Exploring the stability of communication network metrics in a dynamic nursing context

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBrewer, Barbara
dc.contributor.authorCarley, Kathleen M.
dc.contributor.authorBenham-Hutchins, Marge
dc.contributor.authorEffken, Judith A.
dc.contributor.authorReminga, Jeffrey
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-22T21:03:19Z
dc.date.available2022-02-22T21:03:19Z
dc.date.issued2020-01-23
dc.description.abstractNetwork stability is of increasing interest to researchers as they try to understand the dynamic processes by which social networks form and evolve. Because hospital patient care units (PCUs) need flexibility to adapt to environmental changes (Vardaman et al., 2012), their networks are unlikely to be uniformly stable and will evolve over time. This study aimed to identify a metric (or set of metrics) sufficiently stable to apply to PCU staff information sharing and advice seeking communication networks over time. Using Coefficient of Variation, we assessed both Across Time Stability (ATS) and Global Stability over four data collection times (Baseline and 1, 4, and 7 months later). When metrics were stable using both methods, we considered them “super stable.” Nine metrics met that criterion (Node Set Size, Average Distance, Clustering Coefficient, Density, Weighted Density, Diffusion, Total Degree Centrality, Betweenness Centrality, and Eigenvector Centrality). Unstable metrics included Hierarchy, Fragmentation, Isolate Count, and Clique Count. We also examined the effect of staff members’ confidence in the information obtained from other staff members. When confidence was high, the “super stable” metrics remained “super stable,” but when low, none of the “super stable” metrics persisted as “super stable.” Our results suggest that nursing units represent what Barker (1968) termed dynamic behavior settings in which, as is typical, multiple nursing staff must constantly adjust to various circumstances, primarily through communication (e.g., discussing patient care or requesting advice on providing patient care), to preserve the functional integrity (i.e., ability to meet patient care goals) of the units, thus producing the observed stability over time of nine network metrics. The observed metric stability provides support for using network analysis to study communication patterns in dynamic behavior settings such as PCUs.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBrewer, B.B., Carley, K.M., Benham-Hutchins, M., Effken, J.A. and Reminga, J., 2020. Exploring the stability of communication network metrics in a dynamic nursing context. Social networks, 61, pp.11-19.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2019.08.003
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90188
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/*
dc.subjectNetwork stabilityen_US
dc.subjectSocial network analysisen_US
dc.subjectPatient care unitsen_US
dc.titleExploring the stability of communication network metrics in a dynamic nursing contexten_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Brewer_Barbara_SocialNetworks.pdf
Size:
1.75 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Article
Download

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.72 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

CONHS Faculty Works