Implementation of Job Rotation for the Development of Nursing Competencies and the Improvement of Organizational Health in a Department of Cardiovascular Sciences: A Research Protocol

NCT06987487 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: ID7538Prot. 0000612/25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 86
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This prospective, monocentric observational study aims to evaluate the implementation of a Job Rotation (JR) program in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS. The primary objective is to assess the impact of JR on the development of professional and clinical nursing competencies, as well as on organizational health and burnout levels. The study involves two groups of nurses: one participating in a structured JR program with bimonthly rotations across intensive, medical, surgical, and rehabilitation units; and a control group continuing routine activities. Outcomes will be measured using validated tools, including the Italian Nurse Competence Scale - Short Form (I-NPCS-SF), the Italian Nurse Competence Scale (INCS), the Maslach Burnout Inventory - HSS, and the QISO questionnaire. The research investigates whether JR improves competency, reduces burnout, and enhances perceived organizational health.

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Job rotation; Professional competence; Clinical competence; Job satisfaction; Burnout; Organizational health; Cardiovascular nursing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in clinical and professional nursing competence

  Competence will be assessed using the Italian Nurse Competence Scale - Short Form (I-NPCS-SF). All participants (JR and control groups) will complete the assessment at baseline (T0). Only the Job Rotation (JR) group will complete a second assessment after the rotation period (T1, 2 months). The higher the overall I-NPCS-SF score (%), the higher the clinical and/or professional competencies.

  JR group: T0 (baseline) and T1 (2 months, end of rotation); Control group: T0 only (baseline)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in job satisfaction

  JR group: T0 (baseline) and T1 (2 months, end of rotation); Control group: T0 only (baseline)

• Change in burnout levels

  JR group: T0 (baseline) and T1 (2 months, end of rotation); Control group: T0 only (baseline)

• Change in perceived organizational health

  JR group: T0 (baseline) and T1 (2 months, end of rotation); Control group: T0 only (baseline)

• Association between number of completed rotation cycles and competence scores (JR group only)

  Baseline (prior to the first rotation cycle) and at the end of each subsequent bimonthly cycle, if applicable.

Study Arms (2)

Job Rotation Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Nurses in this group will participate in a structured job rotation program involving bimonthly rotations across various units in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, including intensive care, medical, surgical, and rehabilitation units. The intervention aims to enhance clinical and professional competencies, organizational health, and reduce burnout.

Behavioral: Job Rotation Program

No Job Rotation

OTHER

Nurses in this group will continue performing their usual clinical duties in their original units, without participating in the job rotation program. This group will be used as a comparator to assess the effects of the intervention.

Behavioral: No Job Rotation (Standard Care)

Interventions

Job Rotation Program BEHAVIORAL

Nurses assigned to the intervention group will participate in a structured job rotation program across multiple cardiovascular units (e.g., intensive care, medical, surgical, rehabilitation) every two months for a period of 12 months. Each rotation cycle involves temporary reassignment to a different unit, followed by a return to the original unit. Each nurse will undergo orientation and receive support from a dedicated tutor in the host unit.

Job Rotation Group

No Job Rotation (Standard Care) BEHAVIORAL

Nurses in the control group will continue their usual duties in their respective units without participating in the job rotation program. They will be exposed to the same data collection tools as the intervention group, but without any planned rotation or inter-unit movement.

No Job Rotation

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Registered nurses employed in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent
• Willing to participate in the job rotation program or remain in their original unit, depending on group assignment

You may not qualify if:

• Nurses with certified physical or psychological limitations that prevent participation in job rotation
• Nurses who do not provide informed consent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS: lead

Related Publications (11)

• Platis C, Ilonidou C, Stergiannis P, Ganas A, Intas G. The Job Rotation of Nursing Staff and Its Effects on Nurses' Satisfaction and Occupational Engagement. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1337:159-168. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-78771-4_18.

  PMID: 34972902 BACKGROUND

• Liang HY, Tang FI, Wang TF, Yu S. Evaluation of Nurse Practitioners' Professional Competence and Comparison of Assessments Using Multiple Methods: Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, and Supervisor Assessment. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci). 2021 Feb;15(1):30-36. doi: 10.1016/j.anr.2020.10.004. Epub 2020 Nov 26.

