Factors influencing posttraumatic growth among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients: A path analysis

Based on Calhoun and Tedeschi's posttraumatic growth model, this study aimed to establish a path model of posttraumatic growth among nurses who provided care for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and to examine the associations between the relevant variables.

There are increasingly many studies examining the psychological health status of nurses caring for patients on the front lines of COVID-19. However, research results showing the effects of various variables affecting nurses' posttraumatic growth through positive psychological transformation are insufficient.

This cross-sectional study was based on a sample of 229 nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients for more than 1 month in South Korea from April to May 2021.

The fitness of the modified path model (χ²  = 1.380, p = .502, GFI = 0.99, CFI = 1.00, NFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.00 and TLI = 1.01) was higher than that of the hypothesis path model (χ²  = 124.133, p < .001, GFI = 0.85, CFI = 0.66, NFI = 0.65, RMSEA = 0.36 and TLI = 0.15). Deliberate rumination had directly influenced posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress disorder and social support had a direct and indirect effect on posttraumatic growth. Self-disclosure indirectly influenced posttraumatic growth through deliberate rumination but was not significant.

In order to improve posttraumatic growth of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients, it is necessary to provide and support opportunities for self-disclosure.

The results of this study can help institutions and nurse managers comprehensively understand the factors affecting posttraumatic growth of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in the front lines and determine basic strategies based on the importance of these factors.