ABSTRACT

Patient-centeredness is accepted as one of the important elements of quality in health services. In this context, the aim of the research is to determine the effect of the emotional labor levels of nurses who take an active role in patient care on patient-centered care competencies (PCCC) and the moderating role of personality traits in this effect. The research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. In the research, data were obtained using the online survey method. The survey form consists of four sections. The first section includes six socio-demographic questions (age, gender, marital status, educational status, profession preference, length of service), the second section includes 24 statements consisting of the nurses’ emotional labor behavior scale, the third section includes 17 statements consisting of the PCCC scale, and the fourth and final section includes 44 statements consisting of the five-factor personality traits scale. The population of the research consists of nurses working in Türkiye. The sample value was determined as 384, and the convenience sampling method was used, and 401 people were reached. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage) were obtained using the SPSS program in the analysis of the data. In addition, Cronbach’s alpha, T-test, ANOVA test and Chi-square test were applied for the analysis of categorical variables. Correlation was used for the relationships between variables and regression was used for the effect analysis. Cronbach’s alpha value was found high in all scales used in the research. It was seen that there was a statistically significant positive, linear and very low relationship between surface behavior and extraversion sub-dimension (r= 0.196, p< 0.001), and a positive, linear, low degree relationship with conscientiousness and openness to experience (r= 0.204, r= 0.265, p< 0.001). A positive, linear and low degree relationship was seen between in-depth behavior and extraversion and openness to experience; a very low degree relationship was seen between conscientiousness and agreeableness (r= 0.274, r= 0.371, r=0.186, r= 0.187, p< 0.001). It was found that there was a positive, linear, low degree relationship between sincere behavior and extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience and agreeableness (r= 0.317, r= 0.254, r= 0.277, r= 0.226, p< 0.001). It was found that there was a positive, linear, moderate degree relationship between superficial, deep and sincere behavior dimensions and PCCC (r= 0.431, r= 0.487, r=0.505, p< 0.001). It was found that there was a positive, linear, low degree relationship between extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness and agreeableness and PCCC (r= 0.282, r= 0.328, r= 0.234, r= 0.204, p< 0.001). It was found that all sub-dimensions of personality traits had a moderator effect on the relationship between superficial behavior and PCCC (p< 0.05). It was observed that agreeableness and neuroticism personality traits had a moderating effect on the relationship between deep acting and PCCC (p< .05). It was observed that conscientiousness and openness to experience personality traits had a moderating effect on the relationship between sincere behavior and PCCC (p< .05). In the study, nurses’ emotional labor scores were found to be high in all sub-dimensions. The mean of extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism from the five-factor personality trait sub-dimensions was found to be moderate, and the mean of conscientiousness and openness to experience was found to be high. The mean of patient-centered care competence was found to be high. It was found that emotional labor significantly affected PCCC, and the five-factor personality traits had a moderating role in this effect.