Study: Travel, staff nurses perceive workplaces similarly

Editor's Note

Travel nurses and permanent staff nurses share similar perceptions of their work environments and ethical workplace climates, according to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration. The results challenge common assumptions about differences between these two groups and emphasize the need for nurse leaders to facilitate inclusive environments, researchers write.

Conducted in spring 2024, the cross-sectional, descriptive study involved 2,201 registered nurses from seven healthcare organizations, including 615 travel nurses (27.9%) and 1,586 non-travel nurses (72.1%). Participants completed surveys measuring perceptions of healthy work environments using the 16-item Critical Elements of a Healthy Work Environment Scale (4-point Likert scale) and three researcher-developed questions assessing fairness, respect, and teamwork (5-point Likert scale).

Researchers report no statistically significant differences in overall perceptions of healthy work environments between travel nurses and non-travel nurses. Both groups' responses reflected overall negative perceptions of work environment health.

Travel nurses reported slightly lower perceptions of skilled communication and higher levels of true collaboration and appropriate staffing.  However, differences were minimal.

Ethical climate perceptions showed similar patterns, with travel nurses reporting slightly lower perceptions of fair patient workload assignments and lower levels of courteous and respectful treatment from coworkers. Travel nurses felt less valued as integral nursing team members.

The results contradict anecdotal reports that travel nurses are less invested in workplace environments or culture, researchers write. “The ethical values of fairness, respect, and teamwork, should be included in the nurse leader's strategic initiatives for both TNs and non-TNs,” they argue.