  PMID: 33249140 BACKGROUND

• Kim HY. Statistical notes for clinical researchers: assessing normal distribution (2) using skewness and kurtosis. Restor Dent Endod. 2013 Feb;38(1):52-4. doi: 10.5395/rde.2013.38.1.52. Epub 2013 Feb 26. No abstract available.

  PMID: 23495371 BACKGROUND

• Ho WH, Chang CS, Shih YL, Liang RD. Effects of job rotation and role stress among nurses on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. BMC Health Serv Res. 2009 Jan 12;9:8. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-9-8.

  PMID: 19138390 BACKGROUND

• Emanuela P, Alessandro S, Florian S, Gennaro R, Ina D, Rosario C, Ippolito N. Psychometric Validation of the Nursing Professional Competence Scale Among Italian Nurses and Albanian Nursing Students. J Nurs Meas. 2023 Nov 29;31(4):595-605. doi: 10.1891/JNM-2021-0060.

  PMID: 37558253 BACKGROUND

• Chatterjee S, Shah A, Sharma R, Wadhwa M. Effect of Job Rotation Concept for Nursing Staff with Special Reference to Private Based Hospital, Vadodara. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Jul-Sep;27(3):197-204. doi: 10.4103/ijoem.ijoem_354_21. Epub 2023 Oct 6.

  PMID: 38047175 BACKGROUND

• Celikturk Doruker N, Demir Korkmaz F. Investigation of burnout and quality of work life of cardiac surgery nurses: A cross-sectional study. Nurs Crit Care. 2024 Nov;29(6):1373-1384. doi: 10.1111/nicc.13124. Epub 2024 Jul 14.

  PMID: 39004602 BACKGROUND

• Ioannou P, Katsikavali V, Galanis P, Velonakis E, Papadatou D, Sourtzi P. Impact of Job Satisfaction on Greek Nurses' Health-Related Quality of Life. Saf Health Work. 2015 Dec;6(4):324-8. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2015.07.010. Epub 2015 Aug 20.

  PMID: 26929845 BACKGROUND

• Bagnasco A, Barisone M, Aleo G, Watson R, Catania G, Zanini M, Thompson DR, Sasso L. An international e-Delphi study to identify core competencies for Italian cardiac nurses. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2021 Oct 27;20(7):684-691. doi: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvab003.

  PMID: 33595064 BACKGROUND

• Alfuqaha OA, Al-Hairy SS, Al-Hemsi HA, Sabbah AA, Faraj KN, Assaf EM. Job rotation approach in nursing profession. Scand J Caring Sci. 2021 Jun;35(2):659-667. doi: 10.1111/scs.12947. Epub 2020 Dec 16.

  PMID: 33326130 BACKGROUND

• Alexandrou M, Simsek B, Rempakos A, Kostantinis S, Karacsonyi J, Rangan BV, Mastrodemos OC, Allana SS, Rao SV, Linzer M, Egred M, Milkas A, Sandoval Y, Burke MN, Brilakis ES. Burnout in cardiology: a narrative review. J Invasive Cardiol. 2024 May;36(5). doi: 10.25270/jic/23.00292.

  PMID: 38422526 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Maslach burnout inventory instruments and scoring guides forms. http://www.mindgarden.com

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Burnout, Psychological

Interventions

Standard of Care

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Quality Indicators, Health Care; Quality of Health Care; Health Services Administration; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation

Central Study Contacts

Manuela Cavalletti, MSN

CONTACT

+390630153214; manuela.cavalletti@policlinicogemelli.it

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the organizational intervention, neither participants nor investigators are blinded to group assignment. Nurses are aware of their participation in the job rotation program, and data collection is conducted openly by the research team.
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Nursing Director, Principal Investigator, Dr.

Model Details: A two-arm, non-randomized, parallel assignment study comparing nurses participating in a structured job rotation program with nurses continuing standard work routines within a cardiovascular department.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 9, 2025
• First Posted: May 23, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share