Alberto Granero-Lázaro1, Josep M Blanch-Ribas2, Juan Francisco Roldán-Merino3, Jordi Torralbas-Ortega4, Ana María Escayola-Maranges4. 1. Centro de Salud Mental, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitario, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Parc Taulí I3PT, Sabadell (Barcelona), España. Electronic address: albertgranerolazaro@gmail.com. 2. Departamento de Psicología Social, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra (Barcelona), España. 3. Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería Sant Joan de Déu, Campus Docente Sant Joan de Déu, Universidad de Barcelona (UB), Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona), España. 4. Centro de Salud Mental, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitario, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Parc Taulí I3PT, Sabadell (Barcelona), España.
Abstract
In a context of economic crisis and policies to reduce the public deficit, the budgets of the Catalan Health Institute (CHI) were cut by 15.33% between 2010 and 2014. OBJECTIVE: To assess the perceived impact on nurses' work conditions of measures to contain health spending. METHOD: The study design was descriptive and transversal. A sample of 1,760 nurses from the province of Barcelona answered a questionnaire on the perceived impact of health spending containment measures implemented in their workplace during the early years of the crisis. RESULTS: Among the main aspects of the perceived impact of these measures, 86.6% of the nurses identified a pay cut and an increase in the following relevant parameters of their working conditions: number of hours worked (66.7%), final ratio of treated patients (35.2%), task complexity and workload (75.3%), rotation through various departments (31.5%), work shifts (21.4%) or work areas (23.4%), job insecurity (58.4%) and loss of employment by dismissal (6.6%) or non-renewal of contract (9%). CONCLUSIONS: The perceived impact of the crisis showed a triple negative component: Pay cut, work overload and job insecurity. As a combined effect of this multiple trend, the nurses acknowledged a deterioration in their working conditions and quality of working life.
In a context of economic crisis and policies to reduce the public deficit, the budgets of the Catalan Health Institute (CHI) were cut by 15.33% between 2010 and 2014. OBJECTIVE: To assess the perceived impact on nurses' work conditions of measures to contain health spending. METHOD: The study design was descriptive and transversal. A sample of 1,760 nurses from the province of Barcelona answered a questionnaire on the perceived impact of health spending containment measures implemented in their workplace during the early years of the crisis. RESULTS: Among the main aspects of the perceived impact of these measures, 86.6% of the nurses identified a pay cut and an increase in the following relevant parameters of their working conditions: number of hours worked (66.7%), final ratio of treated patients (35.2%), task complexity and workload (75.3%), rotation through various departments (31.5%), work shifts (21.4%) or work areas (23.4%), job insecurity (58.4%) and loss of employment by dismissal (6.6%) or non-renewal of contract (9%). CONCLUSIONS: The perceived impact of the crisis showed a triple negative component: Pay cut, work overload and job insecurity. As a combined effect of this multiple trend, the nurses acknowledged a deterioration in their working conditions and quality of working life.
Keywords:
Calidad de vida; Carga de trabajo; Condiciones de trabajo; Enfermeras; Nurses; Personnel turnover; Quality of life; Rotación de personal; Salaries and fringe benefits; Salarios y beneficios; Working conditions; Workload
Authors: Paola Galbany-Estragués; Pere Millán-Martínez; María Del Mar Pastor-Bravo; Sioban Nelson Journal: J Nurs Manag Date: 2019-06-14 Impact factor: 3.325
Authors: Ana Mari Fité-Serra; Montserrat Gea-Sánchez; Álvaro Alconada-Romero; José Tomás Mateos; Joan Blanco-Blanco; Eva Barallat-Gimeno; Judith Roca-Llobet; Carles Muntaner Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-12-05 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Christina S Malfa; Katerina Karaivazoglou; Konstantinos Assimakopoulos; Philippos Gourzis; Apostolos Vantarakis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-14 Impact factor: 3.390