Exploring Psychosocial Variables and Professional Well-Being in Nurse Leaders: A Predictive Correlational Study

Abstract

Background: Nurse leaders at every level are needed to help organizations achieve strategic goals and deliver safe patient care. Nurse leaders can find fulfillment in their roles; however, they are often prone to poor work-life balance due to the complexity and demands of their jobs. Professional well-being, consisting of an individual's overall health and the perception of good work-related quality of life, is at risk for being compromised in these nurses. Research exploring variables associated with psychosocial well-being in nurse leaders is limited.

Aims: To describe variables related to psychological well-being in nurse leaders, explore associations among these variables, and identify potential demographic and psychosocial predictors of resilience and burnout.

Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of nurse leaders from two hospitals located in the southwestern United States. We used a prospective observational design to describe the incidence of and relationships between self-compassion, satisfaction with life, resilience, perceived stress, and burnout. We then sought to identify predictors of disengagement and exhaustion (subscales of burnout) and resilience.

Results: Participants (n = 105) were mostly female (82.7%) and white (57.7%), while one-third were charge nurses. Most reported normal to high levels of satisfaction with life (86%), self-compassion (90%), and resilience (93.3%) and 72.4% reported high stress levels. Moderately high levels of disengagement (46.4%) and exhaustion (59.1%) were also present. Higher self-compassion levels predicted higher levels of resilience. Lower satisfaction with life and self-compassion together predicted high disengagement scores, while lower self-compassion scores predicted high exhaustion scores.

Linking evidence to action: When disengagement, exhaustion, and perceived stress are elevated, nurse leaders are at risk for low professional well-being and may be more prone to resignation ideation or turnover. Evidence-based interventions designed specifically for nurse leaders promoting professional well-being and emphasizing self-compassion skills are needed along with high-quality research on program outcomes.

Keywords: burnout; mental health; nurse leaders; resilience; satisfaction with life; self‐compassion; stress; well‐being.