Factors Affecting the Resilience of Iranian Nurses during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: More than any other members of the healthcare industry, nurses are at the forefront of the crisis in the event of sudden pandemics. This study aimed to determine the factors contributing to the resilience of Iranian nurses during the pandemic. Methods: In this cross sectional web-based survey, Google Forms platform was used to distribute an online Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) to 1,025 nurses. The data was collected in November 2020 via the social networks of Iranian nurses employed in hospitals across the country. Using SPSS version 22 and multivariate linear regression, the data were evaluated. The significance level was set as less than 5%. Results: The mean total resilience score of nurses was 68.95 (12.76). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age (β = 0.242, P = 0.004), gender (β = -0.061, P = 0.046), role (β = 0.193, P < 0.001), and getting Covid-19 (β = -0.061, P = 0.046) are predictors of nurses' resilience status. Other personal and occupational characteristics were not shown to be influential. Conclusion: The resilience of nurses working in hospitals across the country appears to be higher than that of the general population. Women, young nurses, and those infected with Covid-19 were at a greater risk. The existence of facilities, improvement of working conditions and provision of sufficient human resources help to maintain the mental health of nurses during the pandemic. Longitudinal studies are recommended to evaluate how long this level of resilience will endure and how long it will be able to maintain nurses’ mental health in the future months and years.