Understanding emotional reactions and coping strategies in Moroccan nurses and nursing students during COVID-19: A...

To predict the emotional responses and coping strategies of Moroccan professional nurses and nursing students during COVID-19 pandemic.

From April 2021 to June 2021, a quantitative comparative study was conducted with 68 professional nurses and 50 nursing students. Participants' responses were based on a self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic variables, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Scale (PANAS), and the brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE).

A total of 118 participants complete responses, with mean ages ranging from 19 to 58 (M = 27.59, SD ± 8.98), and majority were female (n = 79, 66.9%). In terms of avoidance coping, male professional nurses reported significantly higher mean score (27.73, SD ± 3.69) than female nurses (25.71, SD ± 3.98) (t = -2.085, P = .041). The result of multiple regression showed that for professional nurses, approach and avoidance coping are associated with age (β = .76, P < .001; β = .98, P < .001; respectively), seniority in the profession (β = -.94, P < .001; β = -1.13, P < .001; respectively), and positive affect scores (β = .33, P < .01; β = .32, P < .01; respectively). Conversely, nursing students revealed a different profile, with age significantly associated with approach coping (β = .95, P < .001) and avoidance coping (β = .95, P < .001). Notably, in contrast to avoidance coping, approach coping increased significantly with a positive affect score (β = .29, P < .01).

The use of various coping strategies by nurses in challenging situations highlights the crucial need for training in effective coping techniques for managing emotional reactions, as they have a considerable impact on mental well-being and the quality of nursing care.