The Relationship Between Resilience Level and Perceived Stress Intensity Among Psychiatric Nurses

Background: Resilience plays a fundamental role in the professional functioning of psychiatric nurses, supporting coping with stress, adaptation to demanding work environments, and job satisfaction. Regular assessment of resilience and perceived stress is important for timely psychological and organizational support. This study aimed to examine the relationship between resilience and perceived occupational stress among psychiatric nursing staff. Methods: The present study employed a cross-sectional research design. Standardized psychometric instruments were used, including the Resilience Assessment Scale (SPP-25) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Additionally, a self-developed questionnaire was administered to gather sociodemographic data. The study was conducted in five psychiatric hospitals located in the southern region of Poland. Data collection took place between January and June 2023 and involved a total of 555 nurses (449 women and 106 men) employed in inpatient psychiatric wards. A statistical significance level of p < 0.05 was adopted. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25. Results: The overall resilience level in the study group was 57.83 points (SD = 24.33). The mean level of perceived stress among psychiatric nurses was 18.43 points (SD = 10.91). Both resilience and perceived stress levels varied significantly depending on selected sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between perceived stress and both the overall level of resilience and each of its individual components (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Regular assessment of psychological resilience and stress levels among psychiatric nurses is an essential component of monitoring their well-being. Such evaluations provide insights into the role of individual resources in coping with occupational demands and serve as a foundation for developing targeted support programs. Strengthening resilience not only promotes the mental health of nursing staff but also contributes to higher quality of patient care and greater effectiveness in fulfilling professional responsibilities.