E-Journal Club #8

Lokk, Johan, PhD; Arnetz, Bengt, MD, PhD, “Work Site Change and Psychosocial Well-being among Health Care Personnel in Geriatric Wards – Effects of an Intervention Program”, Journal of Nursing Quality Assurance, July, 2002 Vol16(4) pp.30-38

Abstract
"The study evaluated the effect of a change of work site and organization on work environment and psychosocial parameters; the change involved health care personnel at a geriatric hospital. Another aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a structured psycho-educational intervention program. The study found few changes in the indices of interest on the experimental and control wards. There were, however, significant improvements in social climate, goal quality, and independence of work on the control ward. The investigators postulated that too much external support hampers a group's ability to actively cope with change and might actually lower a group's ability and self-esteem. In order to achieve successful organizational change, psychosocial intervention programs for personnel must be performed by a well-informed, well-chosen, and experienced counselor who is well tailored to the local organization."

I was looking for an article that would focus on the apprehension some of the staff in the hospital have regarding the move in October of this year to a new “wing”. Many of our staff members are new graduates, just trying to cope with learning all the details that your first year brings.
I remember the opening of the third critical care unit here at this hospital not too long ago, and the chaos (stress) that ensued until the small details of where everything is was brought under control. And this “wing” is completely new in design and physical orientation. The visitor waiting room is directly across from the nursing station. How will that work out?