Speakers - WNSC 2023

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Nurses, the warriors on the frontline who took COVID-19 head-on and saved lives against all the adversities are highly vulnerable to compassion fatigue, which may affect their mental health, work effectiveness, and patient safety outcomes.

Researchers have reported that nurses must be 'emotionally intelligent and resilient individuals, who can manage their health and wellbeing, and know when and how to access support.' In research of McAllister & McKinnon believe that resilient capacity is essential for the nurses' job success because they would otherwise find it difficult to work for nurses which would lead to psychological and biological damage to nurses. Persons who are so resilient enough are generally able to use a combination of internal and external sources of problem-solving strategies to manage and recover from stress and adverse effects.

New research on "religiosity and resilience" deconstructs the coping mechanisms used by religious people in times of distress and highlights "the mediating role of reappraisal and coping self-efficacy in the protecting role of religious coping against anxiety and depression symptoms."

Hence, this paper seeks to explore pragmatic solutions rooted in cultivating resilience through religious belief and spirituality to mitigate the effect of CF, thereby enhancing nurses' personal and professional lives resulting in elevated patient care.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A qualitative research design has been implemented where the responses of 205 nurses from 07 charitable health care providers were analyzed using 5 point Likert scale.

Findings: The mean score is 4.6 that is; most of the respondents to the statement “Religion/spirituality inspires and sustains resilience” responded under the category of 4. Agree and 5. Strongly agree. The findings showed the significant effect of spiritual-religious interventions in increasing the resilience of nurses.

 Conclusion & Significance: The factor of religion and spirituality can act as a propeller for many to cultivate and promote resilience. In fact, this particular factor may act as an anchor against distractions both internal and external. And most importantly urgent scientific research is necessary to find the effectiveness of religious belief in developing and sustaining resilience and how its benefit can be harnessed for mentally and physically stressed nurses.