000			02829nam a22002177a 4500
008			120808t2012 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
022			_a0002-936X
082			_221 _a050/L5699
085			_aAI 050/L5699
089			_221 _aAI 050/L5699
100			_aLetvak, Susan A.
245			_aNurses' presenteeism and its effects on self-reported quality of care and costs/
246			_aAmerican Journal of Nursing.
300			_a1 fig.; 2 tables.
362			_avol. 112, no. 2 (February 2012): 30-39.
520			_aA recent meta-analysis of 94 studies concluded that increased nurse staffing is associated with improved patient outcomes. Although research has been conducted on how nurses staffing levels affect outcomes, there has been little investigation into how the health-related productivity of nurses is related to quality of care. Two major causes of worker presenteeism (reduced on -the-job productivity as a result of health problems) are musculoskeletal pain and mental health issues, particularly depression. This study sought to investigate the extent to which musculoskeletal pain or depression (or both) in RNs affects their work productivity and self-reported quality of care and considered the associated costs. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a random sample of 2,500 hospital-employed RNs licenses in North Carolina were surveyed using a survey instrument sent by postal mail. Specific measures included questions on individual and workplace characteristics, self-reported quality of care, and patient safety; a numeric pain rating scale, a depression tool (the Patient Health Questionnaire), and a presenteeism tool (the Wo rk Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health) were also incorporated. A total of 1,171 completed surveys were returned and used for analysis. Among respondents, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was 71%; that of depression was 18%. The majority of respondents (62%) reported a presenteeism score of at least 1 on 1-to-10 scale, indicating that health problems had affected work productivity at least "a little". Pain and depression were significantly associated with presenteeism. Presenteeism was significantly associated with a higher number of patient falls, a higher number of medication errors, and lower quality-of-care scores. Baseline cost estimates indicate that the increased falls and medication errors caused by presenteesim are expected to cost $1,346 per North Carolina RN and $13 billion for the national annually. More attention must be paid to the health of the nursing workforce to positively influence the quality of patient care and patient safety and to control costs.
650			_aNURSE HEALTH.
942			_2ddc _cPER
999			_c1673 _d1673
040			_cLearning Resource Center