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Work-related disability in Canadian nurses
Linda O'Brien-Pallas1, Judith Shamian, Donna Thomson
1Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, 50 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada. l.obrien.pallas@utoronto.ca
Summary
High registered nurse (RN) overtime increases injury claims, while positive nurse-physician relationships decrease them. Addressing these factors can improve hospital nursing resources.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Nursing Administration
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Registered nurse (RN) injury claims represent a significant cost and human resource challenge in Canadian hospitals.
- Understanding the factors contributing to high claim rates is crucial for improving nurse retention and patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors associated with elevated registered nurse (RN) injury claim rates within Canadian hospitals.
- To inform strategies aimed at reducing RN injuries and optimizing nursing workforce utilization.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing secondary data from 1998-99 for 8,044 RNs across 127 Ontario hospitals.
- Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and logistic regression to examine relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- A 70% increase in the odds of high RN lost-time injury claims was observed for each quartile increase in weekly overtime exceeding one hour.
- A 64% decrease in the odds of high RN musculoskeletal lost-time claims was associated with improved nurse-physician relationship scores.
Conclusions:
- Strategies targeting reduction of RN overtime and enhancement of nurse-physician relationships are recommended.
- Addressing sick time and improving workplace dynamics can yield significant fiscal and human benefits for hospitals and nursing staff.