Abstract: Objective: To describe the characteristics of psychological contract and work engagement and explore their relationship among male nurses in China. Methods: Following convenient sampling, 1040 male nurses from 24 provinces in China were included in the current study. Related data were collected using a general data questionnaire, the nurses' psychological contract scale and the work engagement questionnaire. Results: The item mean score of psychological contract and the mean score of work engagement among male nurses in China were (1.99±0.73) and (56.19±24.28), respectively. The total score of psychological contract was significantly and negatively correlated with that of work engagement (r=-0.369, P<0.05) in male nurses. The fitting curve model also showed that when the total score of psychological contract was less than 113, the total score of work engagement of male nurses was significantly and negatively correlated with the total score of psychological contract (r=-0.46, P<0.05). Conclusion: The higher the degree of psychological contract in male nurses, the higher the level of work engagement. Nursing administrators should encourage positive emotion and amend the psychological contract disruption in time, therefore to ensure sustained and healthy development among male nurses in China.

Key words: male nurses; psychological contract; work engagement