Organizational Structure and Role Stress Among Hospital Nurses.

This dissertation examined the relationships between role structure and role stress among nurses in a for-profit hospital. The research questions proposed were: (1) What are the relationships between organizational dimensions and role stress? and , (2) will each of the individual relationships between role structure dimensions (e.g., personnel specialization) and role stress be moderated by the other role structure dimensions (e.g., interdependence and programming)? The data for this study were collected from 160 nurses in a for-profit hospital in West Texas. Using role systems theory, role structure was defined as the way in which expected work behaviors or roles have been allocated to individuals in various positions. Role structure also includes the nature of the independencies among the roles and the extent of programming which the organization has developed to deal with recurring work situations (Georgopoulos, 1972; March and Simon, 1958). Three role structure dimensions (personnel specialization, interdependence, and programming) were identified and examined in relationship to role stress. Role stress included procedural role conflict, interpersonal role conflict, and role ambiguity. Hypotheses involving direct relationships were tested by using correlations. Hypotheses concerned with moderated relationships were tested through the use of both subgroup and moderated regression analyses. The results of the direct relationships indicate significant and positive relationships between the interdependence and procedural role conflict, interpersonal role conflict, and role ambiguity. Programming was significantly and negatively related to only procedural role conflict and role ambiguity, but not to interpersonal role conflict. Personnel specialization was not related to role stress. The moderated relationship involving interdependence and programming was an interesting one. Programming appeared to take on the role of another element in the set of interdependencies; programming helped increase procedural role conflict, interpersonal role conflict, and role ambiguity. By itself, programming tends to decrease procedural role conflict and role ambiguity but not interpersonal role conflict. Strengths and limitations of the study were also discussed and future research directions were examined.PhDOccupational psychologyHealth care managementNursingUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/160867/1/8600542.pd