You are using an outdated browser. For a faster, safer browsing experience, upgrade for free today.

Work ability determining factors in hospital nurses

Work ability determining factors in hospital nurses

ISSN 2223-6775 Ukrainian journal of occupational health Vol.21, No 2, 2025

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2025.02.99

WORK ABILITY DETERMINING FACTORS IN HOSPITAL NURSES

Stoyanova R., Cekova I., Vangelova K.

National Center of Public Health and Analyses, Sofia, Bulgaria

Full article (PDF), UKR

Introduction: The work of hospital nurses is intense, with a high mental and physical workload. The shortage of nurses is a global problem and contributes to the increasing demands on the workforce.

The aim of the study was to study the work ability of hospital nurses in Sofia and find out main individual and workplace factors determining it.

Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted covering 19 large hospitals (> 150 beds). Questionnaires were filled anonymously by 1427 hospital female nurses with average age 50.1 ± 10.1 years, 243 from surgery, 320 from emergency and intensive care unit (ICU) and 864 from clinical wards, including information on demographic and work-related characteristics. Work ability was assessed with the work ability index (WAI).

Results: A large share of studied nurses had good work ability and the prognosis for maintaining their work ability in the next two years was relatively certain. Work ability decreased with the age. WAI was positively related to good working conditions and self-perceived good health and negatively to emotional and physical exhaustion and long working hours per week. More than 60 % of surveyed nurses had diseases diagnosed by a doctor, most frequently musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine and metabolic diseases. The determinants of work ability were self-perceived health, work-related family problems, emotional exhaustion and length of service.

Conclusion: Our data show good work ability in the studied nurses, but measures for its maintaining and improvement are needed, pointed towards management of occupational stress and shift work, especially night work and long working hours.

