Determinants of Happiness at Work Among Nurses in Prehospital Emergency Care in Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Happiness at work is an important factor associated with nurses' wellbeing, performance, retention, and quality of care. However, evidence on workplace happiness among nurses working in prehospital emergency care remains scarce, despite the emotional demands and complexity of this setting. This study aimed to analyse overall happiness at work and its dimensions-engagement, job satisfaction, and affective organisational commitment-among nurses working in prehospital emergency care in Portugal and to identify associated sociodemographic and professional factors. A cross-sectional observational, correlational study was conducted between June and July 2025 with 103 nurses working in Portuguese prehospital emergency services. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and professional questionnaire and the Short Happiness at Work Scale. Descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and stepwise multiple linear regression were performed. Participants reported moderate levels of happiness at work (M = 4.91; SD = 0.96). Engagement had the highest mean score (M = 5.42; SD = 1.20), whereas job satisfaction had the lowest (M = 4.04; SD = 1.16). Leisure activities outside work were statistically associated with higher happiness at work. These findings should be interpreted in light of the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, and suggest that strategies promoting wellbeing, work-life balance, and psychological recovery may contribute to occupational health among prehospital emergency nurses.