Support or supplant? : a study into the effects of introducing level three NVQ support workers to nurses
Support or supplant? : a study into the effects of introducing level three NVQ support workers to nurses
This two part research study explores the impact on the quality of care of developing a higher level of support worker to nurses as well as the perceptions of the participants in the initiative.
The research suggests that much of the traditional role of the nurse could be undertaken by appropriately prepared support staff. This, in turn, might necessitate a re-evaluation of the appropriate training and education required for care givers.
Through an observational analysis of the care given using the Qualpac inventory (Wandelt and Ager 1974) in three clinical specialities in an acute teaching hospital, quality scores for these and comparative grades of nurse were elicited. The Level 3 NVQ staff outperformed the junior grades of qualified nurses in all but one of the observed categories.
Subsequent focused interviews with the support workers, analysed using a framework proposed by Hycner 1985, revealed that they had a representation of nursing and its application similar to previous State Enrolled Nurses. They display symptoms of being alienated from all other grades of nurse, but derive improved job satisfaction from the enhanced role.
Questions are raised in relation to the impact on nursing's status as an emerging profession and the legitimate role for its practitioners. Considerably more research is required in order to substantiate a monopolist view of professional care giving and what constitutes quality of care in nursing.
University of Southampton
1998
Warr, Jeremy George
(1998)
Support or supplant? : a study into the effects of introducing level three NVQ support workers to nurses.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
This two part research study explores the impact on the quality of care of developing a higher level of support worker to nurses as well as the perceptions of the participants in the initiative.
The research suggests that much of the traditional role of the nurse could be undertaken by appropriately prepared support staff. This, in turn, might necessitate a re-evaluation of the appropriate training and education required for care givers.
Through an observational analysis of the care given using the Qualpac inventory (Wandelt and Ager 1974) in three clinical specialities in an acute teaching hospital, quality scores for these and comparative grades of nurse were elicited. The Level 3 NVQ staff outperformed the junior grades of qualified nurses in all but one of the observed categories.
Subsequent focused interviews with the support workers, analysed using a framework proposed by Hycner 1985, revealed that they had a representation of nursing and its application similar to previous State Enrolled Nurses. They display symptoms of being alienated from all other grades of nurse, but derive improved job satisfaction from the enhanced role.
Questions are raised in relation to the impact on nursing's status as an emerging profession and the legitimate role for its practitioners. Considerably more research is required in order to substantiate a monopolist view of professional care giving and what constitutes quality of care in nursing.
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Published date: 1998
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Local EPrints ID: 463203
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463203
PURE UUID: 06617e54-3ad2-4d20-8d86-be81b7cda437
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:47
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 20:47
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Author:
Jeremy George Warr
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