Psychological distress and resilience among Jordanian nurses in critical care units following the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background There is limited research on the psychological impact of COVID-19 and resilience among critical care nurses in Arab countries. This study assessed psychological distress, including stress, anxiety, depression, and resilience, among Jordanian critical care nurses following the pandemic’s second wave. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional design and involved 260 registered Jordanian nurses working in critical care units across three healthcare sectors (government, private, and educational). The data collection took place from June to August 2022, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 42) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results The findings revealed that over half of the critical care nurses experienced moderate to extremely severe anxiety (57.7%). Approximately 50.0% of nurses reported moderate to extremely severe depression, while 33.5% experienced moderate to extremely severe stress. Additionally, more than half of the nurses (66.5%) had low resilience. A significant positive correlation was found between resilience and marital status (r = 0.210, p < 0.01), while a significant negative correlation was observed between resilience and anxiety (r = -0.128, p < 0.05). Conclusion This study could assist hospital managers and healthcare professionals in developing training programs and workshops to reduce psychological issues and improve resilience among critical care nurses.