Organizational Climate for Health to Enhance Psychological Safety in Nursing Organizations

Abstract: The roles required of nurses are becoming more diverse and complex, and the number of nurses who feel mentally unwell due to stress is increasing. One of the countermeasures is psychological safety. A workplace with a high level of psychological safety is linked to the revitalization of the organization, such as improved employee engagement and performance. In addition, it is effective in terms of mental health, such as relieving stress for employees. In this study, we examined the relationship between psychological safety and organizational health promotion support for nurses, and examined the organizational climate of health that enhances psychological safety. A web questionnaire was conducted for nurses working in hospitals in Japan, using the items of attributes, health promotion support, and psychological safety. The survey was conducted in March 2022, and the data of 377 people were considered valid responses based on the time required to respond. Respondents were 17.2% male and 82.8% female, with an average age of 43.1±9.6 years and an average of 12.6±8.8 years of service. Psychological safety scores by attribute were highest for those in their 50s, followed by those in their 20s, and those in their 30s and 40s. There was a large gap between executives and staff (F(3.019) = 0.000). Many of the items related to organizational climate of health and health promotion efforts were significantly correlated with psychological safety scores (p<0.05). The items requiring priority improvement were "high interest for health and safety of hospital organizations" and "high interest in creating a healthy working environment for hospital organizations". From the above, it is important to consider how to make the health support system known and how to promote its use so that nurses can continue to work in a healthy and motivated manner. In addition, since the psychological safety of mid-career nurses and, staff nurses without titles such as chief nurse or director of nursing, it is important to consider support specialized for them.

Keywords: Psychological Safety, Health Promotion, Nursing Organizations, Organizational Climate for Health

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004392

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