Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Schneck.
Data from 135 nursing subunits were used to identify a set of organizational variables that best explained the grouping of activities into nursing subunits in hospitals. Relatively strong support was provided for technology as a basis for grouping nursing subunits; characteristics of the hospital, including its type, size, and location, also were relevant.
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Based upon organizational theory, the purpose of this research was to identify and describe similarities and differences in the work environments of nine different types of nursing subunits (intensive care, medical, surgical, psychiatric, auxiliary, rehabilitation, rural, paediatric and obstetrical) in hospitals. Six measures of nursing subunit environment were developed: these included measures of nursing subunit autonomy, and the complexity and pervasiveness of other medical and hospital groups interacting with the nursing subunit. Data were collected by questionnaire from headnurses in 157 nursing subunits located in 24 hospitals in Alberta, Canada. The results indicated that the types of nursing subunits were similar in their degree of autonomy from both physicians and administration in the larger context in which they were located but were significantly different in terms of number and heterogeneity of groups outside nurses with which they interacted and the extent to which such groups pervaded the subunits. For example, intensive care units appeared as the type of nursing subunit with the greatest need for interaction with physicians, paramedics, hotel services and so on, whereas, psychiatric subunits appeared to be the least dependent on groups outside nursing in the hospital. These findings have implications for the management practices and educational programme for nursing.
Overton, Schneck, and Hazlett's (1977) measurement of nursing subunit technology was replicated using 157 subunits of 9 types located in 24 hospitals in Alberta. A 21-item questionnaire was given to nurses, and the answers were subjected to factor analyses. Results indicated three dimensions of technology: instability, uncertainty, and variability. Because of the similarity of these variables to those in the Overton, Schneck, and Hazlett study, the results suggested a high degree of construct validity for the measure. The technological dimensions also differentiated among the types of subunits in the same pattern as in the original study. A relatively quick method of obtaining measures of instability, uncertainty, and variability by using composite scores was tested and found reliable.
The main purpose for this research was to specify empirically the sources and frequency of stress experienced by headnurses working in different types of specialities in hospitals. Headnurses (n-153) from nine specialities: paediatrics, obstetrics, medicine, surgery, rural, auxiliary, psychiatry, rehabilitation and intensive care participated. Data were collected by a 21 item questionnaire. Findings suggested five types of stress for headnurses relating to their administrative role, type of patients, task ambiguity, staffing problems and physician contact. Headnurses from different specialities perceived these types of stress to occur with differing frequency.
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