Dimensions of work load and job satisfaction in psychiatric nursing

Empirical studies of nursing in psychiatry and psychosomatics rarely consider the dialectics between work load and positive aspects of social support. Resulting from theoretical considerations and practical experiences seven dimensions were defined that might influence overall job satisfaction and stress. To measure this, a questionnaire containing 53 items was developed. This instrument was answered by 134 nurses of a psychiatric hospital. The results show that factor analysis and item analysis only partly confirm the presumptions. The five empirical scales include "stress due to work conditions and patients", "collaboration in teamwork", "collaboration with physicians and therapists", "collaboration with superiors in nursing" and "responsibility, competence and decision-making". Theoretical dimensions and empirical scares are discussed. The high work stress caused by work conditions and difficult patients is compensated by a positive evaluation of the collaboration in the nursing-team with physicians and therapists as well as with superiors.