Moderating Role of Fear of Covid on the Relationship between Burnout and Psychological Distress among Frontline Healthcare Workers

Abstract

This study examines the association between the job burnout and psychological distress among nurses and investigates the moderating role of fear of COVID-19. In this relationship a cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 241 nurses using standardized measurement scales for fear of COVID-19, psychological distress and job burnout. Findings reveal that burnout is significant and associate positively with psychological distress (β = 0.185, p = 0.001). However, fear of COVID-19 does not  moderate the relationship between burnout and psychological distress significantly (β = 0.017, p = 0.774). These results suggest that burnout remains a critical predictor of psychological distress among nurses during health crises. The study emphasizes the need for healthcare institutions to implement supportive interventions, such as counseling services, psychological support, and stress-management training, to reduce burnout and promote nurses’ mental well-being during pandemic situations.