IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i13p2260-d243227.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Work-Related Intervention Needs and Potential Occupational Outcomes among Medical Assistants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Jessica Scharf

    (Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Patricia Vu-Eickmann

    (Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Jian Li

    (Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
    Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health; School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Andreas Müller

    (Institute of Psychology, Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141 Essen, Germany)

  • Peter Angerer

    (Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Adrian Loerbroks

    (Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

Abstract

Medical assistants’ (MAs) working conditions have been characterized as precarious, and workplace-related intervention needs have been identified. However, strategies to change the MAs adverse working conditions are mostly seen on an individual level, including leaving the employer or even the profession. Since such intentions are antecedents of actual turnover, we aimed to quantify the potential link of reported unmet intervention needs with unfavorable occupational outcomes. Data were collected by means of a nationwide survey among medical assistants (n = 994) in Germany (September 2016–April 2017). The three subscales working conditions, reward from the supervisor, and task-related independence were derived from a 12-item instrument regarding work-related interventions needs (the independent variables). We used subscale-specific z-scores and a total needs z-score. The four outcome variables (i.e., intention to leave the employer, intention to leave the MA profession, choosing MA profession again, and recommending MA profession to young people) were dichotomized, and logistic regression analyses were performed and limited to MAs in employment (n = 887). We found that increasing needs according to the categorized total needs score were associated with increasing odds of all occupational outcomes. Needs pertaining to working conditions and reward from the supervisor were the strongest determinants of MAs’ consideration of leaving their employer or profession (Odds ratios: 1.55–2.61). In summary, our study identified unmet work-related intervention needs that are associated with unfavorable occupational outcomes. In light of staffing shortage in health care, the identified needs should be addressed to ensure that sufficient recruitment of junior staff in the profession of medical assistants remains feasible and that experienced staff is retained.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica Scharf & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Jian Li & Andreas Müller & Peter Angerer & Adrian Loerbroks, 2019. "Work-Related Intervention Needs and Potential Occupational Outcomes among Medical Assistants: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:13:p:2260-:d:243227
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/13/2260/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/13/2260/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marlen Rahnfeld & Johannes Wendsche & Andreas Ihle & Sandrine R. Müller & Matthias Kliegel, 2016. "Uncovering the care setting–turnover intention relationship of geriatric nurses," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 159-169, June.
    2. Anja Viehmann & Christine Kersting & Anika Thielmann & Birgitta Weltermann, 2017. "Prevalence of chronic stress in general practitioners and practice assistants: Personal, practice and regional characteristics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Cui Liu & Lingjuan Zhang & Wenqin Ye & Jianying Zhu & Jie Cao & Xiaoying Lu & Fengping Li, 2012. "Job satisfaction and intention to leave: a questionnaire survey of hospital nurses in Shanghai of China," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(1‐2), pages 255-263, January.
    4. Shwu‐Ru Liou & Ching‐Yu Cheng, 2010. "Organisational climate, organisational commitment and intention to leave amongst hospital nurses in Taiwan," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(11‐12), pages 1635-1644, June.
    5. Kathmann, Till & Dingeldey, Irene, 2013. "Prekarisierung berufsfachlich qualifizierter Beschäftigung? Eine Analyse der Arbeitsbedingungen von medizinischen Fachangestellten," Reihe Arbeit und Wirtschaft in Bremen 4, Institut Arbeit und Wirtschaft (IAW), Universität Bremen und Arbeit­nehmer­kammer Bremen.
    6. Wegge, Juergen & Shemla, Meir & Haslam, S. Alexander, 2014. "Leader behavior as a determinant of health at work: Specification and evidence of five key pathways," Zeitschrift fuer Personalforschung. German Journal of Research in Human Resource Management, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 28(1-2), pages 6-23.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Adrian Loerbroks & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Annegret Dreher & Viola Mambrey & Jessica Scharf & Peter Angerer, 2022. "The Relationship of Medical Assistants’ Work Engagement with Their Concerns of Having Made an Important Medical Error: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-9, May.
