Mental Well-Being and Job Satisfaction of Hospital Physicians during COVID-19: Relationships with Efficacy Beliefs, Organizational Support, and Organizational Non-Technical Skills

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has led worldwide governments to take preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus and its extraordinary demands upon healthcare workers. Consequently, healthcare workers have been under high pressures, putting them at risk of developing adverse outcomes. The present study aims to investigate the psychological and organizational factors that contributed to physicians’ well-being during the pandemic. A total of 78 Italian physicians participated in the study. They completed a self-report questionnaire measuring efficacy beliefs, orientation towards patient engagement, job satisfaction, non-technical skills, organizational support, sense of belonging to the hospital, job satisfaction, and mental well-being. Physicians’ sense of belonging to their hospital, efficacy beliefs about their organizations and communication with patients, as well as non-technical skills related to communication and risk awareness were positively associated with job satisfaction. In addition, the latter and sense of belonging to own hospital were positively associated with mental well-being. These findings may guide policymakers and healthcare organizations managers to consider the potential psychosocial factors related to physicians’ well-being and the required preventive measures that can help in enhancing their human and organizational resources to cope with stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medical Communication Perceived Self-Efficacy (ME-CO) Scale: Construction and Validation of a New Measuring Instrument from a Socio-Cognitive Perspective

“…Self-efficacy is well recognized as a robust antecedent of behaviors [ 14 ], including those related to the communication between physicians and patients [ 2 , 21 , 23 ]. Consequently, the present study focused on the communication between doctors and patients by developing an assessment tool for physicians’ self-efficacy in building proper communication with patients: the ME-CO Scale.…”

“…An adequate diagnosis and targeted pharmacological treatment are crucial elements in the medical profession. However, physicians’ effectiveness is powerfully shaped by proper communication [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], to the point of affecting the patient’s satisfaction with care. Physicians’ ability to provide transparent information and explanations to patients, the vocabulary they adopt, their proxemics, their availability, and their relationship with users affect the patient’s understanding of the disease and their satisfaction.…”

“…Physicians talking to patients reduces patient anxiety and increases patient satisfaction [ 5 ]. In addition to the patient, good communication can also benefit the doctors; it makes them satisfied with their job and helps them reach a proper diagnosis sooner [ 2 , 6 , 7 ]. Recently, communication has been given significant attention in attaining high-quality healthcare services [ 8 ].…”

“…Concerning the differences in communication self-efficacy among different health professionals, some studies [ 2 , 24 ] reported that physicians had a higher level of communicative self-efficacy than nurses. On the other hand, no significant differences were found according to age for both categories and professional seniority.…”

Development, Pilot Study, and Psychometric Analysis of the AHRQ Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ (SOPS®) Workplace Safety Supplemental Items for Hospitals

“…The physical and psychological well-being of healthcare workers was further strained by increased patient loads and staffing shortages, all of which significantly contribute to work stress and burnout in the healthcare workforce [ 19 , 20 ]. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for ongoing organizational support to protect the physical, mental, and emotional safety and well-being of the healthcare workforce [ 21 ].…”