ( N = 209) study by Baker et al . (1992) established WES norms for UK nurses, but only 16 ‘mental handicap’ nurses were included, the remainder being drawn from specialities of general medical nursing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nurses’ perceptions of the working environment: a UK independent sector study

Dickens

Sugarman

Rogers

2005

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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The working environment is an important determinant of employee well-being. Previous UK studies report registered nurses' perception of the working environment using the Work Environment Scale (WES), but surprisingly few include data for nurses working in mental health or learning disability settings. One hundred and sixty-one (58.8%) registered nurses working day shifts in five specialist divisions (forensic adult mental health, adolescent mental health, elderly continuing care, adult and adolescent learning disability and brain injury rehabilitation) of a large charitable hospital comprising mostly secure (i.e. 'locked') wards completed the WES. Nurses working in separate clinical divisions differed only on the 'physical comfort' subscale. These results are discussed in the context of previous UK research: this sample of nurses scored differently on a number of subscales, with the working environment characterized by relatively high levels of support, cohesion and managerial control and slightly lower levels of autonomy. It is unclear whether the differences reflect the organizational (i.e. non-NHS) context, or a secure environment effect. Previous studies of mental health nurses are now 10 years old and we present data that may provide a benchmark of perceptions of the working environment held by nurses working in mental health and learning disability settings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nurses’ perceptions of the working environment: a UK independent sector study

Dickens

Sugarman

Rogers

2005

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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“…Therefore, the nurses working in Unit B, which was an orthopaedic unit, considered the acute setting more dynamic and innovative than the nurses from the two other units, which were rehabilitation wards. Research does highlight differences in nurses’ perceptions in relation to clinical speciality ( Hipwell et al 1989 , Baker et al 1992 , Carlisle et al 1994 ). However, the results of previous NDU studies did not show any variance in nurses’ satisfaction in the different clinical settings which were surveyed ( Turner Shaw & Bosanquet 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another factor which influenced the decision to use the WES was its previous use in UK health care settings ( Hipwell et al 1989 , Baker et al 1992 , Thomas 1992, Carlisle et al 1994 ). For instance, Baker et al (1992 ) used the WES in a study to develop UK norms. These authors documented that the WES was useful to assess the work environment among different nursing groups and specialities in the UK.…”

Section: The Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The findings of this study also appear to support the usefulness of the WES to assess nurses’ perceptions of their work environment and to identify satisfaction or dissatisfaction with different dimensions of the work setting. However, as Baker et al (1992 ) pointed out, researchers should exercise caution when using this tool because of the possibility of differences which may exist between US and UK health care settings.…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nurses’ perceptions of their work environment in a Nursing Development Unit

Avallone

Gibbon

1998

Journal of Advanced Nursing

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This descriptive study examined nurses' perceptions of their work environment in a Nursing Development Unit (NDU). A postal survey of 70 nurses working in three NDUs was conducted using the Work Environment Scale (WES) for data collection. The response rate was 76%. The aggregate scores from the WES indicate that the nurses surveyed were satisfied with their work environment. The ratings for the 10 subscales of the WES were higher than the norms given by the authors of the scale. However, the findings do not fully support the literature and previous research into nurses' satisfaction in NDUs. A significant finding of the study was the marked difference, in satisfaction with the work environment, between the three units surveyed. It is suggested that a larger scale study should be carried out to explore whether the findings of this study are reflected in other NDUs. Research into the management of change in NDUs is also suggested.

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Job strain, psychological distress, and burnout in nurses

Bourbonnais

Comeau

Vézina³

et al. 1998

Am. J. Ind. Med.

132

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The first phase of this longitudinal study consisted of a questionnaire completed by a cohort of 1,891 nurses (aged 23–65 years) from six acute care hospitals from the province of Québec. This study was set up to investigate the association between the psychosocial environment of work and mental health. After adjusting for counfounding factors, a combination of high psychological demands and low decision latitude was associated with psychological distress and emotional exhaustion, one of the three dimensions of burnout. Social support at work, although associated with each of the mental health indicators, did not modify their association with job strain. The present study identified conditions of the work environment that are modifiable and provide the basis for interventions that focus beyond the modification of individual coping strategies. Am. J. Ind. Med. 34:20–28, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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The Work Environment Scale: a comparison of British and North American nurses

Cited by 16 publications

References 15 publications

Nurses’ perceptions of the working environment: a UK independent sector study

Nurses’ perceptions of the working environment: a UK independent sector study

Nurses’ perceptions of their work environment in a Nursing Development Unit

Job strain, psychological distress, and burnout in nurses

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