Psychological distress among nurses: Exploring the role of support in the work-place in Morocco

Aim: This study aimed to assess the psychological distress, specifically anxiety and depression, among nurses employed at University Hospital Center of Rabat in Morocco and tested the associations between support in the workplace and nurses’ psychological well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at University Hospital Center of Rabat in Morocco, based on a prospective data collection employing an ad-hoc self-report questionnaire. 223 nurses were enrolled with a minimum of 1 year of practice in any care unit. Socio-demographic and professional characteristics of each participant were included. A validated tool was utilized to measure the support from superiors and colleagues in the workplace, while the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was employed to evaluate anxiety and depression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between different independent and dependent variables. Results: Significant socio-demographic and professional factors associated with increased anxiety included female gender, age over 41 years old, Baccalaureate level of education, intention to leave the hospital, and less support from superiors. Regarding the levels of depression, the Baccalaureate level of education was significantly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (β 2.444; CI [1.203, 3.686]). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that ensuring support from superiors was crucial for safeguarding the psychological well-being of nurses. Therefore, hospital managers should prioritize addressing the workplace support for professionals, and the organizational enhancement.