Greek-Cypriot mental health nurses' professional satisfaction and association with mild psychiatric symptoms

Abstract

The present descriptive correlational study aims to explore among Greek-Cypriotmental health nurses (MHNs) the level of professional satisfaction, potential differences with regardto vocational characteristics, and associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. A random sampleof 225 Greek-Cypriot MHNs employed in hospital and community settings completed Hamilton’sAnxiety Scale, Beck’s Depression Inventory, and Stamps’s Index of Work Satisfaction. Moderate levelsof overall professional satisfaction of 4.38 (Ϯ0.58) were detected. Work experience was positivelycorrelated with satisfaction from payment (t = 0.230, P < 0.0001). Men seemed to be more satisfied withorganizational policies (P = 0.0043) and performed tasks (P = 0.027) than women. Nurses working inpsychiatric clinics of general hospitals experienced higher levels of professional satisfaction in general,and more satisfaction from organizational policies, autonomy, and task requirements than nursesworking in community settings, substance misuse programs, and community mental health centres(P = 0.001). Nurses working in acute/admission settings were the less satisfied, compared to nursesworking in rehabilitation wards (P = 0.017). Professional satisfaction was associated with anxiety(t = 0.280, P < 0.0001) and depressive (t = 0.246, P < 0.0001) symptoms. Greek-Cypriot MHNs seem toget moderate satisfaction from their work, whilst professional satisfaction is associated with theirpsychological well-being. Targeted managerial interventions and longitudinal research are warranted.