Effects of beliefs and coping on resilience and stress responses in Japanese nurses

Abstract

Backgrounds: Recently, medical treatment has improved, but patients are getting older, symptoms are getting serious. Japanese nurses are doing different jobs, including supporting patients, reducing hospitalizations, and educating and guiding junior nurses. Therefore, they experience many stresses leading to mental and physical exhaustion that result in nurses leaving their jobs. This study examined correlations among beliefs, coping, resilience, and stress responses. Furthermore, support required for improving nurse’s resilience is discussed. Methods: Participants were full-time nurses working in hospitals. Correlations among beliefs, coping, resilience, and stress responses in nurses were examined through path analysis using Covariance Structure Analysis. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0. Results: Beliefs had a significant negative correlation with resilience, whereas they had a significant positive correlation with stress responses. Also, positive coping had a significant positive correlation with resilience, whereas negative coping had a significant negative correlation with resilience . Moreover, negative coping had a significant positive correlation with stress responses. Furthermore, positive coping did not show a significant path to stress responses. In addition, resilience had a significant negative correlation with stress responses (χ(2) = .384, df = 3, p = .943,GFI=1.000, AGFI=.999,　NFI=1.000,CFI=1.000, RMSEA=.000). Discussion: Beliefs might make it difficult to flexibly adapt oneself to different conditions and values, which could lower resilience. It is suggested that changes to beliefs and strengthening resilience would decrease stress responses.