Date of Award

Spring 5-2018

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Communication Studies

School

Communication

Committee Chair

John Meyer

Committee Chair Department

Communication Studies

Committee Member 2

Steven Venette

Committee Member 2 Department

Communication Studies

Committee Member 3

Eura Jung

Committee Member 3 Department

Communication Studies

Committee Member 4

Charles Tardy

Committee Member 4 Department

Communication Studies

Committee Member 5

Lawrence Hosman

Committee Member 5 Department

Communication Studies

Abstract

The primary research objective of this study was to explore how nurses’ communication influences organizational commitment, professional commitment, servant leadership, occupational stress, and humor use. These concepts were approached qualitatively to obtain deep and rich information about communication influences on nurses’ work lives.

A total of 34 nurse participants from network sampling and snowball sampling techniques were interviewed for this study, most from a medium-sized southeastern hospital. Specifically, semi-structured interviews were conducted where participants were asked to provide perspectives regarding communication events of organizational commitment, professional commitment, servant leadership, occupational stress, and humor use. These perspectives were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) guidelines.

Conclusions were reached based on grounded theory analysis that followed from asking five research questions. First, participants sought out their coworkers and patients because of organizational commitment characteristics. Second, participants uncovered valuable unique aspects of nursing that frame nursing as more than just giving medicine. Third, participants revealed servant leadership qualities in their charge nurse. Fourth, participants revealed stress-filled experiences and ways in which they remedy them. Fifth, the humor as relief phenomenon shed light into humor use by nurses to manage their work. Collectively, these results extend valuable communication tools to both scholars and healthcare personnel.

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