Communication Self-Efficacy and Job Satisfaction among Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction. The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to various challenges for healthcare workers, including nurses. Nurses play a critical role in the fight against this disease, and their communication of self-efficacy and job satisfaction has garnered significant attention. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between communication self-efficacy and job satisfaction of Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. A total of 500 nurses working in hospitals in Iran were selected using a convenience sampling method. The communication self-efficacy scale and the job satisfaction scale were used to collect data. Results. The study found that nurses with higher communication self-efficacy exhibited better performance and job satisfaction in various work challenges (r = 0.56, p<0.001). However, nurses holding a master’s degree or higher reported the lowest average communication self-efficacy and job satisfaction scores during the COVID-19 epidemic. The study also explored the impact of shift work on job satisfaction among nurses and found that nurses working exclusively on the morning shift reported the highest average job satisfaction score. Conclusion. The findings of this study suggest that communication self-efficacy is an important factor in predicting job satisfaction among Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare organizations provide effective communication training sessions and mental health interventions to enhance nurses’ communication self-efficacy and job satisfaction. This can ultimately lead to improved performance and better patient outcomes.