Differences in Nursing Workplace Quality Between Rural and Urban Hospitals: A Quantitative Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64397/nepj.v01i03.2026.a29Keywords:
nursing workplace quality, quantitative analysis, rural hospitals, urban hospitals, work environmentAbstract
Introduction: The quality of nursing workplaces differs across rural and urban settings, influencing both staff performance and patient care. This study quantitatively examined workplace quality in one rural and one urban hospital, focusing on workload, available resources, and nurses’ experiences, with the goal of identifying location-specific strategies to improve working conditions
Aim: This study aims to analyze the quality of nursing workplaces in rural and urban hospitals, with a particular focus on identifying key similarities and differences in workplace conditions.
Methods: A quantitative descriptive design was employed, and data were collected using a modified Nursing Workplace Quality Survey administered through physical and online forms. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze five workplace dimensions: Workplace Environment, Personnel Relationships, Physical Working Conditions, Job Perception, and Support Programs and Services.
Results: Findings revealed strong interpersonal relationships in both hospital settings, but notable gaps remained: Physical Working Conditions scored lowest in the rural hospital, while Support Programs and Services were least adequate in the urban hospital.
Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of strengthening infrastructure in rural areas and expanding support systems in urban settings to promote nurse motivation, job satisfaction, and overall performance. The study recommends strategic initiatives such as improved staffing, facility upgrades, mentorship, wellness programs, and burnout prevention. This may be done by conducting a one-day seminar to the concerned offices to relay the results of the study. Future research should expand to larger samples and utilize more robust measurement tools for greater generalizability and reliability.
References
1. Aouant, N., & Dafogianni, C. P. (2020). Investigating the perceptions of nurses and patients for the nursing care provided and received in a hospital setting. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.9790/1959-0905080815
2. Angelo, E. (2020). Managing interpersonal conflict. Nursing Management, 50(6), 22–28. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.numa.0000558479.54449.ed
3. Babapour, A., Gahassab-Mozaffari, N., & Fathnezhad-Kazemi, A. (2022). Nurses’ job stress and its impact on quality of life and caring behaviors: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nursing, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00852-y
4. Kassem, A., & Ahmed, M. (2021). Effect of work values and quality of work life on intention to stay among head nurses working at oncology center. Semantics Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effect-of-Work-Values-and-Quality-of-Work-Life-on-Kassem-Ahmed/76cd06ac9d18285b3935167fe39a6878b274f654
5. Lasater, K. B., & Muir, K. J. (2024, May 10). What nurses really want: Sufficient staffing for patient care. STAT. https://www.statnews.com/2024/05/10/what-nurses-really-want-sufficient-staffing-for-patient-care/
6. Moyimane, M. B., Matlala, S. F., & Kekana, M. P. (2017). Experiences of nurses on the critical shortage of medical equipment at a rural district hospital in South Africa: A qualitative study. Pan African Medical Journal, 28. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2017.28.100.11641
7. Mutair, A. A., Bazroun, M. I. A., Almusalami, E. M., Aljarameez, F., Alhasawi, A. I., Alahmed, F., Saha, C., Alharbi, H. F., & Ahmed, G. Y. (2022). Quality of nursing work life among nurses in Saudi Arabia: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Nursing Reports, 12(4), 1014–1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep12040097
8. Nurses in crisis: Challenges they face in the workplace. (2023, March 24). 1Nurse. https://www.1nurse.com/blog/story/2023/03/24/nurses-crisis-challenges-they-face-workplace/
9. Paculan, E. R. (2020). Teleconsultation system for rural health units (RHUs) for Metro Vigan, Philippines. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eileen-Rose-Paculan/publication/345331967_Teleconsultation_System_for_Rural_Health_Units_RHUs_for_Metro_Vigan_Philippines/links/5fa40b0492851cc286960ea7/Teleconsultation-System-for-Rural-Health-Units-RHUs-for-Metro-Vigan-Philippines.pdf
10. Ramelb-Olivar, J. J. (2016). The making of the successful Filipino nurse leaders. St. Paul University System Journal on Global Education, 1(1). https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=10447
11. Regis College. (2023, March 8). The importance of a healthy work environment for nurses. Regis College Online. https://online.regiscollege.edu/blog/healthy-work-environment/
12. Sibuea, Z., Sulastiana, M., & Fitriana, E. (2024). Factors affecting the quality of work life among nurses: A systematic review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 17, 491–503. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s446459
13. Southwick, R. (2022, May 9). It’s National Nurses Week, and many nurses don’t feel valued. OncLive. https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/it-s-national-nurses-week-and-many-nurses-don-t-feel-valued
14. Sy, A. D. R., Gonzales, M. K. D., & Rodriguez, R. C. C. (2023). Work-related quality of life and performance appraisal among nurses at a tertiary hospital in Philippines. Journal of Integrative Nursing, 5(3), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.4103/jin.jin_7_23
15. Tedisel. (2023, September 6). Quality hospital equipment in critical areas: Ensuring effective and safe medical care. Tedisel Medical. https://tediselmedical.com/en/quality-hospital-equipment-in-critical-areas-ensuring-effective-and-safe-medical-care/
16. Tran, K. T., Nguyen, P. V., Dang, T. T., & Ton, T. N. (2018). The impacts of high-quality workplace relationships on job performance: A perspective on staff nurses in Vietnam. Behavioral Sciences, 8(12), 109. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8120109
17. Ulep, V. G. T., Nuevo, C. E. L., Uy, J., & Casas, L. D. D. (2021). Assessment of the service capability and readiness of Philippine hospitals to provide high-quality health care. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://ideas.repec.org/p/phd/dpaper/dp_2021-32.htm1
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
CC BY-SA 4.0 allows:
- Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
- Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Rules to follow:
- Attribution (BY): You must give credit to the original creator, provide a link to the license, and note if changes were made.
- ShareAlike (SA): If you remix, change, or build upon the material, you must distribute your new work under the exact same CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
