Workplace well-being of Advanced Practice Nurses and patient outcomes.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Workplace well-being has been defined as a state of pleasure in doing your own job. Work engagement is an effective indicator to measure workplace well-being. AIM To investigate the level of work engagement among the Advanced Practice Nurses and describe patient outcomes. METHODS A survey based on Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 (ranging 0-6) was administered to 11 Advanced Practice Nurses; data were collected in August 2021. Different outcomes were detected: incidence of pressure ulcers in COVID 19 patients; postoperative issues; number of cornea donations in eligible patients (from 2017 to 2020); number of preoperative stoma site marking. RESULTS The results showed a median age of 48 [41-52] years, most of the partecipants were women (63.64%). Advanced Practice Nurses showed high levels of engagement as a whole (5.18 0.30) and on vigor (4.91 0.82), dedication (5.51 0.80) and absorption categories (5.12 0.68). 360 patients with COVID-19 were observed and only 17 of them (4,5%) had Pressure Ulcers (density incidence: 2,72ulcers/1000 patients day). Intervention by case manager completely solved the patient's problem in 10 cases (71.43%) during the postoperative period. A 13% increase in corneal donations was observed in eligible patients from 2017 to 2020. Preoperative stoma site marking was present in 103 (99.3%) of eligible patients. CONCLUSIONS Advanced Practice Nurses present high levels of work engagement. Outcome results are coherent with the literature; a high level of work engagement seems to correlate with better patient outcomes. NURSING IMPLICATIONS Postgraduate nursing training improves clinical outcomes for patients and process indicators. Healthcare organizations management should value workplace well-being of their Advanced Practice Nurses.