Concern about contagion and distress in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Motherhood as moderator

A study on optimism as a psychological strength in nurses through a prospective study from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to two years later

“…The main aim of the present study has been to analyze a model that included optimism as outcome, with openness to experience and hardiness (the latter as a mediating variable) as antecedents on nursing professionals in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, this was done through a prospective design (two years, starting in May 2020 and ending in July 2022). Bearing in mind that concerns about self-contagion were one of the main factors that influenced the emotional state of this population ( Gil-Almagro et al 2022 ; Romeu-Labayen et al 2022 ), the model included this factor as a moderator between openness to experience and hardiness.…”

“…This result is particularly relevant if we consider the concept and origin of resilience, within the theoretical framework that includes hardiness. Resilience includes personal skills that allow growth in the face of adversity ( Nordström et al 2022 ), in this case, in the face of circumstances caused by a pandemic where uncertainty, stress, and in particular, concerns about self-contagion were inherent ( Gil-Almagro et al 2022 ; Romeu-Labayen et al 2022 ). The results obtained show that the higher the levels of associated stress, the more relevant it is to be open to experience in order to ensure (and promote) resilient health professionals (high hardiness).…”

“…Thus, our findings indicate that hardiness is a fundamental and necessary variable to strengthen the link between openness to experience and optimism during the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly one of the most significant results of this study is the analysis of the variables that contribute to generating optimism, two years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst taking into account the role of concerns associated with the fear of contagion ( Gil-Almagro et al 2022 ; Romeu-Labayen et al 2022 ). These data are particularly relevant, since optimism is a trait clearly associated with health and psychological well-being ( Gallagher et al 2020 ; Rincón Uribe et al 2022 ).…”

“…Nurses, in particular, have been of special research interest due to their specific working conditions and organizational role ( Li et al 2018 ), having found that they have suffered psychosocial consequences even greater than those of other medical staff ( Pappa et al 2020 ). In addition to the habitual occupational health risk factors, during the pandemic, especially in its early stages, the literature has revealed a particularly stressful factor: concern about self-contagion ( Gil-Almagro et al 2022 ; Romeu-Labayen et al 2022 ).…”

“…In this context, and with the intention of providing information in relation to the promotion of personal strengths, the present study analyzes, through a prospective study, which variables may have contributed to the development of optimism in nurses who have carried out their care activity throughout the pandemic in direct contact with COVID19 patients, including openness to experience and hardiness as key variables within positive psychology in the proposed model. Furthermore, taking into account the characteristics of uncertainty associated with COVID-19 ( Gil-Almagro et al, 2022 ; Romeu-Labayen et al 2022 ), we added concern about self-contagion as a moderating variable, given, as has been pointed out, that this variable constitutes an important risk factor. The proposed model is expected to be statistically significant.…”