Finding the positives from the COVID-19 pandemic: Factors associated with posttraumatic growth among nurses in Hong Kong

Background: Due to active involvement with patients for COVID-19 treatments, nurses are susceptible to adverse psychological outcomes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the distress, studies have suggested that nurses are able to experience positive changes (i.e. posttraumatic growth; PTG) during the pandemic. Research on other populations has also indicated that COVID-19-specific worries and work-related coping resources are associated with people's positive changes during the pandemic. Objective: This study examined how socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related worries, and work-related variables (satisfaction with work and workplace pandemic guidelines) were associated with PTG among nurses in Hong Kong. Methods: Nurses (N = 1510) working in hospitals and community settings were recruited through nursing associations in Hong Kong between 8 August 2020 and 22 September 2020. They were invited to complete a cross-sectional survey measuring their sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 worries, and satisfaction with work and workplace pandemic-control measures. Results: Results from hierarchical regressions found that those working non-full-time (beta = -0.06), affiliating with a religion (beta = 0.24), having higher COVID-19-related worries and psychological distress (betas ranging from 0.12-0.15), and having higher work satisfaction (beta = 0.14) were associated with higher PTG (ps < .05). Moreover, a significant interaction between psychological distress and satisfaction with workplace pandemic control guidelines emerged in explaining PTG (beta = 0.08, p < .05), such that guideline satisfaction was only associated with higher PTG among those with higher distress (beta = 0.09, p = .03), but not those with lower distress (beta = -0.05, p > .05). Conclusions: Nurses in Hong Kong did report positive changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies could focus on the contributing factors of PTG to design for effective strategies to enhance resources for nurses to promote positive psychosocial outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) Antecedentes: Debido a la participacion activa de pacientes en los tratamientos de COVID-19, las/os enfermeras son susceptibles a resultados psicologicos adversos en medio de la pandemia de COVID-19. A pesar de la angustia, los estudios han sugerido que las(os) enfermeras(os) pueden experimentar cambios positivos (es decir, crecimiento postraumatico; CPT) durante la pandemia. Investigacion en otras poblaciones tambien ha indicado que las preocupaciones especificas por COVID-19 y los recursos de afrontamiento relacionados con el trabajo estan asociados a cambios positivos de las personas durante la pandemia. Objetivo: Este estudio examino como las caracteristicas sociodemograficas, las preocupaciones relacionadas a COVID-19 y las variables relacionadas con el trabajo (satisfaccion con el trabajo y pautas pandemicas en el lugar de trabajo) se asociaron con el CPT entre las(os) enfermeras(os) de Hong Kong. Metodos: Las(os) enfermeras(os) (N = 1510) que trabajan en hospitales y entornos comunitarios fueron reclutadas(os) a traves de asociaciones de enfermeria en Hong Kong entre el 8 de agosto del 2020 y el 22 de septiembre del 2020. Los participantes fueron invitados a completar una encuesta transversal que midio sus caracteristicas sociodemograficas, preocupaciones sobre COVID-19 y satisfaccion con el trabajo y las medidas de control de pandemias en el lugar de trabajo. Resultados: Los resultados de regresiones jerarquicas encontraron que aquellos que: no trabajaban a tiempo completo (beta = -0.06), se afiliaban a una religion (beta = 0.24), tenian mayores preocupaciones y angustia psicologica relacionadas por COVID-19 (betas que oscilan entre 0.12-0.15) y tenian una mayor satisfaccion laboral (beta = 0.14), se asociaron con CPT mas alto (ps < .05). Ademas, una interaccion significativa entre la angustia psicologica y la satisfaccion con las pautas de control de la pandemia en el lugar de trabajo, surgio al explicar el CPT (beta = 0.08, p < .05), de modo que la satisfaccion de la guia solo se asocio con un CPT mas alto entre aquellos con mayor angustia (beta = 0.09, p = .03), pero no en aquellos con menor angustia (beta = -0.05, p > .05). Conclusiones: Las(os) enfermeras(os) en Hong Kong informaron cambios positivos en medio de la pandemia por COVID-19. Los estudios futuros podrian centrarse en los factores que contribuyen a la CPT para disenar estrategias eficaces con el fin de mejorar los recursos de las(os) enfermeras(os) para promover resultados psicosociales positivos. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)