The mediating role of empathy in the impact of compassion fatigue on burnout among nurses

Background

The burnout levels of nurses, who have an important place in the delivery of health services, are increasing day by day. As the burnout levels of nurses increase, there may be undesirable situations such as compassion fatigue specific to them, their patients and their institutions.

Purpose

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of compassion fatigue seen in nurses on burnout and the mediating role of empathy in this effect.

Methods

The research was conducted on nurses working in three public hospitals operating in Sakarya, Turkey, between 2 January and 16 April 2019. Since the research was conducted in more than one hospital, the minimum number of participants was determined for each hospital using the stratified sampling method in the first stage. In the second stage, the participants were selected by convenience sampling method. Descriptive statistics, linear regression and process macro regression analysis were used to analyse the data.

Results

The results showed the effect of nurses' compassion fatigue on burnout and empathy (β = 0.673). In addition, empathy has a mediating role in the effect of compassion fatigue on burnout (β = 0.251).

Conclusions/implications for practice

Reducing the burnout levels of nurses, who have a very important place in the delivery of health services, is important for both themselves and patients. It is recommended that the results of this study, which may contribute to the development of the awareness of nurse managers, should be made with the ability to understand the symptoms of compassion fatigue and burnout, teaching coping methods and providing support by experts when necessary.

Effect of relationship marketing on hospital loyalty: the mediating role of patient satisfaction

Purpose

This study aims to reveal the mediating role of patient satisfaction on the impact of relationship marketing on hospital loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The scale questionnaires used in the study was the Relationship Marketing, Hospital Loyalty and the Patient Satisfaction Scale. The population of the study is made up of the patients who received in-hospital services in private hospitals operating in Kocaeli province. The field study was conducted between August 1 and October 31, 2019. After determining the sample size, the study was conducted on 401 patients in private hospitals primarily using the purposive sampling method. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and statistical package for the social sciences Process Macro were used to analyze the data.

Findings

According to the findings of this study, patient satisfaction has an effect on hospital loyalty. Relationship marketing has an impact on hospital loyalty, and this effect is further enhanced by patient satisfaction. In other words, patient satisfaction has a mediating role in the impact of relationship marketing on hospital loyalty. Relationship marketing plays an important role in creating hospital loyalty and patient satisfaction. For this reason, it is recommended that health institutions adopt relationship marketing practices. Hospital loyalty and patient satisfaction will be ensured through relationship marketing. This will allow the health-care institution to continue to exist and to be more advantageous than other institutions.

Originality/value

The uniqueness of the paper lies not only in the only regression findings but also in the methodology used to capture the impact of the lagged effect of marketing relationships on hospital loyalty. Specifically, a regression model is based on both direct and indirect effects.

Moderating Effect of Psychological Well-Being on the Effect of Workplace Safety Climate on Job Stress

AIM

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the moderating effect of psychological well-being on the effect of workplace safety climate on job stress.

METHODS

: The cross-sectional study was designed inclusive of the use of the survey method. 291 healthcare professionals returned the survey forms, among those, 75.9% of the participants were women, and the mean age of the sample was 32.83±6.03. Most of the participants (66.6%) had a Bachelor's degree or higher. We analyzed the data using, a structural equation modeling framework used to test both direct and mediating effects. Hayes' (2013) Model 4 was used to identify the mediating role of psychological well-being on the effect of workplace safety climate on job stress.

RESULTS

:According to the analysis results, the created model is significant, and psychological well-being plays a mediating role on the effect of workplace safety climate on job stress, reinforcing the negative effect of workplace safety climate on job stress.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that first the safety environment perceived by the employees reduces their stress. Second, psychological well-being plays a mediating role in relation to the effect of safety climate on job stress. This role contributes to the reduction of stress through the improvement of the safety climate.

A survey of health information seeking by cancer patients indicates some problems over medical explanations and terminology

BACKGROUND

Cancer patients may experience stress because of insufficient information about their illness, health condition, or treatment, but some may fear what the information reveals.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine health information-seeking behaviour, the attitudes of cancer patients, the barriers they face in seeking health information and their sociodemographic and disease characteristics.

METHODS

A survey was conducted with 84 cancer patients in Turkey. Descriptive statistics were performed to determine the characteristics of information seeking and barriers found.

RESULTS

Cancer patients are likely to seek health information, often confident about finding resources easily. The main problems are as follows: (1) insufficient information from health care providers; (2) understanding medical terminology; and (3) lack of help from health care providers to explain information retrieved.

DISCUSSION

The information-seeking behaviour of cancer patients in this sample in Turkey resembles studies elsewhere, with (overall) evidence of monitoring behaviour (wanting to find out more about the disease, treatment and effects on lived experience).

CONCLUSIONS

The cancer patients in this survey were generally willing and confident in their information seeking to find out more about the disease, treatment and effects on lifestyle. The main barriers were medical terminology, insufficient explanations and information from healthcare providers.

The mediating role of patient satisfaction in the effect of patient visit experiences on word-of-mouth intention

The purpose of this study is to find out whether patient experiences of examinations affect their word-of-mouth (WOM) intention and to identify the role of patient satisfaction with the physician in this effect. Data were collected via survey form (N = 1,100). Descriptive statistical methods, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used in the data analysis. According to the result of the study, patient visit experiences had a positive effect on patient satisfaction with the physician, and WOM intention and patient satisfaction with the physician played a mediating role in this effect.

The role of the human factor in occupational safety and health performance

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of managers' commitment to occupational safety and health (OSH) on employees' safety awareness and competency, employees' involvement, reporting culture and OSH performance; the effect of employees' involvement in OSH on safety awareness and competency, reporting culture and OSH performance; and the mediating role of employees' involvement in the effect of managers' commitment to OSH on OSH performance. Methods. The study population consisted of 600 people working in a private company and the sample consisted of 533 employees agreeing to participate in the survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results. The analysis results showed that managers' commitment to OSH had no significant effect on OSH performance but a significant positive effect on employees' safety awareness and competency, employees' involvement in OSH and reporting culture. Although managers' commitment to OSH alone had no significant effect on OSH performance, it had a significant effect on OSH performance when employees' involvement was used as a mediating variable. Conclusion. OSH should not be considered only as a technical matter. It is recommended that arrangements should be made to improve OSH considering the human factors involved in OSH.

The influence of patient-physician communication on physician loyalty and hospital loyalty of the patient

Objective:

Patient-physician communication is important for an effective healthcare service and for the patient’s development of loyalty to the hospital. In this regard, this study aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between the patient-physician communication, the loyalty of the patient to the physician and to the hospital. Also study aimed to determine whether there is a mediating role of the physician loyalty on the patient-physician communication effect on to the hospital loyalty.

Method:

Five hundred ten questionnaires were distributed to regular public patients of the government hospitals, clinics, and private clinic patients in Sakarya using a simple random sampling method. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).

Results:

According to the findings, there was a significant relationship between patient-physician communication and loyalty to physician and to hospital. Patient-physician communication has a significant effect on loyalty to physician and hospital. In addition, patient loyalty has a mediating role on the patient-physician communication effect on the hospital loyalty.

Conclusion:

According to the result of the study, physician-patient communication could be used as an important tool in creating physician loyalty and hospital loyalty. This study helps physicians and health service providers to formulate strategies and tactics that will effectively develop the loyalty of patients.