    2. Viola Mambrey & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Peter Angerer & Adrian Loerbroks, 2021. "Associations between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Quality of Care (i.e., Slips and Lapses, and Perceived Social Interactions with Patients)—A Cross-Sectional Study among Medical Assistants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jessica Scharf & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Peter Angerer & Andreas Müller & Jürgen in der Schmitten & Adrian Loerbroks, 2022. "Work-Related Intervention Needs of Medical Assistants and How to Potentially Address Them according to Supervising General Practitioners: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Rahimah Jurij & Ida Rosnita Ismail & Khadijah Alavi & Rokiah Alavi, 2023. "Eldercare’s Turnover Intention and Human Resource Approach: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Annegret Dreher & Mirjam Theune & Christine Kersting & Franziska Geiser & Birgitta Weltermann, 2019. "Prevalence of burnout among German general practitioners: Comparison of physicians working in solo and group practices," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Jeong Hye Park & Min Jung Park & Hye Young Hwang, 2019. "Intention to leave among staff nurses in small‐ and medium‐sized hospitals," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(9-10), pages 1856-1867, May.
    5. Yoshinobu Sato & Naomi Hayashida & Makiko Orita & Hideko Urata & Tetsuko Shinkawa & Yoshiko Fukushima & Yumiko Nakashima & Takashi Kudo & Shunichi Yamashita & Noboru Takamura, 2015. "Factors Associated with Nurses’ Intention to Leave Their Jobs after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-8, March.
    6. Arezoo Bozorgmehr & Anika Thielmann & Birgitta Weltermann, 2021. "Chronic stress in practice assistants: An analytic approach comparing four machine learning classifiers with a standard logistic regression model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Godbersen, Hendrik & Ruiz-Fernández, Susana & Machura, Marco & Parlak, Denise Elif & Wirtz, Christian & Gansser, Oliver A., 2022. "Work-life balance measures, work-life balance, and organisational commitment - A structural analysis," ipo Schriftenreihe, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management, ipo Institut für Personal- & Organisationsforschung, volume 3, number 3 edited by FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management, Institut für Personal- & Organisationsforschung (IPO), July.
    8. Paul Jiménez & Bianca Winkler & Anita Bregenzer, 2017. "Developing Sustainable Workplaces with Leadership: Feedback about Organizational Working Conditions to Support Leaders in Health-Promoting Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-16, October.
    9. Lukas Degen & Karen Linden & Tanja Seifried-Dübon & Brigitte Werners & Matthias Grot & Esther Rind & Claudia Pieper & Anna-Lisa Eilerts & Verena Schroeder & Stefanie Kasten & Manuela Schmidt & Julian , 2021. "Job Satisfaction and Chronic Stress of General Practitioners and Their Teams: Baseline Data of a Cluster-Randomised Trial (IMPROVE job )," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    10. Guadalupe Vila-Vázquez & Carmen Castro-Casal & Dolores Álvarez-Pérez & Luisa Del Río-Araújo, 2018. "Promoting the Sustainability of Organizations: Contribution of Transformational Leadership to Job Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    11. Matthias Grot & Simon Kugai & Lukas Degen & Isabel Wiemer & Brigitte Werners & Birgitta M. Weltermann, 2023. "Small Changes in Patient Arrival and Consultation Times Have Large Effects on Patients’ Waiting Times: Simulation Analyses for Primary Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    12. Jessica G. Rainbow & Linsey M. Steege, 2019. "Transition to practice experiences of first‐ and second‐career nurses: A mixed‐methods study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(7-8), pages 1193-1204, April.
    13. Friederike Teetzen & Paul-Christian Bürkner & Sabine Gregersen & Sylvie Vincent-Höper, 2022. "The Mediating Effects of Work Characteristics on the Relationship between Transformational Leadership and Employee Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Investigation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-26, March.
    14. Huixuan Zhou & Xueyan Han & Juan Zhang & Jing Sun & Linlin Hu & Guangyu Hu & Shichao Wu & Pengyu Zhao & Feng Jiang & Yuanli Liu, 2018. "Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors among Medical Staff in Tertiary Public Hospitals: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-13, July.
    15. Elena Tsarouha & Christine Preiser & Birgitta Weltermann & Florian Junne & Tanja Seifried-Dübon & Felicitas Stuber & Sigrid Hartmann & Andrea Wittich & Monika A. Rieger & Esther Rind, 2020. "Work-Related Psychosocial Demands and Resources in General Practice Teams in Germany. A Team-Based Ethnography," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-19, September.
    16. Munwar Hussain Pahi & Kamal Ab. Hamid & Nadeem Khalid, 2016. "Save Talent of Banking Sector of Pakistan: Mediating Job Satisfaction between Job Stress and Employee Turnover Intention," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 6(3), pages 617-624.
    17. Winter, Vera & Schreyögg, Jonas & Thiel, Andrea, 2020. "Hospital staff shortages: Environmental and organizational determinants and implications for patient satisfaction," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(4), pages 380-388.
    18. Robert Karaszewski & Rafał Drewniak, 2021. "The Leading Traits of the Modern Corporate Leader: Comparing Survey Results from 2008 and 2018," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, November.
    19. Juan Carlos Verdes-Montenegro-Atalaya & Luis Ángel Pérula-de Torres & Norberto Lietor-Villajos & Cruz Bartolomé-Moreno & Herminia Moreno-Martos & Luis Alberto Rodríguez & Teresa Grande-Grande & Rocío , 2021. "Effectiveness of a Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Standard Training Program versus an Abbreviated Training Program on Stress in Tutors and Resident Intern Specialists of Family and Community Medicine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-17, September.
    20. Hiroko Hori & Makiko Orita & Yasuyuki Taira & Hitomi Matsunaga & Takashi Kudo & Noboru Takamura, 2020. "Factors affecting anxiety among administrative officers working within the urgent protective action planning zone of a nuclear power station," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-8, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:13:p:2260-:d:243227. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.