The impact of nurses' adversity quotient on their work stress: the mediating role of professional identity.

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the influence of nurses' adversity quotient on their work stress and to further explore whether professional identity can mediate in this process.

Methods: From July to September 2023, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among nurses in six public tertiary hospitals in Suzhou and Wuxi, China, including demographic information, Adversity Response Profile (ARP), The Professional Identity Scale for Nurses (PIS) and Stress Overload Scale (SOS). Analyzed the collected data using correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling.

Results: 1,578 nurses completed the questionnaires, resulting in 1,468 valid questionnaires. The average score of Stress Overload Scale of the surveyed nurses was 65.26 ± 17.93 points (Total score of Stress Overload Scale: 110). The correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between nurses' adversity quotient and their professional identity (r = 0.59, P < 0.01); professional identity and work stress were negatively correlated (r=-0.44, P < 0.01); and adversity quotient was also negatively correlated with work stress (r=-0.31, P < 0.01). The structural equation model indicated that professional identity might mediate between stress and adversity quotient.

Conclusion: Clinical nurses suffer from heavy work stress, and nurses' adversity quotient could change their work stress level by affecting their professional identity. Strategies and measures to improve professional identity is expected to buffer the impact of adversity quotient on nurses' work stress.