Abstract
Aims
This study investigates the influence of intensive care unit nurses’ knowledge sharing behaviour on nurse innovation, given different conditions of care quality control.
Background
Health-care organisations face an increasing pressure to innovate while controlling care quality. We have little insight on how the control of care quality interacts with the knowledge sharing behaviour of intensive care nurses to affect their innovative behaviours.
Methods
We developed a multi-source survey study of more than 200 intensive care nurses at 22 intensive care units of 17 Danish hospitals. Two versions of the questionnaire were used – one designed for nurse employees and the other for the managing nurse(s). An ordinary least squares regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.
Results
Different aspects of knowledge sharing affect innovation differently, depending on the strength of the control of care quality within the unit.
Conclusions
The increasing pressures to implement the control of care quality and innovate may be conflicting, unless handled properly.
Implications for nursing management
Process control at intensive care units should be loosened, when personal interaction between intensive care nurses is encouraged to stimulate nurse innovations. Alternatively, managers may develop a climate where helping others, especially with younger colleagues, offsets the negative effects of strong process control.
This study investigates the influence of intensive care unit nurses’ knowledge sharing behaviour on nurse innovation, given different conditions of care quality control.
Background
Health-care organisations face an increasing pressure to innovate while controlling care quality. We have little insight on how the control of care quality interacts with the knowledge sharing behaviour of intensive care nurses to affect their innovative behaviours.
Methods
We developed a multi-source survey study of more than 200 intensive care nurses at 22 intensive care units of 17 Danish hospitals. Two versions of the questionnaire were used – one designed for nurse employees and the other for the managing nurse(s). An ordinary least squares regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.
Results
Different aspects of knowledge sharing affect innovation differently, depending on the strength of the control of care quality within the unit.
Conclusions
The increasing pressures to implement the control of care quality and innovate may be conflicting, unless handled properly.
Implications for nursing management
Process control at intensive care units should be loosened, when personal interaction between intensive care nurses is encouraged to stimulate nurse innovations. Alternatively, managers may develop a climate where helping others, especially with younger colleagues, offsets the negative effects of strong process control.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Nursing Management |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Pages (from-to) | 943-953 |
| ISSN | 0966-0429 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |