Practice Environment and Mental Well-Being Among Hospital Nurses: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement

Abstract

Introduction: Supporting the mental well-being (MWB) of healthcare professionals has become a critical priority in the context of global nursing shortages and increasing psychosocial demands. While previous research has established links between work environment, engagement, and MWB, empirical evidence from Hungary remains limited. Aim: This study examined the relationships between the nursing practice environment (NPE), work engagement (WE), and MWB among Hungarian hospital nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 232 hospital nurses using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Pearson correlations and mediation analysis were applied to explore associations between variables while controlling for gender and work-related characteristics. Results: A favorable NPE was significantly associated with higher levels of WE (r = .37, p < .001) and MWB (r = .46, p < .001). WE showed a strong positive relationship with MWB (r = .74, p < .001). Mediation analysis indicated that the total effect of the NPE on MWB was significant (B = 15.00, p < .001), and WE partially mediated the relationship between NPE and MWB (indirect effect: B = 7.89, 95% bootstrap CI [5.27, 10.43]). Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of the workplace environment as a key organizational resource that is positively associated with nurses’ WE and MWB. Although the cross-sectional design precludes causal inferences, these findings provide support for considering organizational strategies aimed at strengthening the NPE as a potential target for supporting nurse engagement and MWB.