Health, workforce characteristics, quality of life and intention to leave: The ‘Fit for the Future’ survey of Australian nurses and midwives

• Published in: Journal of advanced nursing Vol. 73; no. 11; pp. 2745 - 2756
• Main Authors: Perry, Lin, Xu, Xiaoyue, Duffield, Christine, Gallagher, Robyn, Nicholls, Rachel, Sibbritt, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2017
• Subjects: Australia; Burnout; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision makers; Demography; Female; health; Health behavior; Health Status; Humans; Injuries; intention to leave; Job Satisfaction; Labor force; Male; mental health; Mental health promotion; Middle Aged; Midwifery; Midwives; Nonsmokers; Nurse Midwives - psychology; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Staff - psychology; Occupational psychology; Pain; physical health; Polls & surveys; Quality of Life; retention; Sleep disorders; Surveys and Questionnaires; Well being; Work life balance; Workforce; physical health; intention to leave; mental health; health; workforce; midwives; quality of life; nurses; retention
• ISSN: 0309-2402; 1365-2648
• DOI: 10.1111/jan.13347

Aim To examine the quality of life of nurses and midwives in New South Wales, Australia and compare values with those of the Australian general population; to determine the influence of workforce, health and work life characteristics on quality of life and its effect on workforce intention to leave. Background Few studies have examined nurses’ and midwives’ quality of life and little is known of its effects on workforce longevity. Design This was a cross‐sectional survey conducted in 2014–2015. Method The “Fit for the Future” electronic survey, delivered to nurses and midwives, examined demographic, work and health‐related factors, which were compared with Australian general population normative values for physical and mental components of quality of life (the Short Form‐12). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models assessed associations with workforce intention to leave. Result Physical and mental component scores, calculated for 4,592 nurses and midwives, revealed significantly higher physical but lower mental component scores than the general population. Physical component scores decreased with increasing age; higher scores were seen in nurses with better health indices and behaviours. Mental well‐being scores increased with increasing age; in nurses who reported job satisfaction, no work injury, sleep problems or frequent pain and non‐smokers. The odds of intention to leave decreased with increasing mental well‐being. Conclusion Managers and decision‐makers should heed study recommendations to implement health promotion strategies for nurses and midwives, aiming to improve mental health, specifically to promote workforce retention.