Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of the professional practice environment

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Healthcare Management
• Comparative Health Systems

Background:

• The professional practice environment significantly impacts patient and nurse outcomes.
• Limited research exists on nurse perceptions in culturally similar countries like Cyprus and Greece.
• Cross-border healthcare mobility necessitates understanding practice environment differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and compare Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment.
• To identify specific factors contributing to differences in perceived work environments.
• To inform strategies for enhancing nursing practice environments.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive comparative survey design was utilized.
• Data were collected from 150 nurses in Cyprus and 147 nurses in Greece.
• The Revised Professional Practice Environment Scale (RPPE) was the primary data collection instrument.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were found in three of the eight RPPE factors between Cyprus and Greece.
• Greece reported higher mean scores than Cyprus in Handling Disagreements and Conflicts.
• Greece also showed higher mean scores in Leadership and Autonomy in Clinical Practice and Teamwork.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide insights into the organizational context of care delivery in Cyprus and Greece.
• Results can guide nursing leaders and ward managers in improving the work environment.
• Understanding nurse perceptions is vital for policy interventions to enhance nursing and patient outcomes.