Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact on patient care quality of a positive, high-quality environment that is tailored to the practice of nursing. This study enabled nurses to show their professional skills and knowledge, which may help enhance job satisfaction. To date, little research has been done to assess the relationship between the nursing work environment and the job satisfaction of psychiatric nurses employed in acute wards of general hospitals.
Purpose: This study was designed to explain the relationship between job satisfaction and the perceived indicators of a quality nursing work environment (QNWE) after adjusting for demographic characteristics and work characteristics.
Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, and a stratified random sample of 185 psychiatric nurses (99% response rate) working in acute wards in Taiwan was surveyed in 2013. Nurses were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that included measures of perceived QNWE and job satisfaction and demographic variables.
Results: A statistically significant, positive relationship was found between perceived indicators of QNWE and job satisfaction (r = .813, p < .001). In the hierarchical multiple linear regression model, for the subdimensions of QNWE, the variables "perceived indicators of professional specialization and teamwork" and "support and caring" showed a significant and positive association with job satisfaction, after adjusting for personal demographic characteristics.
Conclusions/implications for practice: Job satisfaction is related to the perception of nurses regarding their work environment. Therefore, nursing managers should improve workplace satisfaction by supporting and caring for nurses and creating better career development and teamwork opportunities for nurses through job training and planning.