DOES SECTION 7 OF REPUBLIC ACT 11036 IMPROVE NURSING PERSONNEL JOB SATISFACTION? EVIDENCE FROM NCMH AND POLICY FIXES

This study evaluates Section 7 of Republic Act No. 11036, also known as the Mental Health Act, on the job satisfaction among nursing personnel at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), as basis to propose policy recommendations. Section 7 highlighted the rights, well-being, and support for mental health professionals in addressing the demands of mental healthcare delivery, and as the nursing personnel play a crucial role in implementing mental health policies, the effects of the policy on their job satisfaction remain underexplored. A mixed-methods approach were used, with surveys and interviews in a representative sample of NCMH nursing personnel were employed. Quantitative data measured the job satisfaction among the nursing staff and its relationship to Section 7 while qualitative findings provided deeper insights into staff experiences and perceptions of the provision’s implementation. The study concluded that there is a strong positive relationship between the awareness and understanding of Section 7 and job satisfaction among nursing personnel; however, as the provision was aligned with the nursing personnel's expectations on their rights and well-being, the implementation aspect was viewed as inconsistent and inadequately resourced. A significant factor that affected the job satisfaction levels among nursing personnel are workload imbalance and limited staff support. And despite of these findings, the respondents still showed a high level of professional commitment, underscoring the importance for a targeted institutional support. Therefore, to ensure effective implementation of Section 7, increase resource allocation and structured mental health support programs for personnel and monitoring systems were recommended.