Work alienation and quality of work life among nurses: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Work alienation in nursing can create various problems that affect the quality of work life of nurses, which should be addressed from different perspectives.

Aims: This study investigated the relationship between work alienation and the quality of work life, aiming to determine the factors affecting nurses' quality of work life.

Design: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study that used the STROBE guidelines to prepare this study report.

Methods: The study was conducted between March and June 2022 in Turkey with 303 nurses. It used an online questionnaire with a simple random sampling. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form, the Work Alienation Scale, and the Quality of Nursing Work Life Scale. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis.

Results: There was a significant negative correlation between work alienation and the quality of work life. Four independent variables with 58.2% impact on the nurses' quality of work life were identified, including participation in the decision-making process, the ability to use initiative during the production of the service, the significance of the work for the individual, and the type of institution.

Conclusions: The nurses' work alienation score was moderate, and their quality of work life score was high. An increase in the feeling of work alienation statistically decreased the quality of work life.

Implications for nursing and health policy: Nurses who experience work alienation may face a decline in their quality of work life that may have an adverse effect on their work performance and work satisfaction.

Keywords: Cross‐sectional study; Turkey; nurse; nursing; quality of work life; work alienation.