CORRELATES AND CONSEQUENCES OF NURSING STAFF JOB INSECURITY

• Published in: Journal of health and human services administration Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 383 - 406
• Main Authors: BURKE, RONALD J., SINGH, PARBUDYAL
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Southern Public Administration Education Foundation Inc 2016; SAGE Publications; Southern Public Administration Education Foundation, Inc; Southern Public Administration Education Foundation
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Budget deficits; Cost control; Downsizing (Management); Employee turnover; Employees; Employment; Employment - psychology; Employment security; Female; Government; Health administration; Health care expenditures; Health care industry; Health care policy; Hospital Restructuring; Hospitals; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Job security; Male; Middle Aged; National security; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Ontario; Personnel Downsizing; Practice; Public sector; Recessions; Response rates; Social welfare; Studies; Unemployment; Work; Canada
• ISSN: 1079-3739; 2168-5509
• DOI: 10.1177/107937391603900303

The health care system, and hospitals, underwent considerable restructuring and downsizing in the early to mid-1900s in several countries as governments cut costs to reduce their budget deficits. Studies of the effects of these efforts on nursing staff and hospital functioning in various countries generally reported negative impacts with threats to job security emerging as an important outcome of these changes. Health care restructuring and hospital downsizing is again being implemented as governments struggle to reduce deficits at a time of worldwide economic recession in 2008/2010. This study examines correlates and consequences of job insecurity among Canadian nursing staff, with a focus on nurses' well-being. Data were collected from 290 nursing staff working in hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Feelings of job insecurity in the sample as a whole were relatively low. Personal demographics and work situation characteristics were generally uncorrelated with feelings of job insecurity. Consistent with previous findings, perceived job insecurity was once again associated with less favorable work and well-being outcomes. Some suggestions for more successful approaches to addressing levels of subjective job insecurity are offered.