Identifying The Most Important Workplace Factors in Predicting Mental Health Among British Columbia Nurses Using Machine Learning Techniques

Abstract

Objectives Nurses are at a high risk of developing mental health problems due to exposure to work environment risk factors. Previous research in this area has only examined a few factors within nurses’ work environments, and those factors were not conceptualized with the goal of improving workplace mental health. The purpose of this study is to identify the most important work environment predictors of nurse mental health using a comprehensive and theoretically grounded measure based on the National Standard of Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Methods This is an exploratory cross-sectional survey study of nurses in British Columbia, Canada. For this study, responses from a convenience sample of 4,029 actively working direct care nurses were analyzed using random forest regression methods. Key predictors include 13 work environment factors. Study outcomes include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), burnout and life satisfaction. Results Overall, healthier reports of work environment conditions were associated with better nurse mental health. More specifically balance, psychological protection and workload management were the most important predictors of depression, anxiety, PTSD and emotional exhaustion. While engagement, workload management, psychological protection and balance were the most important predictors of depersonalization, engagement was the most important predictor of personal accomplishment. Balance, psychological protection and engagement were the most important predictors of life satisfaction. Conclusions Routine assessment with standardized tools of nurses’ work environment conditions and mental health is an important, evidence-based organizational intervention. This study suggests nurses’ mental health is particularly influenced by worklife balance, psychological protection and workload management.

Workplace Predictors of Quality and Safe Patient Care Delivery Among Nurses Using Machine Learning Techniques

“…35 This is further evidenced by previous research with the standard that consistently found workload management, psychological protection, engagement, and physical safety as important determinants of nurse anxiety, depression, PTSD, burnout, and life satisfaction. 9 In light of these findings, future research should evaluate the mediating effect of nurse mental health on the relationship between GMW factors and quality and safe care provision.…”

“…2 Furthermore, another recent study of the Standard has found that among the 13 workplace factors, workload management, worklife balance, and psychological protection were the most important determi-nants of nurse adverse mental health outcomes including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 9 In recognition of the rising mental injury among nurses and other health care providers, BC health authorities were mandated in 2016 to implement the Standard to protect the mental health of their nursing workers and other health care providers in the workplace. 2 The implementation of the Standard begins with a comprehensive, baseline assessment of workplace conditions most important to employee mental health using the GMW survey.…”