Exploring the Impact of the Relationship Among Nurses' Resilience, Work Environment Satisfaction, and Intention to Stay After the Local COVID ‐19 Outbreak Situation Changed in Taiwan: A Pre‐ and Post‐Survey Study

Aim To investigate the impact on nurses' resilience, work environment satisfaction and intention to stay during the COVID‐19 pandemic, we explored the relationships among these three characteristics. Study Design A pre‐ and post‐survey study design. Methods Two questionnaire surveys were conducted with nurses at a teaching hospital during the COVID‐19 pandemic: the first survey was conducted during the outbreak period when the hospital's response mechanisms were initiated, and the second survey was conducted during the mitigation period when the hospital's response mechanisms were stopped. Reporting Method STROBE checklist. Results When the COVID‐19 outbreak transitioned to the mitigation period, work environment satisfaction decreased ( p < 0.05), intention to stay remained the same, and resilience increased ( p < 0.001). However, all three characteristics showed mild‐to‐moderate and significant positive correlations in both surveys ( p < 0.001). Furthermore, structural equation modelling (SEM) with bootstrapping showed a significant indirect effect of resilience on intention to stay through work environment satisfaction in both survey waves ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Our results revealed the relationships between resilience, work environment satisfaction, and intention to stay when the COVID‐19 situation and the hospital's response mechanisms changed. The impact of these changes and the relationship between these three characteristics differed from what was expected. Work environment satisfaction may mediate the association between resilience and intention to stay. Impact This study demonstrated the impact and relationship between changes caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic and changes in hospitals' response mechanisms on nurses' resilience, work environment satisfaction, and intention to stay. However, this differs from the models used in previous studies and necessitates further research. Patient or Public Contribution Changes in COVID‐19 conditions affect nurses' satisfaction with their work environments. Therefore, improving nurses' resilience, providing sufficient support, and adjusting hospital response mechanisms to mitigate the impact on their intention to leave are needed.