Guest editorial

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-12-2022-215
• Published date: 12 December 2022
• Date: 12 December 2022
• Pages: 413-415
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Inequalities & diverse/minority groups,Sociology,Race & ethnic studies,Minorities,Multiculturalism,Racial identity,Work,economy & organizations
• Author: Theo Gavrielides

Guest editorial

Theo Gavrielides

Special issue: human rights and nursing

Welcome to the final 2022 issue of the International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare

(IJHRH). This Special Issue is dedicated to nurses, and their crucial role in serving and

promoting human rights in health-care settings whether these are formal (e.g. hospitals) or

informal (e.g. in the community).

At the time of writing, in the UK, for the first time in 106years, tens of thousands of nurses

are planning to go on strike, demanding better pay as the cost of living soars nationally.

The government has just announced that the economy shrank by 0.2% in the third

quarter of the year, entering yet another recession. The cost of living is increasing at its

fastest rate in 40 years, while the price of food rose by 14.6% in the year to September,

reaching its highest level since 1980! The UK Royal College of Nursing, which has more

than 300,000 members, said industrial action would begin before the end of the year.

Nurses have seen their salaries drop by up to 20% in real terms over the past 10years. It

is, therefore, fitting that this timely Special Issue focuses on the key critical matters

impacting on the nursing profession not onlyin the UK, but also internationally. As per our

journal’s mission, we aim to raise awareness of critical global matters impacting on

human rights in health and social care, and through evidence-based publications

advance research, policy and practice.

The first paper “The moderating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between

burnout and depression among nursing staff: a human rights concern in Pakistan”

examines the role of life satisfaction in the relationship between burnout and depression

among nurses to highlight the human rights norms for institutions. The paper is based on

data that was collected using well-established questionnaires with 250 nurses working in

public and private hospitals of Islamabad between September and December 2017.

Correlation analysis revealed that burnout was positively associated with depression

and negatively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, depression was negatively

associated with life satisfaction. Moderation analysis demonstrated that life satisfaction

moderated the relationship between burnout and depression. Female nurses scored

high on burnout as compared to male nurses. It is clear from the findings of this original

study that Pakistani hospitals and other health-care organizations should take measures

to condense the level of burnout among nurses. Furthermore, effort must be made to

improve the level of life satisfaction, reducing the negative emotions associated with

burnout. This is not a recommendation relevant only to Pakistani officials, but to

policymakers and decision-makers across the world.

“How workplace bullying affects nurses’ well-being? The roles of burnout and passive

avoidant leadership” examines the mediating role of burnout between workplace

bullying and nurses’ well-being. The paper is based on data that was collected through

questionnaires with 14 nurses. The research indicated that passive avoidant leadership

was a conditional variable that strengthens the positive association between workplace

bullying and burnout. The need to develop and implement counter-bullying rules as well

as train managers and staff in implementing them were identified as key steps forward.

Theo Gavrielides is based

at Restorative Justice for All

(RJ4All) International

Institute, London, UK.

DOI 10.1108/IJHRH-12-2022-215 VOL. 15 NO. 5 2022, pp. 413-415, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2056-4902 jINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HEALTHCARE jPAGE 413