Associations Between Hospital Characteristics and Nurses’ Professional Satisfaction in Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Nurses’ professional satisfaction is an important indicator of workforce stability and quality of care. This study examined differences in professional satisfaction according to hospital region, inland/coastal location, and hospital size in Portugal. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study was conducted among nurses working in hospitals across Portugal. Participants were recruited through non-probability self-selection using an electronic questionnaire. Data were collected from October 20, 2023, to February 7, 2024. A total of 1,015 eligible nurses completed the questionnaire. Professional satisfaction was assessed using the Nurses’ Job Satisfaction Scale (ESET). Group differences were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, followed by Dunn’s post-hoc comparisons with Bonferroni adjustment when appropriate. Results: Professional satisfaction differed by hospital region for leadership (p = 0.005), colleagues (p = 0.015), and overall satisfaction (p = 0.016), with higher scores among nurses in southern than northern hospitals. No significant differences were found between inland and coastal hospitals. Hospital size was associated with satisfaction with valuation and remuneration (p = 0.006) and staffing (p < 0.001). Staffing satisfaction was higher in small than large and extra-large hospitals and in medium-sized than extra-large hospitals. Conclusions: Professional satisfaction varied selectively by hospital region and size, but not by inland/coastal location. These findings represent contextual associations rather than causal effects.