Understanding Alternate Work Schedules and Their Potential to Improve Work-Life Well-Being for Veterans Affairs...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Workforce Studies
• Occupational Health Psychology

Background:

• Nurse burnout and turnover are critical issues in healthcare, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• High workload and inadequate staffing are key organizational drivers of nurse dissatisfaction.
• Flexible work schedules, like the 72/80 model, are explored as potential solutions, but recent data are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the 72/80 work schedule on nurses within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
• To test the hypothesis that the 72/80 schedule reduces burnout, increases job satisfaction, engagement, and lowers turnover intentions.

Main Methods:

• A national web-based survey of 8,545 VHA nurses across 170 medical centers.
• Data collection included self-reported 72/80 work status and employee experience measures.
• Analysis employed Mann-Whitney U tests, mixed effects, and linear regression models.

Main Results:

• Nurses on the 72/80 schedule reported significantly lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, with greater personal accomplishment.
• The 72/80 schedule correlated with higher workplace engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational satisfaction.
• A significant association was found between the 72/80 schedule and lower turnover intentions.

Conclusions:

• The 72/80 work schedule demonstrates significant potential as a strategy to improve nurse recruitment and retention.
• This flexible work arrangement offers substantial benefits for employee satisfaction and overall workforce stability.
• Implementing the 72/80 schedule can be a transformative approach for healthcare organizations facing staffing challenges.