The relationship between happiness at work and professional autonomy in nurses

Abstract

Professional autonomy of nurses is an important aspect of nursing practice that contributes to the quality of service and patient safety. One psychosocial factor thought to influence professional autonomy is job satisfaction. This study aims to determine the relationship between work happiness and professional autonomy among nurses at the Jember Plantation Hospital Clinic. An analytical observational design with a cross-sectional approach was used. The sample consisted of 85 practicing nurses selected using simple random sampling. The research instruments were the Happiness at Work Scale (HAWS) and the Dempster Practice Behaviors Scale (DPBS). Data analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation test at the 0.05 significance level. Most respondents were aged ≥30 years (82.4%), female (76.5%), held a bachelor's degree (67.1%), were permanent employees (77.6%), and had worked for ≥5 years (82.4%). Most respondents reported high job satisfaction, while nurses' professional autonomy was moderate. The Pearson correlation test showed a strong, significant positive relationship between happiness at work and nurses' professional autonomy (r = 0.740; p < 0.001). These results indicate a strong and significant positive correlation between work happiness and professional autonomy among nurses. Therefore, increasing work happiness can strengthen nurses' professional autonomy and improve the quality of nursing services.