New nurses report job street, need for better management
To address the issue of retaining nurses,  hospitals' top priorities are improving nursing management and taking steps to reduce on-the-job stress, according to a study published in the May 2007 issue of the American Journal of Nursing.

The study surveyed nurses from 35 states who had obtained their first licenses between Aug. 1, 2004, and July 31, 2005, and had been employed for up to 18 months. Of the 3,226 respondents, 610 already had left their first jobs-42 percent due to poor management and 37 percent because of stressful work conditions. Another 34 percent had changed jobs because they wanted to get experience in a different clinical area.

"There is much conventional wisdom about the experiences of newly licensed nurses, but little fact. This study helps to fill that void and provide insight into their career choices," says Carol Brewer, associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University at Buffalo, and a principal investigator on the study.

The nurses who responded will be followed for three years to collect more information on the conditions responsible for turnover. Results so far have shown that the nurse-respondents generally were pleased with their jobs, and reported positive work-group cohesion. They reported not having enough support from their supervisors, however. More than one-third indicated they intended to search for a new position in one year, but not necessarily outside of nursing.

Newly licensed nurses considered their jobs difficult, and they worked long hours: Fifty-one percent worked voluntary overtime; 13 percent worked mandatory overtime. Sixty-one percent were assigned to nights, evenings or rotating shifts. Nearly two-thirds-63 percent-said their work interfered with family life on at least four days a month.

"Findings have shown that the work environment for newly licensed RNs has both positive and negative aspects," says Brewer. "Future analyses will focus on evaluating these factors' contributions to the new RNs' longevity in their workplace and in nursing."

On The Web: Healthcare and the Presidential Campaign
With healthcare emerging as the top domestic issue in the 2008 presidential election, the Kaiser Family Foundation launched a new Web site—www.health08.org—that will provide analysis of health policy issues, regular public opinion surveys, and news and video coverage from the campaign trail. The site is a hub of information about health and the election, including original content produced by Kaiser and easy access to health-related resources from the campaigns, other organizations and news outlets. You also can sign up for a weekly e-mail roundup of developments related to health and the election.

Employers must do more to address workplace stress
Employers do not address mental health matters in the workplace and many employees don't even understand their current mental health benefits, according to a recent survey by Meritain Health and the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health.

A national survey of 411 full-time workers found that 94 percent of respondents believe their stress level affects job performance. However, 52 percent of worker said their em-ployer does not address mental health issues and 40 percent said they aren't aware of what mental health benefits are offered by their employer.

"These results illustrate the need for employers to better make the connection between untreated mental health conditions and lost productivity, offer more comprehensive men-tal health benefits, and better promote these benefits to their employees," says Larry Luter, Meritain's chief medical officer.

For more information on this survey, visit www. workplacementalhealth.org.