Psychological well-being in nursing: relationships with resilience and coping

Aims: To determine the differences in resilience, coping, and psychological well-being (PWB) among nursing professionals of different hospital services, as well as to establish a structural model in nursing staff where resilience and coping were included. Method: Correlational and cross-sectorial study with probabilistic sampling. A sample of 208 nursing professionals from University Hospital of Fuenlabrada (Madrid) took part in the study. This sample consisted of nurses (n = 133), nursing assistants (n = 61), and midwives (n = 14), of whom 94 worked in special units and 114 worked in wards. Instruments: 10-Item CD-RISC (resilience), Brief-Cope (coping strategies), PWB scales (PWB dimensions), and sociodemographic variables. Results: No differences were found in any assessed psychological variables as regards hospital service worked in. A structural model was found where resilience was a precursor factor of coping that determined the PWB of the nurses. Resilience favoured strategies related to engagement coping with stressful situations ((3=0.56) that contributed to PWB (R=0.43) (these relationships were inverted in the case of disengagement coping). Conclusions: Resilience is an inherent feature in nursing staff whether they work in special units or wards. Coping strategies focused on engagement (or adaptive) with the stressful situation determined nursing PWB (primarily self-acceptance and environment mastery dimensions). Resilience and coping strategies more adaptives constitute two personal resources that determine PWB. (C) 2014 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.