The UFV School of Health Sciences, Nursing department
present 

Beyond Generational Differences:
An expanded look at the consequences of diversity within nursing workgroups

March 23, 2010 

Dr. Wolff's research examines how different generations of nurses working together may influence how nurses feel about their job and how they interact with their co-workers. Her model explains how changing workforce demographics (age, education, ethnicity/race) and work values can lead to task, process, and relationship conflict within workgroups.

Quantitative methods were used to examine the consequences of workforce diversity of nurses working in two acute care hospitals in British Columbia. The findings from her study show the importance of differences in work values in creating conflict, which can in turn lead to burnout. Addressing work stressors associated with diversity is an important step in the management of the healthcare workplace, the development of a healthy workforce, the retention of nurses, and the provision of quality client care. Approaches for enacting a commitment to diversity are required at the individual, middle management, and organizational level.

Speaker: Dr. Angela Wolff
Dr. Angela Wolff recently completed her PhD in Nursing at the University of British Columbia. She has held numerous roles in education, teaching for 7 years in undergraduate nursing programs in Western Canada and planning continuing education for 4 years at the College of Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia. Working for the College she delivered workshops on education related topics to more than 800 nurses.

Working in various consultant roles, Dr. Wolff has also worked on various projects regarding the preparation of new nursing  graduates for practice. Her research focuses on the influence of different generations of nursing working together and how perceptions of being different in work values can lead to stress and conflict in the workplace. Her current role as the Director of Clinical Education in Professional Practice and Integration focuses on the regional planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical education programs for health care professionals in Fraser Health Authority. Dr. Wolff also supports the research development of nurses in the FHA to foster evidence-based practice and increase capacity to  conduct research. She has several publications pertaining to new graduate readiness for practice and problem-based learning.

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