Dimensions of Psychological Capital in the Nurses Employed in Psychiatric Hospitals and the Correlations with Demographical Variables

Abstract

which plays a key role in the outcomes of individual functions. Given the importance of improving the dimensions of psychological capital in nurses and its key role in the quality of nursing care, the present study aimed to assess the dimensions of psychological capital in nurses. Materials & Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 95 qualified nurses who were selected via convenience sampling in 2018. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and McGee psychological capital scale. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 22 using Pearson's correlation-coefficient and independent t-test at the significance level of 5%. Results: The mean total score of psychological capital in the subjects was 116.89±17.86, which indicated the high level of psychological capital. Moreover, the findings showed that the level of psychological capital was moderate in 44 nurses (46.8%), while it was high in 50 nurses (53.2%). However, no significant correlations were observed between psychological capital, age, and job experience. In addition, the mean score of psychological capital had no significant difference between the male and female subjects (P>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this research could help senior officials to identify and better recognize each component of psychological capital, so that they could use these elements as a strategy to improve the quality of patient care in psychiatric health sectors.

Keywords

• nurse
• psychological capital
• hospital
• psychiatric ward