The Effects of Mental Health Problems of Nurses and Doctors on their Professional Commitment and Work Engagement Levels

Pelin Kanten

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n19p476

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effects of mental health problems on professional commitment and work engagement levels of nurses and doctors. In the literature, studies suggest that mental health problems affect employees’ attitudes and behaviors both in their social and work life. In this context, the extent of this study consist of positive outputs such as professional commitment and work engagement, which are related with employees work life and considered to be effected from the mental health. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the effects of some of the mental health problems called as depression, loss of confidence, insomnia, social dysfunction and anxiety on nurses and doctor’s professional commitment and work engagement levels. For this purpose, the data which are collected from 145 nurses and doctors working in public and private hospitals by the survey method are analyzed by using the structural equation modelling. In this respect, descriptive statistics, conﬁrmatory factor analysis, and the structural equation modelling applied to the data obtained from nurses and doctors at the hospitals. The results of the study indicate that two mental health problems, which are addressed as depression and loss of confidence have a significant effect on nurses and doctors’ both normative and continuance professional commitment levels, whereas affective professional commitment levels are not affected by any of the mental health problems. However, depression and insomnia that considered as common mental health problems have both significant effects on nurses and doctors’ vigor and dedication levels. In addition to these, insomnia and anxiety have a significant effect on their absorption levels. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n19p476

Highlights

In modern working life, employees are needed to able to adjust quickly to the changing world as the rapid technological advancements, global competition, increasing demands and instable nature of work
In the scope of the descriptive analyses means, standard deviations and correlations have been computed which are related to mental health problems, professional commitment and work engagement variables
Since employees have necessity to work in these circumstances, they have to invest in mentally and keep up with the intense and competitive working life so it is expected that some mental health problems may occur based on these conditions

Summary

Introduction

Employees are needed to able to adjust quickly to the changing world as the rapid technological advancements, global competition, increasing demands and instable nature of work. These alterations indicate that today’s working life requires employees, who have mental qualities besides their psychical abilities. It is needed to create a positive work environment, which has significant effects on employees’ attitudes, motivation, performance, and mental health (van der Vliet & Hellgren, 2002: 4-5). Mental health can be impacted by the negatively physical and psychosocial working conditions that cause to detrimental effects on employees’ performance and productivity. Due to the increasing of mental health problems, it can be seen that organizations begin to growing awareness to prevent, detect and manage them effectively (LaMontagne et al, 2014: 3)

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