Dissertation
Work engagement among nurses in acute-care settings in Oman
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Autumn 2020
DOI: 10.17077/etd.005673
Abstract
One disengaged nurse may cost the organization $22,200 in lost productivity. Work engagement (WE) among nurses is essential to maintain effectiveness and financial profitability for healthcare organizations. Individuals may ascribe different meanings to WE, and factors influencing an individual’s WE may vary greatly because of cultural, economic, and educational differences. Thus, WE findings and interventions cannot be generalized to all nations and settings. The culture and the healthcare system in Oman are different than in other countries, and therefore existing literature, conducted primarily in Western and European countries is inadequate to understand nursing WE in Oman.
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe nursing WE in Oman. Three research questions were accordingly proposed: 1) How do Omani nurses working in acute-care hospitals conceptualize WE?, 2) What organizational, social, and individual factors affect the WE of Omani nurses working in acute-care hospitals?, and 3) What strategies do Omani nurses working in acute-care hospitals suggest to improve WE?
Qualitative descriptive methodology was used; this option was appropriate for this study because little is known about WE in Oman’s health context. After piloting the interview guide, 21 Omani nurses were interviewed from four acute-care hospitals. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions using the UI Skype for Business application. Participants also completed a Qualtrics-based survey that asked for basic demographic and work-related information before conducting the interviews.
Ethical considerations of human subjects were maintained through IRB review from Oman and Iowa, consent, and protection of the identifiable information. Using the four typologies developed by Maxwell (1992) to judge the validity of a qualitative researcher, several strategies were implemented to establish the validity of the research findings. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the data.
The findings showed that Omani nurses conceptualized WE as a positive state where nurses are engaged physically and mentally with work. WE is more likely to occur when nurses experience a sense of: loving one’s job, pride, satisfaction, achievement, importance, interest, belonging with their organization, and enthusiasm in their job. Surprisingly, the nurse participants mentioned that mentally engaged nurses are attached to work even when they are off duty; their minds are always occupied with patients and their conditions. Interestingly, the nurse participants discussed that highly and low-engaged nurses can be recognized at work from how they 1) show interest and enthusiasm at work, 2) perform and carry out tasks and responsibilities, and 3) express attitude while coming to work.
Consistent with prior research, organizational factors that affected Omani nurses’ WE were: leadership, teamwork and interprofessional relationships, autonomy, pay and monetary incentives, and job demand. Specific to Oman, family commitments was one of the substantial social factors affected nursing WE. Rewarding profession and personal traits were individual factors that affected WE. Examples of strategies suggested by the study participants to enhance nursing WE were: improving pay and monetary incentives, developing a flexible working system, implementing open-door policy, providing effective performance feedback, improving recognition, and providing enough resources.
This study provided foundational knowledge about how Omani nurses working in acute-care hospitals conceptualize WE and what organizational, social, and individual factors affect nursing WE. In addition, strategies suggested by the study participants to improve WE set a foundation for developing and implementing WE interventions in Omani acute-care hospitals.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Work engagement among nurses in acute-care settings in Oman
- Creators
- Hind Al Mamari
- Contributors
- Patricia Groves (Advisor)Greg Stewart (Committee Member)Mary Clark (Committee Member)Jacinda Bunch (Committee Member)Richard Bogue (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Nursing
- Date degree season
- Autumn 2020
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.005673
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xi, 166 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2020 Hind Al Mamari
- Language
- English
- Description illustrations
- color illustrations, facsimiles
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 129-141).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Having engaged nurses at work is important because disengagement is very costly. Work Engagement (WE) is being energetic, enthusiastic, and focused at work. Cultural differences may affect WE; factors of WE might be significant to one culture and not significant to others. The culture and the healthcare system in Oman are different than in other countries, and therefore existing literature, conducted primarily in Western and European countries is inadequate to understand nursing WE in Oman.
This study was conducted in four Omani hospitals and 21 nurses were interviewed to understand how Omani nurses define WE, what factors affect the WE, and what strategies are suggested by nurses to improve WE.
Analysis of the interviews showed that Omani nurses defined WE as a positive state where nurses are engaged physically, emotionally, and mentally with work. Surprisingly, the participants mentioned that mentally engaged nurses are attached to work even when they are off duty; their minds are occupied with patients. Organizational factors that affected WE were: leadership, teamwork and interprofessional relationships, autonomy, pay and monetary incentives, and job demand. Social factors that impacted WE were family commitments. Rewarding profession and personal traits were individual factors that affected the WE. Nurses expressed flexible work arrangements, job rotation, visible leaders who always keep their doors open, more pay, and incentives are important to improve WE.
This study provided foundational knowledge about nursing WE in Oman. Strategies suggested by participants to improve WE also provide a foundation for developing and implementing interventions in Omani hospitals.
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984035694602771
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