Depression and burnout among Chinese nurses during COVID-19 pandemic: a mediation and moderation analysis model among frontline nurses and nonfrontline nurses caring for COVID-19 patients

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses' workload increased dramatically, and nurses faced the risk of infection and multiple ethical dilemmas. In such a situation, nurse burnout was elevated, which tended to exacerbate depression in nurses. Although previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between burnout and depression among nurses, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Furthermore, environmental factors are also essential to a person's psychological health. Therefore, this study intended to investigate the potential mechanisms of depression caused by nurse burnout and whether burnout among frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated its effect on depression in nurses as an environmental factor. Methods A total of 4517 nurses were enrolled in this study. A moderated mediation model was established to investigate the relationship between burnout and positive coping styles, interpersonal relationships, and depression utilizing the SPSS PROCESS 3.3 macro. The direct effect of burnout on depression was also investigated with the moderated mediation model. Results The indirect effects of positive coping styles (β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.04) and interpersonal relationships (β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.13) were revealed. Being a frontline nurse caring for COVID-19 patients moderated the direct effect of burnout on depression (β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.16). Conclusion This study offers strong evidence for the mediating role of positive coping styles and interpersonal relationships in the relationship between nurse burnout and depression, in addition to illustrating the need for more psychological support for frontline nurses caring for COVID-19 patients.