Engagement in nursing: Differences by sector and level of responsibility

To describe the level of work commitment of nursing professionals in the Basque Country.

Descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted among a population of 182 professionals currently practising nursing in different health areas, both in the public and private sectors. These professionals completed the Spanish version of the UWES-9 (Utrecht questionnaire Work Engagement Scale in its short version) in a self-reported manner. The Ethics Committee of the University of Deusto approved the study.

Non-parametric tests were used to establish significant correlations between the different dimensions studied in the reference scale with respect to the demographic and professional conditioning factors of the participants. The results indicated that professionals in the private sector show higher levels of commitment than those in the public sector. In addition, professionals in managerial positions showed higher levels of organisational commitment.

These results suggest that, beyond job stability, factors such as leadership and organisational support may be associated with higher work engagement levels. Promoting a positive work environment could increase staff satisfaction and improve the quality of healthcare.