Abstract
Background: The issue of dignity in the nursing workplace is critical for enhancing the efficiency and performance of nursing professionals. Workplace conditions are a key social determinant of health, and workplace dignity positively influences job performance. When nurses feel respected and valued in their work environment, they are more equipped to provide empathetic and professional care to patients, ultimately improving the quality of care.
Purpose: This study aimed to describe the sense of workplace dignity among clinical nurse practitioners in Taiwan and to understand the relationship between nurses' perceptions of workplace dignity, self-esteem, and psychological distress.
Methods:This study employed a cross-sectional, web-based design, with data collected from February to April 2024. A structured questionnaire, accessible via a public website, was distributed through social media platforms including Facebook, PTT, and D-card in Taiwan. The questionnaire included demographic data, the Workplace Dignity Scale (WDS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21-C). Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 24.0 software.
Results:A total of 216 nurses participated in this study. Most participants were female (91.7%) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (75.9%). The item with the highest mean score was question 5: 'People at work recognize my competence,' with a mean of 5.31 ± 0.997. The second highest was question 16: 'I am treated as less valuable than objects or pieces of equipment.,' with a mean of 5.22 ± 1.563." There was a moderately strong positive correlation between workplace dignity and self-esteem (r = .499, p = .000) and a moderately strong negative correlation with psychological distress (r = -.508, p = .000).
Conclusion:This study underscores the importance of workplace dignity in promoting the well-being and professional effectiveness of clinical nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Findings show that when nurses feel recognized and respected, their self-esteem rises, and psychological distress decreases. Healthcare organizations should prioritize creating supportive environments that uphold nurses' dignity, enhancing both their mental health and patient care quality. Future research could focus on targeted interventions to further strengthen workplace dignity for nursing staff.
Notes
References:
Baker, T. (2019). The concept of workplace dignity. In T. Baker (Ed.), Bringing the human being back to work: The 10 performance and development conversations leaders must have (pp. 21-29). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93172-2_3
Bautista, J. R., Lauria, P. A. S., Contreras, M. C. S., Maranion, M. M. G., Villanueva, H. H., Sumaguingsing, R. C., & Abeleda, R. D. (2020). Specific stressors relate to nurses' job satisfaction, perceived quality of care, and turnover intention. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 26(1), Article e12774. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12774
Kaushik, A., Ravikiran, S., Suprasanna, K., Nayak, M. G., Baliga, K., & Acharya, S. D. (2021). Depression, anxiety, stress and workplace stressors among nurses in tertiary health care settings. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 25(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoem.IJOEM_123_20
Sigma Membership
Lambda Beta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Workforce, Dignity in the Workplace, Taiwan
Recommended Citation
Huang, Shu-Yin and Yang, Chiu Yueh, "Exploring Workplace Dignity Among Clinical Nurses in Taiwan" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 213.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/213
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Exploring Workplace Dignity Among Clinical Nurses in Taiwan
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: The issue of dignity in the nursing workplace is critical for enhancing the efficiency and performance of nursing professionals. Workplace conditions are a key social determinant of health, and workplace dignity positively influences job performance. When nurses feel respected and valued in their work environment, they are more equipped to provide empathetic and professional care to patients, ultimately improving the quality of care.
Purpose: This study aimed to describe the sense of workplace dignity among clinical nurse practitioners in Taiwan and to understand the relationship between nurses' perceptions of workplace dignity, self-esteem, and psychological distress.
Methods:This study employed a cross-sectional, web-based design, with data collected from February to April 2024. A structured questionnaire, accessible via a public website, was distributed through social media platforms including Facebook, PTT, and D-card in Taiwan. The questionnaire included demographic data, the Workplace Dignity Scale (WDS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21-C). Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 24.0 software.
Results:A total of 216 nurses participated in this study. Most participants were female (91.7%) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (75.9%). The item with the highest mean score was question 5: 'People at work recognize my competence,' with a mean of 5.31 ± 0.997. The second highest was question 16: 'I am treated as less valuable than objects or pieces of equipment.,' with a mean of 5.22 ± 1.563." There was a moderately strong positive correlation between workplace dignity and self-esteem (r = .499, p = .000) and a moderately strong negative correlation with psychological distress (r = -.508, p = .000).
Conclusion:This study underscores the importance of workplace dignity in promoting the well-being and professional effectiveness of clinical nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Findings show that when nurses feel recognized and respected, their self-esteem rises, and psychological distress decreases. Healthcare organizations should prioritize creating supportive environments that uphold nurses' dignity, enhancing both their mental health and patient care quality. Future research could focus on targeted interventions to further strengthen workplace dignity for nursing staff.
Description
This study explores workplace dignity among clinical nurses in Taiwan and its relationship with self-esteem and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional, web-based survey from February to April 2024, data from 216 nurses were analyzed. Results indicated a positive correlation between workplace dignity and self-esteem and a negative correlation with psychological distress, suggesting that promoting dignity in nursing workplaces can improve nurses' well-being and patient care quality.