OBJECTIVES: To evaluate psychiatric morbidity and burnout among physicians and nurses of a general hospital in central Italy, examining the association with perceived job-related factors. METHODS: Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to all 323 hospital physicians and 609 nurses of a non-profit health organisation in Rome, Italy. Standardised instruments were used to evaluate psychiatric morbidity (General Health Questionnaire), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory) and perceived job-related factors. Stepwise logistic regression was used to examine the association between job-related factors, psychiatric morbidity and burnout, controlling for demographic factors. RESULTS: : Questionnaires were returned by 155 physicians and 216 nurses (overall response rate 40%). Estimated prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 25% among physicians and 36.9% among nurses. Burnout on the emotional exhaustion scale affected 38.7% of physicians and 46.4% of nurses. Personnel with emotional exhaustion was at higher risk of psychiatric morbidity (p<0.001). The likelihood of psychiatric morbidity among physicians was increased by perceived insufficient recognition of personal commitments by the unit’s head (OR=4.21; 95%CI 1.2-15.1; p=0.027), insufficient managerial ability of the unit’s head (OR=3.45; 95%CI 1.2-10.1; p=0.023), unsatisfactory communication (OR=5.30;95%CI 1.6-17.6; p=0.006). Among nurses, psychiatric morbidity was associated with insufficient ability of the unit’s head to solve conflicts, insufficient decisional power in relation to responsibilities, insufficient economic rewards and career possibilities, working in surgery. Similar job-related factors were associated also with emotional exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: : Psychiatric morbidity and burnout were relatively high, particularly among nurses. Specific job-related factors were associated with psychiatric morbidity and burnout. Improving these aspects is important for the well-being of hospital staff and the quality of patient care.