Organizational trust breaches among nurses and aides: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Nursing Studies

Background:

• Healthcare worker retention and burnout are significant challenges in the healthcare industry.
• Organizational trust between healthcare workers and their employers is an underexplored but critical factor.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore organizational actions and systems that influence trust among registered nurses (RNs) and patient care aides (aides).
• To understand the consequences of breached trust within healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study utilizing focus groups with RNs and aides.
• The Model of Psychological Contract served as the theoretical framework.
• Six focus groups were conducted online with two participants each.

Main Results:

• Trust and feeling valued are crucial for RNs and aides' relationship with employers.
• Trust breaches occurred due to scarce resources, lack of validation, unaddressed problems, unjust compensation, limited autonomy, and prioritizing business over care.
• Consequences of trust breach included burnout, dejection, and feelings of non-belonging.

Conclusions:

• Tangible (compensation, staffing) and intangible (value, respect, autonomy) resources are vital for maintaining trust.
• Failure to provide these resources can lead to diminished trust and a sense of betrayal.
• Further research on organizational justice and interventions to restore trust is recommended, especially for patient care aides.