Psychological Capital and Perceived Professional Benefits: Testing the Mediating Role of Perceived Nursing Work Environment Among Chinese Nurses

Abstract

The current descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to explore the mediating role of perceived nursing work environment (PNWE) in the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived professional benefits among Chinese nurses. Participants (N = 351) working in two large general hospitals in Guangdong, China completed self-report questionnaires from March to May 2017. Linear regression analyses and structural equation modeling were performed to explore the mediating effect. PsyCap (particularly for hope and optimism) had a positive effect on perceived professional benefits, and PNWE was a mediator in this relationship among Chinese nurses. A good working environment can be regarded as a mediator variable, increasing staff's competence and sense of belonging to a team. For successful implementation, nurse managers should use effective strategies to increase nurses' confidence and hope while providing a comfortable work environment. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(4), 38-47.].

Paediatric nurses’ general self-efficacy, perceived organizational support and perceived professional benefits from Class A tertiary hospitals in Jilin province of China: the mediating effect of nursing practice environment

“…Above all, a good nursing practice environment could be regarded as a moderating variable, increasing staff's perceived professional benefits. For successful implementation, nursing administrators should implement effective strategies to promote a comfortable practice environment [6,53].…”

“…The Nurse's Perceived Professional Benefits Scale (NPPB) was developed by Hu J in 2013 [6]. A total of 29 items were included in the questionnaire, which was divided into 5 dimensions:, including personal growth (6 items), good nurse-patient relationship (6 items), recognition from families and friends (7 items), positive professional perception (5 items), and a sense of belonging to a work team (5 items).…”

“…NPPB refer to a positive emotional experience from the nursing practice. Moreover, nurses can perceive the gains and benefits brought by their profession in the process of the nursing practice and agree that the nursing profession could promote their overall growth based on positive psychology's theory [6]. Studies have identified a correlation between well-being and perceived professional benefits [7,8].…”

Development and preliminary validation of a brief nurses’ perceived professional benefit questionnaire (NPPBQ)

“…Nurses' perceived professional benefits (NPPB) refer to nurses' perceptions of the gains and benefits they receive in their profession in the process of employment and the belief that engaging in the nursing profession can promote their all-round growth and development [1,2]. An appropriate sense of professional gain makes significant contributions to the improvement of job satisfaction and the will to stay of nurses and the retention of nursing staff [3,4] but is poorly understood from the perspective of the nurses themselves because nursing and nurses were long given a relatively low social and economic status due to the nature of their work, cultural perceptions of social status, income, and gender [5,6].…”

Development and preliminary validation of a brief Nurses' Perceived Professional Benefit Questionnaire (NPPBQ)

“…Nurses' perceived professional benefits (NPPB) refer to nurses' perceptions of the gains and benefits they receive in their profession in the process of employment and the belief that engaging in the nursing profession can promote their all-round growth and development [1,2], An appropriate sense of professional gain makes significant contributions to the improvement of job satisfaction and the will to stay of nurses and the retention of nursing staff [3,4] but is poorly understood from the perspective of the nurses themselves because nursing and nurses were long given a relatively low social and economic status due to the nature of their work, cultural perceptions of social status, income, and gender [5,6]. With the prevalence of NPPB and increased empirical interest in the positive significance of improving nurses' sense of professional benefits, there is a need for measures of NPPB that are brief and can be used more practically while assessing the construct comprehensively.…”