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Abstract Creating satisfactory organizational features that support manageable patient work loads and levels of complexity is very important in leading to high quality of nurses’ work life level and enhance affective states and traits. High quality of nurses’ work life level is very necessary in attracting and maintaining nurses in the hospital as quality of work life within the healthcare organizations can contribute to other positive outcomes for both the healthcare providers and patients (Burtson et al., 2010). This study was conducted in order to assess organizational features of work environment, assess nurses’ quality of work life level, identify factors that influencing nurses’ quality of work life, study relationship between organizational features of work environment and nurses’ quality of work life. The study was conducted in critical units, emergency units, and general care units at Menofia University Hospital. Descriptive co relational design was used. Data was collected from all staff nurses working in the previous mentioned units. Data were collected using organizational features scales:-It was developed by Adams and Arbes, this tool was designed to measure the nurses perception about their organizational features of work environment, This scale contains (95) items subdivided under six main subscales to measure physical environment of unit , professional working relationship , nurses influence over aspect of the unit , unit leadership , professional nursing practice ,and job satisfaction, Second tool was quality of nurses’ work life questionnaire tool. This questionnaire contains four main factors:. Work - 111 - life – home life factor, work design factor, work context factor, and work world factor. A pilot on 10% of the study sample (who were not included in the study) was performed. It was performed to test the practicability and applicability of the tools, and to detect any obstacles and/or problems that may be encountered during data collection. Necessary modifications were done. The questionnaire sheets were distributed to nursing staff after a brief explanation of the purpose of the study. The main findings of the study revealed the following: High percentage of studied nurses perceived the organizational features as unsatisfactory features. There is a statistically significant difference between total organizational features and all studied departments of the hospitals High percentage of studied nurses in emergency department perceived organizational features as unsatisfactory features. The results show no statistically significance difference between total and subtotal of organizational features scales and the educational level The results indicate that, the high percentage of studied nurses perceived low level of quality of work life. There is a statistically significant difference between nurses ’quality of work life level and studied departments of the hospitals The results indicate that, factors that influence nurses’ quality of work life as perceived by nurses is work context factor followed by work world factor then work design factor and finally work life – home life factor. There was a positive significant correlation between organizational features of work environment and nurses’ quality of work life. - 111 - In conclusion:- High percentage of studied nurses perceived the organizational features as unsatisfactory features, they have low level of quality of work life and there is a positive significant correlation between organizational features of work environment and nurses’ quality of work life. So, it is recommended that:- At the nursing practice level: Nursing executives and managers need to consider the family aspect of their nurses. Child care facilities, support for nurses who have elderly parents, convenient working hours, and sufficient vacations should be made available for nurses. These advantages will help nurses to balance work with their family requirements. Managers and policy makers should encourage the professional growth of nurses through the provision of a systematic career ladder and shared governance Nurse managers must adopt performance appraisal system on regular base for staff nurse in order to improve their professional nursing practice. At Educational Level: In-service training should be done periodically, with emphasis on identified areas of deficiency in nurses’ practice to improve their professional nursing practice and increase their influence over nursing unit and patients’ events. Staff development programs are needed for nurse managers to integrate staff nurses in decision-making and to deal effectively with new ideas to promote satisfactory organizational climate and, - 111 - satisfaction of nurses, and increase their influence over all aspect of nursing unit. At the organizational level: For the comfort of nurses, they should be provided with a break area where they can rest and be able to place their private belongings securely. Hospital must be supported with the required materials and resources, equipment, and unit facilities for healthcare services for providing quality nursing care. Hospital managers should work with the media to demonstrate the vital role of nurses in the care of the community, in the provision of health care services and in the advancement of the health of the population in order to improve nursing image generally. The salary of nurses should be increased commensurate with the tasks performed. Nurses also should be provided with fair financial benefits. Hospitals need to provide vigorous and ongoing management skill development, so that managers can develop the competencies needed to be effective administrators to improve their strategies for nursing unit management. Geographically designated area (unit layout) and method of organizing patient care should be considered to facilitate care of patients and satisfaction for nurses. The basic physical facilities for nurses, patients, and their relatives such as sanitation facilities, communication facilities and physical safety and security need to be improved in the hospitals. The hospitals should pay attention on improving the process, redefine the nursing duties and responsibilities which reduce the - 111 - overlap and duplication of work as well reduce the clerical work to enable to find enough time for patient care and to improve professional nursing practice. The hospitals should facilities nursery for nurses’ children and sufficient vacations should be made available for nurses. At the Research Level: Replication of the present study on relationship of organizational features of work environment and quality of nurses’ work life should be carried in other setting and with large sample. There is a need for outcome-driven research examining the effectiveness, efficacy, and cost-benefit of specific strategies aimed at improving the quality of nurses’ work life. |