Work Environment Changes and Their Association With Nurses' Wellbeing: A Pre and Post-Pandemic Study
Abstract
Introduction: Cross-sectional evidence shows that good work environments are associated with nurses’ wellbeing and better quality of care (Simonetti, 2023; Lake, 2019). However, few studies have analyzed how changes over time in the work environment can modify nurses' burnout, dissatisfaction, and intent to leave.
Objectives: To measure changes in the work environment in Chilean public hospitals between two time periods (2018 and 2023) and analyze the association with changes in burnout, intention to leave and job dissatisfaction.
Method: Longitudinal, prospective, multicenter study. Population: 32 Chilean high-complexity public hospitals and bed-side nurses from med-surgical units. Specialty hospitals were excluded. Data was collected in two periods: pre-pandemic (2018) and post-pandemic (2023), through a nurse survey, prior informed consent. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (Lake, 2002), validated in Spanish, was used to measure the work environment. Burnout was measured with the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Job dissatisfaction and intention to leave were measured with single questions in the survey. The study was granted IRB approval. Statistical analysis: descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and linear regression with 95% confidence, using Stata 18.0.
Results: Post-pandemic, 13 (40%) of hospitals exhibit a positive change in the work environment. Changes in the work environment were inversely correlated with changes in burnout, intention to leave, and dissatisfaction (r = -0.5, -0.42, and -0.72, respectively). Changes in the work environment were associated with changes in all independent variables studied (p < 0.05). Changes in the work environment explained 30% of the observed variation in burnout, 18% in intention to leave, and 52% in dissatisfaction.
Conclusion: This work provides valuable evidence showing that positive changes in the work environment contribute to improving the well-being of nurses. Leaders of health institutions should prioritize strategies to improve it.
Notes
References:
Simonetti, M., & Sáez, L. (2023). Determinants of Job Satisfaction among Nurses from Chilean Hospitals. Investigacion y educacion en enfermeria, 41(3), 10.17533/udea.iee.v41n3e04. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v41n3e04
Lake, E. T., Sanders, J., Duan, R., Riman, K. A., Schoenauer, K. M., & Chen, Y. (2019). A Meta-Analysis of the Associations Between the Nurse Work Environment in Hospitals and 4 Sets of Outcomes. Medical care, 57(5), 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000001109
Lake E. T. (2002). Development of the practice environment scale of the Nursing Work Index. Research in nursing & health, 25(3), 176–188. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.10032
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Policy and Advocacy, Work Environment, Well-being, Chile
Recommended Citation
Galiano, Alejandra and Simonetti, Marta, "Work Environment Changes and Their Association With Nurses' Wellbeing: A Pre and Post-Pandemic Study" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 237.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/237
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
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All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Work Environment Changes and Their Association With Nurses' Wellbeing: A Pre and Post-Pandemic Study
Seattle, Washington, USA
Introduction: Cross-sectional evidence shows that good work environments are associated with nurses’ wellbeing and better quality of care (Simonetti, 2023; Lake, 2019). However, few studies have analyzed how changes over time in the work environment can modify nurses' burnout, dissatisfaction, and intent to leave.
Objectives: To measure changes in the work environment in Chilean public hospitals between two time periods (2018 and 2023) and analyze the association with changes in burnout, intention to leave and job dissatisfaction.
Method: Longitudinal, prospective, multicenter study. Population: 32 Chilean high-complexity public hospitals and bed-side nurses from med-surgical units. Specialty hospitals were excluded. Data was collected in two periods: pre-pandemic (2018) and post-pandemic (2023), through a nurse survey, prior informed consent. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (Lake, 2002), validated in Spanish, was used to measure the work environment. Burnout was measured with the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Job dissatisfaction and intention to leave were measured with single questions in the survey. The study was granted IRB approval. Statistical analysis: descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and linear regression with 95% confidence, using Stata 18.0.
Results: Post-pandemic, 13 (40%) of hospitals exhibit a positive change in the work environment. Changes in the work environment were inversely correlated with changes in burnout, intention to leave, and dissatisfaction (r = -0.5, -0.42, and -0.72, respectively). Changes in the work environment were associated with changes in all independent variables studied (p < 0.05). Changes in the work environment explained 30% of the observed variation in burnout, 18% in intention to leave, and 52% in dissatisfaction.
Conclusion: This work provides valuable evidence showing that positive changes in the work environment contribute to improving the well-being of nurses. Leaders of health institutions should prioritize strategies to improve it.
Description
Few studies have analyzed how changes over time in the work environment can modify nurses' wellbeing. This study measures changes in the work environment in Chilean hospitals between 2018 and 2023 and analyzes the association with nurses’ burnout, intention to leave and job dissatisfaction. It showed that changes in the work environment were inversely correlated with changes in these outcomes. Leaders should prioritize strategies to improve the work environment to support nurses’ wellbeing.