Professional values and professional quality of life among mental health nurses: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the professional values and professional quality of life of nurses working in mental health units. This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with a sample of 120 nurses working in mental health units of one regional, one public, and one university hospital in western Turkey. Data were collected using an introductory information form, the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised, and the Professional Quality of Life-IV Scale. A statistically positive relationship was found between nurses' professional values, compassion satisfaction, and burnout. Nurses' professional values, education level, whether considering changing units, and allocation of time to social life were significant predictors of professional quality of life, explaining 44% of the total variance for Compassion Satisfaction and 24% for Burnout. Whether considering changing units was the most important predictor of compassion satisfaction, and truth value was the most important predictor of burnout. Nurses providing care based on professional values were found to have higher compassion satisfaction and burnout levels, and nurses with higher compassion satisfaction were found to experience less compassion fatigue.