Search

For decades, scholars have studied leader–member exchange (LMX) relationships to understand and explain the effects of leadership on follower attitudes and performance outcomes within work settings. One available instrument to measure these aspects is the LMX-7 scale. This measurement has been widely used in empirical studies, but its psychometric properties have been poorly explored. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric characteristics (content, structural and construct validity, and reliability) of the Italian version of the LMX-7 scale and to support its cultural adaptation. We used a cross-sectional multi-center design. The forward–backward translation process was used to develop the Italian version of the scale. The scale was administered through an online survey to 837 nurses and nurse managers working in different settings. The factorial structure was tested using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA), and reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. For the construct validity, we used hypothesis testing and differentiation by known groups. The Italian version of the LMX-7 scale presented one dimension. All the psychometric tests performed confirmed its validity and suggested its usefulness for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To determine the relevance of nursing's professional dignity in palliative care. Background: Dignity is a valued concept in the ethical discourse of health disciplines. Nursing's professional dignity, a concept related to professional identity, is not clearly defined nor have its characteristics been delineated for its clinical relevance in palliative care. Design: A qualitative methodological approach. Methods: Focus groups elicited dialogues of nursing's professional dignity among 69 nurses working in hospices and home‐care in Italy. Data were content‐analysed via an inductive process. The COREQ checklist for qualitative studies was used for reporting this research. Results: A central theme related to (a) "Intrinsic dignity of persons" was embedded in the essence of palliative care. Several corollary themes underscored this central theme: (b) Professional (intra‐ and inter) relationships and teamwork; (c) Nursing professionalism; (d) Ethical dilemmas; and (e) Relationships with patients and their significant persons. Conclusions: Nurses valued the essence of respect as persons and the essence of respect for their work as coherent with intrinsic dignity and work dignity in palliative care. Nurses perceived their psycho‐social relationships with patients and their families as rewarding incentives amidst disputatious interactions with peers and/or other healthcare professionals. They experienced ethical dilemmas, which they perceived as inherent in palliative care. Relevance to clinical practice: Study findings corroborate the literature regarding the concept of nursing's professional dignity which is intrinsic in respect of the human person. The intrinsic dignity in palliative care manifests as nurses are working in juxtaposition of a demanding yet rewarding care ambience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing awareness that patient care suffers when nurses are not respected. Therefore, to improve outcomes for patients, it is crucial that nurses operate in a moral work environment that involves both recognition respect, a form of respect that ought to be accorded to every single person, and appraisal respect, a recognition of the relative and contingent value of respect modulated by the relationships of the healthcare professionals in a determined context. Research question/aim: The purpose of this study was to develop better understandings of perceptions of nursing's professional respect in community and hospital settings in England. Research design: The research design was qualitative. Focus groups were chosen as the most appropriate method for eliciting discussion about nursing's professional respect. Participants and research context: A total of 62 nurses who had been qualified for at least a year and were working in two localities in England participated in this study. Methods: Data were collected using 11 focus group sessions. The data were analysed by means of an inductive content analysis, extracting meaning units from the information retrieved and classifying the arising phenomena into conceptually meaningful categories and themes. Ethical considerations: To conduct the research, permission was obtained from the selected universities. Results: Recognition respect of human beings was perceived as ingrained in the innermost part of nurses. Regarding appraisal respect, a great importance was placed on: the interactions among healthcare professionals, the time to build trust in these relationships, the influences of the workplace characteristics and nurses' professional autonomy and decision-making. Conclusion: Recognition respect of persons was embedded in the inmost part of nurses as individuals. Concerning appraisal respect, it was thought to be deeply enshrined in the inter- and intra-healthcare professional interactions. The forging of trusting relationships over time was deemed to be strongly associated with good quality interactions with other healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To investigate the lived subjective experiences of immigrant Indian nurses in Italy and specifically their professional and social integration. Background To study the worldwide, nursing flux is a health priority in the globalised world. The growth in migration trends among nurses, not only from Philippines or India, has proliferated in recent years. The research on nurses' mobility for Southern European countries is underexplored, and in Italy, the out-migration flows of Indian nurses were never analysed. Design Qualitative methodological approach. Methods Semi-structured interviews ( n = 20) were completed with Indian clinical nurses working in Italy for more than one year mainly in private organisations. A purposive sampling technique was used for recruitment. The data were then content-analysed using an inductive method. Results The findings were categorised into four themes: (1) aspects of professional integration and working experience, (2) intra- and interprofessional relationships and perceptions of the IPASVI Regulatory Nursing Board, (3) initial nursing education and continuous professional development and (4) perceptions of social integration. Conclusion The results show that for Indian nurses in Italy emigration is important to gain opportunities to expand economic and social privileges as well as escape from historical assumptions of stigma associated with nursing work, especially for women. However, these conclusions have to be seen in wider socio-cultural complexities that are at the basis of transnational fluxes (Prescott & Nichter ). Relevance to clinical practice The research offers an insight into the complicated reasons for Indian nurses out-migration to Italy. Without comprehending the interwoven textures of the political and social relations that are continually constructed and re-constructed among different nations, it is difficult to understand nurses out-migration and consequently have a better and safer collaborative teamwork in the host countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of dignity can be divided into two main attributes: absolute dignity that calls for recognition of an inner worth of persons and social dignity that can be changeable and can be lost as a result of different social factors and moral behaviours. In this light, the nursing profession has a professional dignity that is to be continually constructed and re-constructed and involves both main attributes of dignity. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how nurses described nursing’s professional dignity in internal medicine and surgery departments in hospital settings. Research design: The research design was qualitative. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the ethics committees of the healthcare organizations involved. All the participants were provided with information about the purpose and the nature of the study. Participants: A total of 124 nurses participated in this study. Method: The data were collected using 20 focus group sessions in different parts of Italy. The data were analysed by means of a conventional inductive content analysis starting from the information retrieved in order to extract meaning units and sorting the arising phenomena into conceptually meaningful categories and themes. Results: Nursing’s professional dignity was deeply embedded in the innermost part of individuals. Regarding the social part of dignity, a great importance was put on the values that compose nursing’s professional identity, the socio-historical background and the evolution of nursing in the area considered. The social part of dignity was also linked to collaboration with physicians and with healthcare assistants who were thought to have a central role in easing work strain. Equally important, though, was the relationship with peers and senior nurses. Conclusion: The organizational environments under scrutiny with their low staffing levels, overload of work and hierarchical interactions did not promote respect for the dignity of nurses. To understand these professional values, it is pivotal to comprehend the role of different health professions in their cultural milieu and the evolution of the nursing profession in diverse countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which determined the different factors comprising the concept of nursing professional integrity in order to establish a tentative model. It cites the definition by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 of dignity, which is an expression of the essence of individuals. Among the resources used in the research are several journals like "Nursing Philosophy," "Nursing Ethics," and "Bioethics."