Workplace Spirituality, Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iranian Nurses

Abstract

Purpose. This study aimed to (1) assess the levels and associations of workplace spirituality (WPS), compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among Iranian nurses; and (2) identify the impact of WPS components on CS, BO, and STS while controlling for demographic variables. Design and Methods. In this descriptive, cross‐sectional, and correlational study, 295 nurses were selected via proportionate stratified sampling from five hospitals affiliated with the Arak University of Medical Sciences in Iran from June 2022 to December 2022. The scale of workplace spirituality and Professional Quality of Life version 5 (ProQOL-5) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS24 and descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression). Findings. The mean scores of WPS, CS, BO, and STS were 63.27, 36.55, 27.31, and 29.58, respectively. The highest percentages of nurses reported moderate CS, BO, and STS levels, reaching rates of 76.3%, 80%, and 86.1%, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed that CS had a negative relationship with BO and STS. There was a direct correlation between BO and STS. Participants who reported higher levels of WPS had higher CS and lower BO scores. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate that the model of WPS components and control variables explains 42.7, 34, and 8.6 percent of the variance of CS, BO, and STS, respectively. Higher “meaningful work” is associated with higher CS and lower BO and STS among nurses. Participants higher in “sense of community” had higher CS scores. Higher “alignment with organizational values” is associated with higher STS. Practice Implications. According to the study results, it is possible to provide a suitable platform for improving nurses’ professional quality of life by strengthening workplace spirituality.