Keywords: work ability, nurses, WAI, health, age, shift work

References

  1. Khamisa N, Oldenburg B, Peltzer K, Ilic D. Work Related Stress, Burnout, Job Satisfaction and General Health of Nurses. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2015;12(1):652-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120100652
  2. Vandenbroeck S, Van Gerven E, De Witte H, Vanhaecht K, Godderis L. Burnout in Belgian physicians and nurses. Occup Med (Lond). 2017;67(7):546-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqx126
  1. Hämmig O. Explaining burnout and the intention to leave the profession among health professionals – a cross-sectional study in a hospital setting in Switzerland. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18:785. DOI: https://doi.org/1186/s12913-018-3556-1
  2. EUROSTAT available from: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Healthcare_personnel_statistics_-_nursing_and_caring_professionals
  3. Vangelova K, Dimitrova I, Cekova I, Stoyanova R. Shift Work and Occupational Stress in Hospital Nurses in Sofia. Acta Medica Bulgarica. 2021;48(1):81-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2021-0013
  1. State of Health in the EU Synthesis Report 2023. Available from: https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/synthesis-report-2023-state-health-eu_en
  2. Henriksen KF, Hansen BS, Wøien H, Tønnessen S. The core qualities and competencies of the intensive and critical care nurse, a meta-ethnography. J Adv Nurs. 2021 Dec;77(12):4693-710. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15044
  3. Ceballos-Vásquez P, Rolo-González G, Hérnandez-Fernaud E, Díaz-Cabrera D, Paravic-Klijn T, Burgos-Moreno M. Psychosocial factors and mental work load: a reality perceived by nurses in intensive care units. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2015;23(2):315-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-1169.0044.2557
  1. Tuomi K, Ilmarinen J, Jahkola A, Katajarinne L, Tulkki A. Work ability index. Helzinki: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Publication Office; 1998.
  2. Pranjic N, Gonzales JMG, Cvejanov-Kezunović L. Perceived Work Ability Index of Public Service Employees in Relation to Ageing and Gender: A Comparison in Three European Countries. Slovenian Journal of Public Health. 2019;58(4):179-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0023
  1. Varianou-Mikellidou C, Boustras G, Nicolaidou O, Dimopoulos C, Anyfantis I, Messios P. Work-related factors and individual characteristics affecting work ability of different age groups. Safety Science. 2020;128:104755. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2020.104755
  2. Fischer FM, Martinez MC, Alfredo CH, Silva-Junior JS, Oakman J, Cotrim T, Fisher D, Popkin S, Petery GA, Schulte PA. Aging and the Future of Decent Work. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(17):8898. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178898
  3. Oakman J, Neupane S, Proper KI, Kinsman N, Nygård C-H. Workplace interventions to improve work ability: A systematic review and meta-analysis of their effectiveness. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2018;44(2):134-46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3685
  4. Jääskeläinen A, Kausto J, Seitsamo J, Ojajärvi A, Nygård CH, Arjas E, et. al. Work ability index and perceived work ability as predictors of disability pension: a prospective study among Finnish municipal employees. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2016;42(6):490-99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3598
  5. Sandeva G, Koleva K. Workability and psychological well-being in hospital staff. CBU Int Conf Proc. 2016;4:750-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12955/cbup.v4.844
  6. SHORT COPSOQ II questionnaire. Denmark: National Centre for the Working Environment. Available from: https://nfa.dk/vaerktoejer/spoergeskemaer/copenhagen-psychosocial-questionnaire-copsoq-ii/copenhagen-psychosocial-questionnaire-copsoq-ii/
  7. Žmauc T, Železnik D, Težak O. Work ability index in Slovenian hospital nurses aged over fifty years. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2019;70:265-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2019-70-3291
  8. Amirmahani M, Hasheminejad N, Tahernejad S, Reza Tohidi Nik H. Evaluation of work ability index and its association with job stress and musculoskeletal disorders among midwives during the Covid-19 pandemic. Med Lav. 2022;113(4):e2022031. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23749/mdl.v113i4.12834
  1. Vangelova K, Cekova I, Dimitrova I. Workability of hospital physicians. Bulgarian journal of public health. 2020;12(3):3-14.
  2. Sorić M, Golubić R, Milošević M, Juras K, Mustajbegović J. Shift work, quality of life and work ability among Croatian hospital nurses. Coll Antropol. 2013;37:379-84. PMID: 239409782
  3. Klasan A, Madzarac G, Milosevic M, Mustajbegovic J, Keleuva S. Predictors of lower work ability among emergency medicine employees: The Croatian experience. Emerg Med J. 2013;30(4):275-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2011-200780
  1. Godderis L, Mylle G, Coene M, Verbeek C, Viaene B, Bulterys S, et al. Data warehouse for detection of occupational diseases in OHS data. Occup Med. 2015;65(8):651-58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqv074
  2. Leijten FR, Van den Heuvel SG, Ybema JF, Van der Beek AJ, Robroek SJ, Burdorf A. The influence of chronic health problems on work ability and productivity at work: a longitudinal study among older employees. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2014;40(5):473-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3444
  1. Stoyanova R, Cekova I, Stanchev V, Vangelova K. Comparative analysis of psychosocial risks among hospital nursing professionals in Sofia. Bulgarian Journal of Public Health. 2022;14(2):52-60.
  2. Ettorre G, Greco M. Healthcare Work and Organizational Interventions to Prevent Work-related Stress in Brindisi, Italy. Safety and Health at Work. 2015;6(1):35-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2014.10.003
  1. Reeuwijk KG, Robroek SJ, Hakkaart L, Burdorf A. How work impairments and reduced work ability are associated with health care use in workers with musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disorders or mental disorders. J Occup Rehabil. 2014;24(4):631-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9492-3
  2. Milosevic M, Golubic R, Knezevic B, Golubic K, Bubas M, Mustajbegovic J. Work ability as a major determinant of clinical nurses’ quality of life. J Clin Nurs 2011;20(19-20):2931-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03703.x
  3. van den Berg TIJ, Elders LAM, de Zwart BCH, Burdorf A. The effects of work-related and individual factors on the Work Ability Index: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med. 2009;66(4):211-20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.2008.039883
  4. Robroek SJ, Reeuwijk KG, Hillier FC, Bambra CL, van Rijn RM, Burdorf A. The contribution of overweight, obesity, and lack of physical activity to exit from paid employment: a metaanalysis. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2013;39(3):233-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3354