Background & Aim: Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the psychiatric disorders and exposure to trauma is a key factor in its development. This disorder affects important aspects of a person’s life such as professional quality of life. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms and professional quality of life among psychiatric nurses.

Methods & Materials: In this descriptive analytical study, 160 nurses in psychiatric wards affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences, were selected using census sampling in 2013. Data were collected using questionnaires including professional and demographic characteristics, the Weathers’ PTSD checklist (PCL-C) and Hudnall Stamm’s Professional Quality of Life (PQOL). Data were analyzed by the SPSS software v.20 using the Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and linear regression.

Results: There was a significant correlation between PTSD score and professional quality of life scores in psychiatric nurses (r=0.32, P<0.001). Also, PTSD was positively correlated with burnout (r=0.36, P<0.001) and secondary traumatic stress (r=0.61, P<0.001), and conversely correlated with compassion satisfaction (r=-0.29, P<0.001). After removing the effects of age, work experience, previous experience of traumatic events, the correlation between two main research variables was significant as well (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Post-traumatic stress has a correlation with professional quality of life in psychiatric nurses. Therefore, factors related to PTSD are suggested to be identified and prevented.