Assessing the correlation between the quality of working life and perceived stress in a rehabilitation hospital

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between the quality of working lives and the perceived stress of health personnel working in a hospital specialized in physical medicine and rehabilitation services. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive correlational study was conducted with health personnel providing medical, sport and vocational rehabilitation in an education and research hospital. The Quality of Work Life Scale (QWLS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative analysis. Findings There was a positive correlation between their stress scores on the QWLS and perceived stress on the PSS. The highest score on the QWLS was obtained from the dimension of working conditions (3.47), and the lowest score was obtained from the dimension of stress (1.34). The mean score on the PSS was 33.18 ± 3.29. No significant relationship was found between participants’ scores on the PSS and their demographic characteristics. Practical implications There is a need to improve the quality of rehabilitation providers’ working lives by reducing their work-related stress. Originality/value As rehabilitation personnel play an important role in protecting and promoting the health of vulnerable groups in the society, it is a main priority to examine the relationship between rehabilitation providers’ perceived stress and the quality of their working lives.