Decent Work Perception and Its Relationship With Work‐Related Flow and Psychological Capital Among Nurses: A Cross‐Sectional Study

AIM: To examine nurses' perceptions of decent work (defined by the ILO as safe, fair and socially recognised employment) and its relationship with work-related flow and psychological capital. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey design. METHODS: In 2023, we used convenient sampling to select 1930 nurses from 20 high-grade A hospitals. A general data questionnaire, decent work perception scale (DWPS), work-related flow inventory (WOLF) and psychological capital scale (PCQ) were used for the survey. RESULTS: The total score of the decent work perception scale of 1930 nurses was 49.10 ± 6.18, indicating a low perception of decent work. The total score of the work-related flow inventory was 108.68 ± 18.5, suggesting a moderate level of work-related flow, and the total score of the psychological capital scale was 84.64 ± 14.52, indicating a moderate level of psychological capital. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that nurses' perceptions of decent work were positively correlated with work-related flow (r = 0.429, p < 0.001) and psychological capital (r = 0.385, p < 0.001). The multilevel regression analysis showed age, education, workplace violence, income and regional economy significantly influenced decent work perception (p < 0.01). Work-related flow (β = 0.401) and psychological capital (β = 0.350) remained strong predictors after adjustments (p < 0.001). Institutional differences explained 18.8% of variance (ICC = 0.188). CONCLUSION: Nurse's decent work perception was at a low level. Decent work perception positively correlated with work-related flow and psychological capital among nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: Hospitals should enhance organisational support, ensure fair compensation and improve working conditions through shared governance and well-being initiatives. Strengthening nurses' decision-making participation, professional pride and psychological resilience is crucial. While systemic challenges exist, incremental reforms like nurse-led task forces and pilot programmes can foster sustainable improvements. REPORTING METHOD: A STROBE checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.