Examination of the impact of the psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses' professional resilience and self-care

As frontline care providers, nurses have faced a high risk of infection, disease transmission to relatives and adverse psychosocial impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 224 nurses actively caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in two hospitals in Ankara between December 2022 and October 2023 to examine the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses and its effect on professional resilience and self-care. Data were obtained using a descriptive characteristics form, the COVID-19 Pandemic Psychosocial Impact Scale, and the Skovholt Practitioner Professional Resiliency and Self-Care Inventory. Structural equation modelling was used for the relational dimension of the research. According to the findings of the study, 81.3% of the nurses had been infected with COVID-19, 82.6% had a family member who had COVID-19, and 19.6% had a relative who died due to COVID-19. It was revealed that nurses experienced inadequate rest during working hours (79.0%), difficulties in nutrition (53.1%), difficulties due to personal protective equipment (45.5%), discrimination in family and social relations (47.3%) and were psychologically affected (79.5%). The mean score of the nurses' COVID-19 Pandemic Psychosocial Impact Scale was 85,43±22,08, while the mean score of the Skovholt Practitioner Professional Resiliency and Self-Care Inventory was 135,64±19,73. A statistically significant low-level negative relationship existed between the scale scores (r = -0.220). As nurses' levels of psychosocial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic increase, their levels of professional resilience and self-care decrease. The results of structural equation modelling showed that the Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic scores had a statistically significant effect on personal vitality and personal stress (p<0.05). This study shows that nurses' increased levels of psychosocial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic decreased their levels of personal vitality and increased their levels of personal stress. In line with the results of the research, it is important to provide appropriate working environment and conditions for nurses to experience less psychosocial impact during new epidemics, disasters and crisis periods. It is recommended that nurse managers structure and conduct programs to protect and strengthen nurses' personal vitality and manage and cope with their personal stress.