Findings from the 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses
Abstract
The 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses (NSWHN) is the first
nationally representative survey to focus on the working conditions and health
of Canada's nurses. Registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) in all provinces and territories shared
their perceptions on a variety of topics, including:
- workload
- working overtime, whether paid or unpaid
- adverse events such as medication errors and patient falls
- support and respect from co-workers and supervisors
- staffing adequacy
- working relations with physicians
- their own chronic diseases and injuries
- their mental health.
The 2005 NSWHN was developed in collaboration with organizations representing practicing nurses, health care researchers, health information specialists and federal government departments. The survey was conducted by Statistics Canada in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Health Canada. A total of 18,676 nurses were interviewed, representing LPNs, RNs and RPNs in a variety of health care settings and in all provinces and territories. The survey's impressive response rate of 80% reflects the enthusiasm and support of nurses across the country.
The survey collected information on a rich array of topics reflecting the physical
and emotional challenges nurses face in delivering patient care today. Nurses
answered many questions about the quality of patient care, working relations
with co-workers and managers, the amount of time they work to get their jobs
done, and the way they feel about their jobs and careers as nurses. Data from
the 2005 NSWHN will provide an invaluable resource for researchers, health care
providers, policy makers and anyone with an interest in human resources, particularly
in the health care field
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Copyright © 2006 Statistics Canada
