Critical Care Nursing Work Environment and Family Satisfaction

Jung, Hye-Jin; Kang, Jiyeon

Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing 2014;7(2):58-67.
Published online December 31, 2014.

중환자실 간호사 근무환경과 환자가족 만족도의 관계

정혜진, 강지연

¹동아대학교병원 심중환자실
²동아대학교 간호학과

Critical Care Nursing Work Environment and Family Satisfaction

Hye-Jin Jung, Jiyeon Kang

¹Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Dong-A University Medical Center
²Department of Nursing, Dong-A University

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the nursing work environment and family satisfaction in Korean intensive care units (ICUs).
Methods
The study participants were 190 critical care nurses and 133 family members of ICU patients who were randomly chosen from four of the hospitals located in B city. The Korean Nursing Work Environment Scale was used to assess the work environment of critical care nurses. Family satisfaction was measured with the Korean version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory.
Results
Critical care nurses reported moderate satisfaction with their work environment. The mean score for family satisfaction was 3.59 on a 5-point scale, and satisfaction with information provision received the highest score. Family satisfaction was higher in hospitals where the critical care nurses evaluated their work environment positively.
Conclusion
This study revealed that the work environment of nurses affects family satisfaction in ICUs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore various methods of improving the critical care nursing work environment in order to provide the highest possible level of nursing care.

Key Words: Critical care nursing, Workplace environment, Family satisfaction