Abstract:
Background: Nurse Workenvironment can be described as the system that supports nurses’
control over the delivery of nursing care, the environment in which care is delivered and the
characteristics of an organization that facilitate or constrain professional nursing practice.
Perception towards nurse work environment can be affected by many factors like organizational
support, autonomy and collegial relationship.
Objective:The main objective of this study was to assess perceived work environment and
associated factors among nurses working in Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma town,
south west Ethiopia.
Methods:Institutionalbased cross-sectional studydesign with quantitative data collection
methodwasusedfrom March 15 to 27, 2018. Data was collected by using a modifiednurse work
index questionnaire.250 participantswere included in the study by simple random sampling
technique using computer generated random numbers. Data was entered into Epidata version
3.1 and exportedto SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the
sample and results of the study. Linear regressionwas used to determine significant associations
among the variables.Finally p-value of <0.05 at 95% CI was used to declare statistical
significance. Results were presented in text, tables, and figures.
Result:More than half (54%) of the respondents had low perception regarding their work
environment. Control over the practice setting, autonomy and nurse physician relationship had
significant association with perception towards nurse work environment.(R2
=0.562, p=<0.001,
95% CI).
Conclusion and Recommendation:Over all nurses’ perception towards work environment
was low.There were significant associations between perceptions towards nurse work
environment and autonomy, control over the practice setting and nurse-physician
relationship.To increase the level of perceptions towards nurse work environment among nurses,
the hospital administrator should work on enhancing nurse-physician relationship, autonomy
and control over the practice setting.
