Nurse-Patient Mutuality and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Nurses Caring for People with Chronic Illness: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Although nurses' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is critical for mitigating the growing intention to leave the profession, the association between nurse-patient mutuality and nurses' HRQoL remains unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between nurse-patient mutuality and nurses' HRQoL. Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted across four tertiary hospitals in Italy. Data were collected from a sample of 726 nurses working in medical and surgical inpatient and outpatient wards. Mutuality was measured using the Nurse-patient Mutuality in Chronic Illness scale, comprising three dimensions: developing and going beyond, being a point of reference, deciding and sharing care; HRQoL was assessed via the Short Form-12 Health Status Questionnaire (SF-12), providing Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) Component Summaries. Two multiple linear regression models were conducted to evaluate the impact of mutuality dimensions on HRQoL components. Results: Among the 726 participants, none of the three mutuality dimensions were significantly associated with physical HRQoL (PCS). Conversely, two mutuality dimensions were significantly and positively associated with higher MCS scores: developing and going beyond (B = 0.54, 95% CI [0.14, 0.95], p = 0.009) and being a point of reference (B = 0.38, 95% CI [0.09, 0.68], p = 0.010). However, the overall regression model demonstrated a modest explanatory value for MCS (R2 = 0.075). Among covariates, female sex (ref: male; B = -2.29, 95% CI [-4.10, -0.49], p = 0.013) and taking care of relatives (B = -2.07, 95% CI [-3.55, -0.60], p = 0.006) were associated with lower MCS, whereas older age (B = 0.17, 95% CI [0.01, 0.34], p = 0.039) was related to higher MCS. Regarding physical health (R2 = 0.261), having chronic conditions (B = -5.08, 95% CI [-6.48, -3.69], p < 0.001), previous experience as a patient (B = -1.88, 95% CI [-3.07, -0.69], p = 0.002), and taking care of relatives (B = -1.49, 95% CI [-2.62, -0.36], p = 0.010) were significantly associated with lower PCS scores. Conclusions: The reciprocal nature of mutuality could be a potential relational resource for nurses' mental HRQoL. Healthcare organizations should prioritize structural frameworks and interventions that allow nurses the time and resources to cultivate these essential clinical connections.