Predicting Professional Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction in Spanish Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Main Authors: Noemí Sansó, Laura Galiana, Amparo Oliver, Macià Tomás-Salvá, Gabriel Vidal-Blanco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: self-care; occupational health; burnout; quality of life; nursing
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4366

<i>Background</i>: Dealing with suffering, grief, and death on a daily basis, together with the particular working conditions, may produce high levels of burnout in nurses, and hinder their well-being. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of self-care and self-compassion on nurses’ professional quality of life and well-being. <i>Methods</i>: The research had a cross-sectional design, used correlational methodology and a structural equation model was hypothesized. Along the study, 210 nurses from the Healthcare Public System of the Balearic Islands, participated. The study took place from June to September 2018. <i>Results</i>: The hypothesized model showed an overall adequate fit. Practice environment predicted both self-care and self-compassion, whereas nursing stress did not. Self-care and self-compassion predicted nurses’ professional quality of life, whereas the practice environment and nursing stress were not predictors. Finally, professional quality of life showed a positive relationship with life satisfaction. <i>Conclusions</i>: The study presents a comprehensive structural equation model in which self-care and self-compassion are the best predictors of nurses’ professional quality of life. A direct relation of professional quality of life and nurses’ well-being has also been found, while controlling for the effects of nurses’ practice environment and stress.