The relationship between existential attitudes and professional quality of life among nursing students

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between existential attitudes and professional quality of life among a sample of South African nursing students (N = 150; mean age = 21.19, SD = 2.77; female = 90%). The student nurses completed the Life Attitudes Profile-Revised (LAP-R) and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQoL). The data were analysed using the Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. Existential attitudes significantly predicted scores on the PROQoL. The findings suggest that existential attitudes are an essential personal resource that could serve as a potential buffer against compassion fatigue and burnout while enhancing compassion satisfaction.

Keywords:

• burnout
• compassion fatigue
• compassion satisfaction
• existential attitudes
• nursing students
• professional quality of life

ORCID

Henry D. Mason http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3966-9970