Effort–reward imbalance and well-being among psychiatric nurses: the mediating role of burnout and decent work

Abstract Background Psychiatric nurses face additional challenges due to negative perceptions, workplace violence, and a lack of respect, impacting their well-being and job satisfaction, which are crucial for improving psychiatric care and patient outcomes. Objectives This study aims to examine the relationship between effort-reward imbalance, well-being, burnout, and decent work among psychiatric nurses. Methods This study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using a convenience sampling method in February 2024 from 397 psychiatric nurses at two psychiatric hospitals in Hangzhou and Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale, Decent Work Perception Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, and General Well-Being Schedule Scale were used for data collection. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. Results The study found that effort-reward imbalance among psychiatric nurses was negatively correlated with decent work (r = -0.564, p