Differences in Perceptions of Work Environment Conditions, Job Attitudes, and Health Beliefs Among Military Physicians, Dentists, and Nurses

We assessed the perceptions of physicians, dentists, and nurses working within the same hospital on variables relevant to stress and well-being. The guiding model incorporated job characteristics, job strain, job attitudes, so- cial support, personal characteristics, and health outcomes. The results showed differences among the three occupational groups in how they perceive their work environment, the amount of social support they receive, their level of satisfaction, and their degree of psychological well-being. Physicians reported greater satisfaction, professional orientation, and psychological well-being than did the nurses or dentists. Nurses reported the least satisfaction, and dentists reported the most social support from their peers and significant others. Dentists reported more qualitative workload demands and greater ability to predict job events, whereas nurses reported the most control over others, influence on decisions, self-determination on the job, and under- standing of events occurring in the work environment.