Relationship Between Professional Quality of Life and Work Alienation Among Healthcare Professionals

This study aimed to determine the levels of professional quality of life and work alienation of healthcare professionals.

This study is descriptive and cross-sectional. A total of 1523 healthcare professionals from 13 cities across Turkey participated in the research. The data were collected in June 2019 using the Professional Quality of Life scale and the Work Alienation scale. Descriptive, correlational, and parametric comparative analyses were used to analyze data.

The mean professional quality of life score of healthcare professionals was 2.23 ± .61, and the subscale with the highest score was Compassion Satisfaction (M = 3.44 ± 1.29). The mean score for work alienation in healthcare professionals was 2.84 ± .29, and the subscale with the highest score was Powerlessness (M = 2.94 ± .50). A negative, very weak and significant relationship (r = -.073; p < .05) was determined between the scores obtained from the two scales. The total professional quality of life score of healthcare professionals significantly differed according to gender, profession, and unit. The total work alienation score of healthcare professionals significantly differed depending on the age groups, marital status, education level, position, professional experience, weekly working hours, working overtime, and working shift (p < .01; p < .001).

It was determined that the professional quality of life and work alienation levels of the healthcare professionals were slightly below the average and there was a very weak and negative relationship between them. Managers can improve the professional quality of life by implementing intervention programs in their work environment and decrease work alienation by assigning them to positions suitable to their values and beliefs.