QWL-NS: Long-Term Care Staff Quality of Work Life in Nova Scotia

 

Wave 2 (W2) Data collection completed May 31, 2024

A total of 420 staff surveys collected in W2

 

About QWL-NS

This research is collecting much needed information about the quality of work life (QWL) of frontline staff working in Nova Scotia long-term care (LTC) homes. Researchers have surveyed a mix of LTC staff including continuing care assistants, nurses (LPNs, RNs) and managers over two waves of data collection and added allied health professionals during a second wave of data collection. Established survey tools from the Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) Program at the University of Alberta were used to ask questions about job satisfaction, burnout, physical and mental health, work engagement, organizational context etc. In total, through two waves of data collection, over 500 continuing care assistants and over 300 regulated staff (nurses, allied health professionals and managers) have completed surveys.

WAVE 1: The Unsung Heroes: Long Term Care Staff’s Quality of Work Life

Lead

Dr. Janice Keefe, Mount Saint Vincent University

Co-Investigators

Dr. Carole Estabrooks, University of Alberta

Dr. Susan Stevens, Nova Scotia Health

Funder

Nova scotia Health

Time Period

November 2020 – March 2023

Description

Long-term care staff (continuing care assistants, nurses (RNs, LPNs) and managers) from a convenience sample of 10 Nova Scotia LTC homes were recruited and surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveys, conducted between November 2020 and March 2023, captured staff perspectives on their quality of work life with attention given to the impact of COVID-19 on their work life. In total 455 staff surveys were collected.

Contact

Paula Richardson paula.richardson@msvu.ca

WAVE 2: The Intersection of Quality of Work Life and Resident Care in Nursing Homes During and Post Pandemic

Lead

Dr. Janice Keefe, Mount Saint Vincent University

Co-Investigators

Dr. Carole Estabrooks, University of Alberta

Funder

Nova Scotia Health

Time Period

June 2022 – June 2025

Description

During the fall of 2023 the 10 Nova Scotia LTC care homes that had participated in the wave 1 study The Unsung Heroes: Long Term Care Staff’s Quality of Work Life were asked if they would participate in a wave 2 follow-up staff survey. Seven of the 10 homes agreed to participate and their staff were surveyed between November 2023 and May 2024 concurrent with staff surveys being conducted in a larger randomized CIHR funded project across Atlantic Canada and with survey work being done in Alberta. In addition to continuing care assistants, nurses and managers who were surveyed in wave 1 allied professionals were surveyed in this wave 2 study. Nearly 250 continuing care assistants and 171 regulated staff (nurses, managers and allied health professionals) completed surveys for wave 2. Having two time points of data collection, during the pandemic and post-pandemic, will allow comparison of staff’s perceived work life during and post pandemic, and researchers to observe any changes over that time.

Contact

Paula Richardson paula.richardson@msvu.ca

QWL-NS Results & Dissemination

Manuscripts

Keefe, J. M., Duynisveld, A., Stevens, S., & Estabrooks, C. (2024). Quality of Work Life and Mental Well-Being for Long-Term Care Staff in Nova Scotia. Healthcare Policy, 19(4), 32-41. 10.12927/hcpol.2024.27348

Conference Presentations

To come.

Webinars & Invited Presentations

To come.

Trainee Projects

To come.

Briefs & Summaries

To come.