J Korean Acad Soc Nurs Educ.  2022 May;28(2):193-203. 10.5977/jkasne.2022.28.2.193.

Mediating effect of resilience between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Jeong J
• Song Y

• KMID: 2530199
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5977/jkasne.2022.28.2.193

Abstract

Purpose
This study explored the mediating role of resilience between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
The data were collected from 193 nurses working at a hospital in Daegu from October 16 to 30, 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants conducted self-reported surveys of post-traumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version), emotional exhaustion (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and resilience (Korean Resilience Quotient Test). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. Mediation analysis was performed using the Baron and Kenny method and Sobel test.
Results
The mean scores for post-traumatic stress, resilience, and emotional exhaustion were 16.18±16.18, 183.41±18.29, and 32.64±9.66, respectively. A higher level of post-traumatic stress was associated with lower resilience (r=-.20, p=.004) and with higher emotional exhaustion (r=.33, p<.001). A higher level of resilience was associated with lower emotional exhaustion (r=-.35, p<.001). The resilience was confirmed to have a partial mediating effect in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion, verified by the Sobel test (Z=2.31, p=.02).
Conclusion
Resilience had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion. Thus, nurses should develop individual strengths to reduce emotional exhaustion, and managers should also make efforts to increase the nurses’ resilience. It is also necessary to develop and apply a program to strengthen nurses’ resilience.

Keyword

Burnout, COVID-19, Nurses, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Psychological resilience; 소진, 코로나바이러스감염증-19, 간호사, 외상 후 스트레스, 회복탄력성