The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on job satisfaction among professionally active nurses in five European countries

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the work of many medical professionals, including the group of nurses. This study aimed at assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on job satisfaction of nursing staff in five European countries. The study was conducted using the Job Satisfaction Scale (SSP) and original questions on the job satisfaction. The cross-sectional online study was conducted with a sample of 1,012 professionally active nurses working in Poland, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Sweden, who assessed their job satisfaction before (retrospectively) and during the pandemic. The results showed a significant decrease in job satisfaction due to the need to perform it during the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In 8 out of 10 examined parameters of job satisfaction, a statistically significant decrease in job satisfaction was observed at the level of p < 0.05. Among the examined factors influencing job satisfaction, the highest decrease was recorded based on the assessment of working conditions (1,480). A high level of satisfaction with the work of nurses has a significant impact on providing better patient care as well as reducing the risk of professional burnout of nurses.

The influence of grit on nurse job satisfaction: Mediating effects of perceived stress and moderating effects of optimism

“…Low job satisfaction can predict missed nursing care ( Al et al, 2022 ), i.e., the omission or delay of certain activities in patient care ( Plevová et al, 2021 ), which could lead to prolonged hospital stays, ineffective pain management, malnutrition, adverse events (e.g., pressure sores, falls, and hospital-acquired infections), and high mortality ( Tschannen et al, 2010 ; Kalisch and Xie, 2014 ). Therefore, to reduce nurses’ willingness to leave and provide better patient care, there is an urgent need for hospital managers to improve nurses’ job satisfaction ( Makowicz et al, 2022 ).…”

Healthcare Professionals’ Resilience During the COVID-19 and Organizational Factors That Improve Individual Resilience: A Mixed-Method Study

“…54 Hence, evidence suggests that, for instance, a high level of satisfaction with the work has a significant impact on providing better patient care as well as reducing the risk of professional burnout of nurses. 55 Concerning appreciation, this emphasis on the importance of public recognition of the work of healthcare professionals has also been highlighted in the literature. Shan et al argue that positive public responses, such as encouragement, acknowledgment, and material donations, boosted the work engagement and well-being of healthcare professionals.…”

Organizational nostalgia as a novel pathway toward greater employee well‐being

“…Since the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic, employees across various occupations have been reporting lower job satisfaction (Jones, 2020; Makowicz et al, 2022; Mohammed et al, 2022). In the presence of adverse events, like the pandemic, employees commonly experience nostalgia (Barauskaite et al, 2022; Wildschut & Sedikides, 2021; Wulf et al, 2021), “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past” (Pearsall, 1998, p. 1266).…”