The effect of grit on the work engagement of nurses: The mediating effects of positive psychological capital and burnout

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the effects of grit on the work engagement of nurses and to identify the mediating effects of positive psychological capital and burnout in the relationship between grit and work engagement.Methods: The study subjects were 182 nurses who had been working in a general hospital for more than six months. The data were collected from July 12 to July 26, 2021. The collected 182 sets of data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and a hierarchical regression analysis using IBM SPSS statistics version 23.0 and also by bootstrapping using SPSS Process Macro.Results: As a result of the analyses, it was found that higher work engagement was associated with higher grit, higher positive psychological capital, and lower burnout. The mediating effects of positive psychological capital and burnout in the relationship between grit and work engagement were found to be both direct and indirect.Conclusion: This study provides basic data suggesting that an education program designed to reduce burnout and reinforce grit and positive psychological capital is necessary to promote the work engagement of nurses in clinical settings.