Role of spiritual intelligence and demographic factors as predictors of occupational stress, quality of life and coronavirus anxiety among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: This study investigated the impact of spiritual intelligence and demographic factors in the prediction of occupational stress, quality of life and coronavirus anxiety among nurses.

Design: A cross-sectional study was planned.

Methods: The study was conducted among full-time nurses who were employed in two teaching hospitals of Babol city which were referral centres for caring patients infected with COVID-19 from February-May 2021. One hundred and twenty-nine nurses completed five questionnaires including the demographic questions, Quality of life (WHOQOL-BRIF), Occupational Role Questionnaire (ORQ), Spiritual Intelligence and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale.

Results: The findings revealed that 69% of the nurses experienced moderate occupational stress, moderate quality of life and low coronavirus anxiety. Spiritual intelligence was the only significant negative predictor of occupational stress (β = -0.517, p = <0.001). The only positive predictor of quality of life was perceived income adequacy. Predicting factors of coronavirus anxiety were the perceived income adequacy as protective (β = -0.221, p = 0.022) and the number of children as predisposing (β = 0.401, p = 0.004) factors. These findings should be considered when planning nursing interventions for improvement of occupational stress, quality of life and anxiety especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.