Measuring the Work Environment

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to obtain direct care hospital nurse input on the relevance of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) and to determine whether additional items are needed to measure the contemporary nursing work environment (NWE). BACKGROUND Instruments accurately measuring the NWE are essential due to the NWE's association with nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes. However, the most frequently used instrument for measuring the NWE has not been scrutinized by today's practicing direct care nurses to ensure its current relevancy. METHODS Researchers administered a survey with a modified PES-NWI and open-ended questions to a national sample of direct care hospital nurses. RESULTS Three items from the PES-NWI may be suitable for removal, and additional items may be added to accurately measure the current NWE. CONCLUSION Most PES-NWI items remain relevant for modern nursing practice. However, some revisions could enable greater precision in measuring the current NWE.