BackgroundThe delivery of health care during the COVID‐19 outbreak imposed significant challenges on the global nursing workforce and placed them at a higher risk of occupational burnout and turnover. In Lebanon, the pandemic hit when nurses were already struggling with an economic collapse caused by government failures. Resilience may play a protective factor against adversity and enable effective adaption to the burden of the pandemic.AimsTo determine the level of resilience in the nursing workforce and its relationship to burnout, intention to quit, and perceived COVID‐19 risk.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was employed among all registered nurses affiliated with the Order of Nurses in Lebanon and working in patient care positions in hospitals. The online survey questionnaire incorporated the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Quartile scores were used to differentiate levels of resilience and burnout. Multiple logistic regression identified variables significantly associated with resilience.ResultsFive‐hundred and eleven nurses responded to the questionnaire. Nurses had a moderate level of resilience (M = 72 ± 13.5). In multivariate analyses, being male (OR = 3.67; 95% CI [1.46, 9.22]; p = .006) and having a master’s degree (OR = 4.082; 95% CI [1.49, 11.20]; p = .006) were independently associated with higher resilience. Resilience levels decreased with higher personal burnout (OR = 0.12; 95% CI [0.03, 0.435]; p = .001), work‐related burnout (OR = 0.14; 95% CI [0.04, 0.46]; p = .001), and client‐related burnout rates (OR = 0.09; 95% CI [0.03, 0.34]; p < .001). Nurses reporting the intention to quit their job had lower resilience scores (OR = 0.20; 95% CI [0.04, 0.88]; p = .033).Linking Evidence to ActionNursing stakeholders must introduce programs to regularly assess and enhance the resilience of nurses especially at time of crisis. Such programs would protect nurses from the perils of burnout and enhance their retention during times when they are most needed. Protecting nurses from burnout is an ethical imperative as well as an operational requirement.
BackgroundAnalysis of the nursing registration databases is a highly informative approach that provides accurate and reliable information supporting evidence based decisions relevant to the nursing workforce planning, management and development. This study presents the first systematic analysis of the nursing registration database in Lebanon. It Reports on the workforce distribution and trends using an updated version of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon (ONL) databases.MethodsThis study presents a secondary data analysis of a de-identified subset of the updated ONL registration database. The workforce participation status of ONL registered nurses was categorized as active and eligible. For active nurses sectors and sub-sectors of employment were defined. Eligible nurses were categorized as unemployed, working outside nursing and working abroad. SPSS was used to conduct descriptive analysis to present workforce trends of Lebanese nurses for year 2009–2014 as frequencies, percentages and percentage changes.ResultsIncreases in the size of the Active (35%) and Eligible (86%) nurses were observed over the past six years. The majority of nurses fell in the below 35 years age group (60% in 2014). The hospital sector remained the principle employer, with 87% of Lebanese nurses working in hospitals in 2014. A 173% increases was reported for nurses working abroad.DiscussionDespite the growth of the Active nursing workforce, the skewed distribution of nurses in the below 35 age group and the growth in the Eligible category, especially for nurses living abroad, raise concerns on the longevity of nurses in the profession and the reasons for their attrition from the workforce.ConclusionThere is a need to investigate the push and pull factors that are affecting nurses and the design of policies and interventions that would encourage nurses to remain active in Lebanon. Furthermore, policies and interventions that would create employment opportunities outside hospitals, especially in the Community sector, are recommended.
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