Table 2 Definitions of main concepts in the model of nurses’ workplace social capital
From: A conceptual model of nurses’ workplace social capital: a theory synthesis
Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
Determinants | Factors that can influence the development of nurses’ workplace social capital, including, but not limited to, the two summary concepts - organizational factors and nurses’ individual factors, which were generated from the less general concepts from empirical evidence. |
Organizational factors | Influencing factors related to organizations, an umbrella term to capture the less general concepts of leadership, nurse management, workplace activities and hospital type. |
Individual factors | Influencing factors relevant to individual nurses grouped by the less general concepts of education level, years of experience, years in current unit, work role, employment status and emotional intelligence. |
Nurses’ workplace social capital | “A relational network configured by reciprocated respectful interactions among nursing professionals and between the other healthcare professionals. These interactions are characterized by the norms of trust, reciprocity, shared understanding and social cohesion” [4]. It consists of two components (structural and cognitive) and three types (bonding, bridging and linking). |
Structural social capital | The structure of social capital (what people do; the extent and intensity of their social interactions in the relational network). |
Cognitive social capital | The assets embedded in and mobilized by the relational structure (what people feel: e.g., trust, reciprocity, shared understanding, social cohesion). |
Bonding social capital | The relationships among people with similar positions and functions at work (nurses to nurses). |
Bridging social capital | The relationships between people with different positions and functions at work (e.g. nurses to physicians, receptions and other staff). |
Linking social capital | The relationship between people who are at different hierarchical level (e.g., nurses to head nurses). |
Vertical social capital | Same as linking social capital |
Horizontal social capital | The sum of bonding and bridging social capital |
Individual social capital | The micro relational networks around a person |
Group social capital | The macro relational networks wove by intertwined relationships in a workgroup or with others outside. |
Outcomes | Results of the development of nurses’ workplace social capital, incorporating three summary themes - nurses’ outcomes, patients’ outcomes and organizational outcomes which are collapsed cross less general variables from empirical studies. |
Nurses’ outcomes | Results related to nurses which include more concrete positive outcomes (e.g. increase of job satisfaction, professional commitment) and one negative outcome (social exclusion). |
Patients’ outcomes | Results relevant to patients: the increase of quality of care and patient safety. |
Organizational outcomes | Results pertinent to healthcare organizations: the improvement of clinical risk management and unit effectiveness in healthcare organizations. |