Relationship between social support and resilience among nurses: a systematic review

BackgroundHigh levels of stress and anxiety in nurses negatively affect their physical and mental health and lead to poor job performance, limited job satisfaction, high levels of burnout and increased intention to leave the profession. By promoting resilience in nurses it is possible to reduce negative consequences for those working in highly stressful workplaces. ObjectiveTo summarize the evidence about the relationship between social support and resilience among nurses. MethodsWe performed a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched Pubmed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cinahl from inception to August 28, 2022 using the following search strategy in all fields: ((resilience) AND ("social support")) AND (nurses). ResultsApplying the inclusion criteria, we found six studies that investigated the relationship between social support and resilience among nurses. Two studies were conducted in China, two studies in Turkey, one study in Haiti, and one study in Taiwan. All studies were cross-sectionals and used convenience samples. All studies found a positive relationship between social support and resilience among nurses. In studies that used multivariable analysis, coefficient beta ranged from 0.13 to 0.69, while in studies that used correlation analysis, correlation coefficient ranged from 0.18 to 0.37. ConclusionsWe found that social support improves resilience among nurses. It is necessary to make systematic efforts to support nurses especially in the workplace. This need is even greater for inexperienced nurses, as it is more difficult for them to cope effectively with the difficulties of the profession. A harmonious working environment is essential to reduce the psychological pressure of nurses and improve job performance.