This article reports on a literature review of workplace interventions (i.e., creating healthy work environments and improving nurses’ quality of work life [QWL]) aimed at managing occupational stress and burnout for nurses. A literature search was conducted using the keywords nursing, nurses, stress, distress, stress management, burnout , and intervention . All the intervention studies included in this review reported on workplace intervention strategies, mainly individual stress management and burnout interventions. Recommendations are provided to improve nurses’ QWL in health care organizations through workplace health promotion programs so that nurses can be recruited and retained in rural and northern regions of Ontario. These regions have unique human resources needs due to the shortage of nurses working in primary care.

Work-from-home has become an increasingly adopted practice globally. Given the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, such arrangements have risen substantially in a short timeframe. Work-from-home has been associated with several physical and mental health outcomes. This relationship has been supported by previous research; however, these health and safety issues often receive little resources and attention from business perspectives compared to organizational and worker performance and productivity. Therefore, aligning work-from-home practices with business goals may help catalyze awareness from decision makers and serve to effectively implement work-from-home policies. We conducted a review to synthesize current knowledge on the impact of work-from-home arrangements on personal and organizational performance and productivity. Four large databases including Scopus, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Business Source Complete were systematically searched. Through a two-step screening process, we selected and extracted data from 37 relevant articles. Key search terms surrounded two core concepts: work-from-home and productivity/performance. Of the articles published prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 79% (n = 19) demonstrated that work-from-home increased productivity and performance whereas 21% (n = 5) showed mixed or no effects. Of the articles published during the pandemic, 23% (n = 3) showed positive effects, 38% (n = 5) revealed mixed results, and 38% (n = 5) showed negative effects. Findings suggest that non-mandatory work-from-home arrangements can have positive impacts on productivity and performance. When work-from-home becomes mandatory and full-time, or external factors (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic) are at play, the overall impacts are less positive and can be detrimental to productivity and performance. Results will help foster an understanding of the impact of work-from-home on productivity and performance and inform the development of organizational strategies to create an effective, resilient, and inclusive work-from-home workplace by helping to effectively implement work-from-home policies that are aligned with business goals.

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) in the health care sector remains a prominent, under-reported global occupational hazard and public health issue. Objective: To determine the types and prevalence of WPV among doctors. Methods: Primary papers on WPV in medicine were identified through a literature search in 4 health databases (Ovid Medline, EMBASE, PsychoINFO and CINAHL). The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for the mapping and identification of records. To assess the studies included in our review, we used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme cohort review checklist and the Risk of Bias Assessment. Results: 13 out of 2154 articles retrieved were reviewed. Factors outlining physician WPV included (1) working in remote health care areas, (2) understaffing, (3) mental/emotional stress of patients/visitors, (4) insufficient security, and (5) lacking preventative measures. The results of 6 studies were combined in a meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of WPV was 69% (95% CI 58% to 78%). Conclusion: The impact of WPV on health care institutions is profound and far-reaching; it is quite common among physicians. Therefore, steps must be taken to promote an organizational culture where there are measures to protect and promote the well-being of doctors.

Introduction Healthcare workers’ work performance and mental health are associated with positive mental health outcomes and directly related to increased productivity and decreased disability costs. Methods We conducted a systematic review to identify factors associated with work performance of healthcare workers during a pandemic and conducted a meta-analysis of the prevalence of mental health outcomes in this context. Primary papers were collected and analysed using the Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome framework and using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. To critically appraise the studies included in the review, we used the AXIS appraisal tool to assess each cross-sectional study’s quality. Results The study identified nine factors associated with the work performance and mental health of healthcare workers, including experiencing feelings of depression, anxiety, having inadequate support, experiencing occupational stress, decreased productivity, lack of workplace preparedness, financial concerns associated with changes in income and daily living, fear of transmission and burnout/fatigue. Conclusion There is a rapidly rising need to address the work performance and mental health of healthcare workers providing timely care to patients. Regular and sustained interventions, including the use of information and communication technologies such as telehealth, are warranted.

Background: Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. Objective: The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses’ quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Methods: Using publications from 2004–2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses’ QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Results: Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses’ quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. Conclusions: This review’s findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses’ broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system.