Relationships among Occupational Stress, Social Relationships at the Workplace, and Psychological Wellbeing of Nurses and Midwives in the Catholic Health Service of the Western Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship among occupational stress, social relationships at the workplace, and psychological well-being among nurses and midwives in the Catholic Health Service of the Western Region of Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in four purposely selected Catholic Hospitals in the Western Region of Ghana. A sample of 300 nurses and midwives was used for the analysis. For gathering information from participants, a questionnaire based on the Nurses’ Occupational Stress Scale was adopted to measure the level of occupational stress; Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWB 18 items) to measure the level of psychological well-being, and the Worker Relationship Scale was developed by Biggs, Swailes, and Baker to measure the level of social relationships at the workplace among nurses and midwives. For statistical analysis, a one-sample t-test and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficients were employed. The findings revealed a high level of occupational stress among nurses and midwives in the Catholic Health Service of the Western Region of Ghana, a positive social relationship among them, and positive psychological well-being among the nurses and midwives. The study’s findings also revealed occupational stress was moderately and weakly associated with psychological well-being and workplace social relationships. Social relationships at the workplace were positively correlated with psychological well-being. It was recommended that Counselling Psychologists should be employed in all health facilities to take care of the counselling needs of nurses and midwives.