| Abstract
Purpose – This study aimed to determine the relationship between quality of nurse work life (QNWL) and
caring behaviors among emergency nurses.
Design/methodology/approach – In this cross-sectional study, a total of 168 emergency nurses were
selected from eight hospitals in the metropolitan of Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Data were collected
in the first six months of 2018 by Brooks’ QNWL questionnaire and Wolf’s Caring Behaviors Inventory.
Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data.
Findings – The overall QNWL scores were low to moderate. The highest scores were related to the work
design and home/ life dimensions. Nurses’ care behaviors were focused on the physical aspect of care, so that
the highest scores for dimensions of caring behaviors belonged to the professional knowledge and skill
followed by the attentiveness to the others’ experience and the lowest belonged to the positive connectedness.
The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the model with the three variables of work
context, male gender, and age group 51–60 years was significant.
Research limitations/implications – This study used cross-sectional data for analysis, which limits the
ability to establish causality. It is therefore suggested that future studies should use longitudinal designs to
strengthen the acceptability of causality. Longitudinal designs will also help to assess changes of QNWL
within units of observation over time. Moreover, this study was conducted in the educational treatment centers
of Tabriz. Therefore, further studies should be carried out on nurses in the ED of East Azerbaijan and the
northwestern provinces of Iran to allow generalization of the research results concerning macro-policy making
to improve the QNWL of these nurses and their caring behaviors.
Practical implications – For providing high quality care to patients, it is necessary to pay more attention to
the communication and emotional aspects of patient care. Nurses’ QWL, especially in the work context
dimension, should be enhanced to improve the caring behaviors of nurses.
Social implications – Also considering that the work world dimension had the lowest score in QNWL,
policymakers’ efforts should continue for changing public attitudes toward the nursing profession and
balancing the nurses’ income based on their performance in the healthcare system to maintain the social
prestige of the profession among the community. The media, political and public support can play a pivotal role
in improving the image of nursing in society, increasing motivation among Iranian nurses and promoting the
QNWL, which will result in higher levels of quality of care as well as greater patient satisfaction.
Originality/value – The results of this study show a positive correlation between the work context and caring
behaviors and suggest that the use of strategies for improving the features of work context may be able to improve
nurses’ caring behaviors. In order to provide holistic care for our patients, we need changes in the conditions and
work context of nurses so that nurses can like the physical aspect of care, pay attention to its psychological aspect. |