Introduction: Increasing job stress weakens the nurses’ health, subsequently increases
emotional exhaustion, and decreases their efficiency; therefore, the aim of this study was to
investigate the effect of resilience and optimism on emotional exhaustion and job stress in
nurses fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic in Hajar Hospital of Shahrekord in Iran in
2021-2022.
Methods: The method of the current study is practical in terms of purpose and descriptive
survey in terms of data collection. The statistical population included 330 nurses working
in inpatient wards of patients with COVID-19 in Hajar Hospital of Shahrekord; the sample
size was determined using Cochran’s formula (178 people) and available methods. The
data were collected through standard questionnaires including resilience questionnaire by
Connor and Davidson (2003); optimism questionnaire by Caliskan & Uzunkol (2018); job
stress questionnaire by Sosik & Godshalk (2000), and emotional exhaustion questionnaire by
Maslach & Jackson (1981).
Results: The findings showed that job stress had a significant effect on the nurses’ emotional
exhaustion (P=0.000). Also, optimism had a significant effect on the nurses’ emotional
exhaustion with the mediation of job stress (P=0.004) and resilience had a significant effect
on the nurses’ emotional exhaustion with the mediation of job stress (P=0.025).
Conclusion: According to the results of the research, it was found that as nurses’ optimism
and resilience increased and their stress decreased, their emotional exhaustion also decreased.
Therefore, hospital supervisors could be helpful in formulating strategies in the field of
increasing hope and positive energy, as well as training nurses to enhance their resilience.