How are nurses’ individual and their colleagues’ diversity factors associated with their cooperation behaviors in teams? - Results of an online factorial survey

BACKGROUND: Diversity within nursing teams in Germany increases due to staff shortages, nurse migration and the current academization of the profession. Little is known about how nurse’s own diversity factors and those of team members impact nurse’s perception and behavior in team situations. This study examines if and how nurses differentiate in the assessment of their colleagues’ nursing abilities in basic care, i.e. patient’s personal hygiene and treatment care, i.e. the set-up of an infusion, as well as their willingness to swap shifts with colleagues. METHODS: A quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study with a factorial online survey with fictional case studies (vignettes) was conducted at two healthcare organizations in 2023 in a major city in Germany. Nurses ( > = 18 years) working in hospitals or nursing homes were eligible to participate. Associations of diversity factors, i.e., gender, age, migration background, and qualification, on the participant and vignette level on perceived competences and willingness to cooperate were analysed via multi-level fixed effects models. RESULTS: N = 684 nurses participated (76% female; mean age: 44.2 years; 88% born in Germany; 75% completed vocational training). Colleagues’ competency in patient’s personal hygiene was rated higher by respondents born in Germany (β = 0.42, p=.002; vs. foreign-born), when fictional colleagues were from Germany (β = 0.26, p