The nurse work environment in Spanish nurses following an economic recession: From 2009 to 2014

To detect possible changes in perception of the nurse work environment, job satisfaction and burnout between the years 2009 and 2014 among nurses working in the Spanish National Health System.

The global economic crisis has had a great impact on nurses in the Spanish National Health Service: tougher working conditions, lower pay and a reduction in social benefits. It is not known whether these changes affect the nurses' work environment, job satisfaction and burnout.

Comparative, cross-sectional study performed in seven hospitals in the Spanish National Health System between 2009 and 2014, through 1,454 surveys of nurses working in internal medicine, surgery and intensive care.

Nurses participating in the second period (2012-2014) were more satisfied with their current job (p = 0.001), perceived their work environment to be more favourable (p < 0.001) and had lower levels of burnout (p < 0.01). Professional factors as 'autonomy at work,' 'opportunities for advancement,' 'professional status' and 'nursing foundations for quality care,' as well as 'collegial nurse-physician relations' and 'nurse participation in hospital affairs' were the most important variables associated with these topics.

Professional factors may influence these changes more than labour conditions and remuneration aspects.

In times of economic recession, encouraging interpersonal relationships, autonomy and participation in decision-making may improve the work environment, satisfaction and burnout of nurses.