Professional identity and its work-related factors among psychiatric nurses: A cross-sectional study

To investigate the level of professional identity among psychiatric nurses and to explore what work-related factors may affect their professional identity.

Four hundred and twelve nurses were investigated. Two self-report questionnaires were used: (a) Nursing Professional Identity Scale (NPIS, range: 30 ~ 150); and (b) Practice Environment Scale of Nursing Work (PESNW, range: 0 ~ 100) with six dimensions: nursing-related hospital affairs, high-quality nursing care, ability of nursing manager, manpower and material resources, cooperation between nurses and doctors, and salary and social status. Higher scores indicated higher professional identities and better work environments.

Three hundred and ninety-one of the participants completed the questionnaires and were analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 32.53 years, and 93.3% of them were female. The mean score of NPIS was 100.03 (SD: 17.44). Multiple linear regression showed that professional identity was significantly and positively associated with two dimensions of PESNW: salary and social status and ability of nursing manager.

Professional identity among psychiatric nurses was at a moderate level. Salary and social status and ability of nursing manager positively contributed to their professional identity. These results may indicate the directors to construct better work environments for psychiatric nursing to improve professional identity.