Network of job demands-resources and depressive symptoms in clinical nursing interns: A cross-sectional study

Clinical nursing interns often face high stress from heavy workloads, interpersonal challenges, and role conflicts, which can lead to depressive symptoms. Understanding how job demands and resources affect their mental health is crucial.

To explore the relationships between job demands-resources and depressive symptoms among clinical nursing interns.

A cross-sectional design was applied.

A total of 813 participants were included in this study. Data were collected via questionnaires including the SNS-14-CHI, Career Self-efficacy Questionnaire, and PHQ-9. Network analysis and structural equation modeling were applied for data analysis.

In this study, network analysis results showed that among depressive symptoms, "Sad mood" had the highest expected influence, followed by "Appetite" and "Concentration". Meanwhile, in terms of job demands-resources and personal resources, the node with the highest expected influence was "Number of work days per week", followed by "Being prepared" and "Problem-solving ability". Three bridging variables were identified: "Placement workload", "Staffing levels", and "Number of work days per week". The final structural equation model generally supported the results of the network analysis, with acceptable model fit.

The study confirms significant associations between job demands-resources and depressive symptoms in clinical nursing interns. "Sad mood," "Appetite," and "Concentration" are core depressive symptoms, while "Number of work days per week," "Staffing levels," "Being prepared," and "Problem-solving ability" are key factors in job demands-resources and personal resources. Among these, "Number of work days per week" stands out as a feasible intervention target. Optimizing scheduling is associated with potential reductions in depressive symptoms, safeguard interns' mental health, and ultimately contribute to a stable healthcare workforce.