The present and future health care is increasingly complex work environment. Cancer care setting has been identified as a challenging work environment in relation to occupational well-being and safety. Work empowerment is associated with job satisfaction, commitment and intention to stay at work. Another determinant is the multiprofessional collaboration in working contexts. It is important to enhance both empowerment of professionals and interprofessional collaboration. Aims of this study is to: recognize a need for work related empowerment (WEP) and interprofessional collaboration (IPC); understand WEP and IPC care; find ways to increase WEP and IPC.
Cross-sectional survey, in a network based cancer center in Western Finland. The number of inhabitants in the area is 870 765. The estimated number of health care professionals working with cancer patients in three hospitals is 1050. WEP was evaluated by a validated instrument (Kuokkanen 2003) and IPC with instrument (MONAMI) developed for the study. Sample consists of 350 professionals in cancer care (nurses 66%, physicians 11 %, allied health professionals 13%). Statistical methods were used in analysis.
Work empowerment was evaluated positively; most critical the respondents were on their activeness on participating to positions of trust, and solving problems in their unit. From the impeding factors of WEP, respondents were most critical on the support by management. Empowerment was highest among physicians. Interprofessional collaboration was evaluated positively; most critical respondents were on the support by the management.
The results indicate a need for developing organizational and management support for WEP and IPC. On the contrary to other professionals, medical professionals evaluate having good possibilities to lead, manage and make decisions. To decrease the difference between professional groups, enhancement on IPC is needed, that should acknowledge all professionals and aim for shared decision-making in work processes especially in situations not focusing solely on medical issues.
Turku University of Applied Sciences.
The Finnish Work Environment Fund.
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.