The Influence of Workplace Factors on the Nursing Work Environment: A Study Before and After COVID-19

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the world and healthcare settings, particularly regarding onerous job responsibilities and changes in work culture for nurses. Nurses, known to provide skilled, compassionate, and humanitarian care to patients and families, require continual assistance and organization. Nurses must work in a good environment that encourages them to achieve their highest levels of performance and productivity to offer high-quality and safe care. Commitment to a nursing career necessitates professional dedication especially during times of crisis, as is in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study looked at the elements that influenced nursing work culture at Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 epidemic. Leadership, satisfaction, teamwork, nurse behaviour in practice, and professional commitment were among these elements. The factors are interrelated together and help in shaping the nursing work culture considering the COVID-19 scenario.

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2020, covering a period before the outbreak of COVID-19 and a period after. The study, conducted at SBAHC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, followed a quantitative, positivist approach undertaken in two phases utilizing an analytical survey design before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. An initial electronic survey was distributed to 439 nurses at SBAHC nursing units. Three hundred twenty-two nurses participated in the first survey and the second survey responses after COVID-19 were 205 nurses.

There was a significant difference between the two groups in their responses (p<0.05). In all five scales used, the score of mean declined in the 'after' group, clearly showing the effect of all the five elements that influence nursing work culture due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The study concluded that the workplace factors influencing the nursing work environment were greatly affected due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this study should be considered by nurse managers and leaders when drafting the policies and programs to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on nurse retention. It should also provide baseline information that will allow health authorities to prioritize training programs that will support nurses during difficult times.