Protective Factors against Morally Injurious Memories from the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nurses’ Occupational Wellbeing: A Cross-Sectional Experimental Study

Mihaela Alexandra Gherman (), Laura Arhiri, Andrei Corneliu Holman and Camelia Soponaru
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Mihaela Alexandra Gherman: Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Str. Toma Cozma 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Laura Arhiri: Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Str. Toma Cozma 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Andrei Corneliu Holman: Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Str. Toma Cozma 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Camelia Soponaru: Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Str. Toma Cozma 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-42

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic was a fertile ground for nurses’ exposure to self- and other-Potentially Morally Injurious Events (PMIEs). Our study explored the effects of nurses’ memories of self- and other-PMIEs on occupational wellbeing and turnover intentions. Using an experimental design on a convenience sample of 634 Romanian nurses, we tested a conceptual model with PLS-SEM, finding adequate explanatory and predictive power. Memories of self- and other-PMIEs were uniquely associated with work engagement, burnout, and turnover intentions, compared to a control group. These relationships were mediated by the three basic psychological needs. Relatedness was more thwarted for memories of other-PMIEs, while competence and autonomy were more thwarted for memories of self-PMIEs. Perceived supervisor support weakened the indirect effect between type of PMIE and turnover intentions, through autonomy satisfaction, but not through burnout. Self-disclosure weakened the indirect effect between type of PMIE and turnover intentions, through autonomy satisfaction, and both burnout and work engagement. Our findings emphasize the need for different strategies in addressing the negative long-term effects of nurses’ exposure to self- and other-PMIEs, according to the basic psychological need satisfaction and type of wellbeing indicator.

Keywords: potentially morally injurious event (PMIE); turnover intentions; COVID-19 pandemic; basic psychological need satisfaction; nurses; burnout; episodic memories; self-determination theory; self-disclosure; perceived autonomy support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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