Physician and nurse job climates in hospital-based emergency departments in Taiwan: Management and implications

Abstract

This study evaluates how emergency physicians and nurses perceive their job climates in their hospital-based emergency departments (ED). In total, 208 emergency physicians and 234 emergency nurses were surveyed, applying a validated survey instrument covering the job facets of medical and nursing autonomy, professional accomplishments and outcomes, leadership, communication, management, hospital policies and regulations, and external health policy environments germane to emergency medicine. The findings reveal that the average satisfaction score for professional growth and accomplishments was ranked highest by emergency physicians, and job communication within EDs was ranked highest by emergency nurses. Several emergency medical professional characteristics, including age, education, medical authority, employment duration, full-time or part-time statuses, perceived workloads, and hospital accreditation levels, were all related to job satisfaction in this surveyed population. New insights generated from this study could provide increased guidance to hospital and ED unit managers toward enhancing wellness and limiting dissatisfaction and disharmony relative to long-term career survival and the well-being of ED specialists. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.