Coping with job stress for hospital nurses during the COVID-19 crisis: The joint roles of micro-breaks and psychological detachment

Abstract

Aim: To examine a mediated moderation of the effects of micro-break activity and psychological detachment on the relationship between job stress and work engagement among hospital nurses.

Background: Nursing burnout, compassion fatigue and job stress have been relatively constant issues in nursing for at least the past decade-and the pervasiveness of the COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying them, which may lead to new challenges to work engagement.

Methods: We tested our model using a time-lagged design to collect data from supervisor-subordinate dyads in seven public hospitals located in southern China, and 263 nurses and 58 head nurses in this survey. Confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson's correlation and hierarchical multiple regression were carried out.

Results: The results showed that the adverse impact of job stress on work engagement disappeared when nurses engaged in high levels of micro-break activity. Moreover, the moderating role of micro-break activity was mediated by psychological detachment.

Conclusions: Micro-break activity and psychological detachment play joint roles in helping nurses to cope with job stress.

Implications for nursing management: Nurse managers should change their negative attitude toward micro-break activity (if it exists) and help nurses find opportunities for detachment under high-pressure environment.

Keywords: job stress; micro-break activity; psychological detachment; work engagement.