A Correlational Study of Job Stress and Nursing Service Quality in the Context of COVID-19: Implications for Future Pandemics

Purpose: Given the alarming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on job stress among nurses, identifying the types of job stress that are related to nursing service quality will be beneficial for guaranteeing excellent nursing service quality during and after future pandemics. Therefore, this study aimed to examine job stress and its correlation with nursing service quality during the coronavirus outbreak in Korea. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 111 nurses who worked at tertiary hospitals for more than one year, including the time between the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and when data were collected between January 7 and February 28, 2021. Descriptive statistics and coefficient analyses were used to examine the data. Results: A significant negative correlation was found between the overall quality of nursing and each the following 8 subscales of job stress (p<.01): physical work needs (r=-0.34, p<.001), role and responsibility (r=-0.44, p<.001), relationship conflicts (r=-0.49, p<.001), work-life balance (r=0.34, p<.001), job autonomy (r=-0.34, p<.001), organizational support (r=-0.52, p<.001), appropriateness of compensation (r=-0.42, p<.001), and organizational fairness (r=-0.51, p<.001). This study found a notable negative correlation between relationship conflict and nursing service quality. In other words, an increase in relationship conflicts during the COVID-19 pandemic strongly correlated with a decline in the quality of nursing service delivered. Conclusion: Improved nursing service quality ultimately enhances patient outcomes, making the resolution of relationship conflicts a crucial priority for healthcare organizations’ stress management programs. This study underscores the need for healthcare organizations to prioritize strategies of preparedness for future pandemics so that they can achieve long-term success in delivering high-quality healthcare.