Knowledge Sharing Behavior and its Relation to Innovative Work among Nurses at Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Background : Profession of nursing reacts with patients in healthcare organizations, so nurses should demonstrate high level of knowledge sharing behavior as they are the most active health care providers and area of innovation to intervene high quality of care. Aim: Assess knowledge sharing behavior and its relation to innovative work among nurses at intensive care units. Design: A descriptive correlational research design. Setting: The study was conducted at Tanta University Hospitals in intensive care units. Subjects: The study subjects consisted of all nurses (n=390). Tools: Data were collected by using knowledge sharing behavior, knowledge sharing behavior engagement and innovative work behavior questionnaire. Results: More than half of staff nurses had a high level of knowledge sharing behavior . More than half of intensive care unit nurses had a low level of overall knowledge sharing behavior engagement . Majority of intensive care unit nurses had a high level of overall innovative work behavior. Conclusion: There was a statistically significant positive correlation between knowledge sharing behavior and innovative work behavior. Also, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between knowledge sharing behavior engagement and innovative work behavior. Recommendations: Hospital administrator and nursing managers have to focus on the continuous estimate of knowledge-sharing behavior by rewarding good performance, encouraging competitive spirit among nurses, paying attention to staff satisfaction, and promoting nurses ’innovation by encouraging trying using new ideas, technique, and a new style of doing things and sharing their knowledge with their colleagues and superiors at work.