Introduction There is a global shortage of healthcare workers. The aim of the present study is to describe the psycho-social work climate for hospital workers in the operating theatre via the job demand-control-support (JDCS) and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) models and relate to well-being, work-ability, zest for work and thoughts about leaving the job.

Methods Hospital workers in the operating theatre of 7 Swedish hospitals (n=1405, response rate 68%) received a questionnaire including the JDCS model, ERI model, personal factors, well-being, work-ability, zest for work and thoughts about leaving their job. Ordinal scale regression was used for analyses.

Results Descriptively a majority reported moderate to high zest for work (76%). A minority (30%) had sometimes thought of leaving their jobs for at least one month during the last year. Social support was positively related to well-being, zest for work and inversely related to thoughts about leaving the job. Workers reporting low well-being, poor zest for work and more thoughts about leaving the job scored at average in the active field of the demand-control diagram and operating nurses were the only category with mean scores in the strain field, in comparison to all personnel. Also relations to the ERI model will be presented (in progress by June 2017).

Discussion The social support dimension of the JDCS model was the main occupational factor related to well-being and positive thoughts about keeping the job. Lack of external comparison groups, small variability and poor internal consistency of the control index make conclusions about the demand-control dimensions less reliable.