Quantitative research on the impact of COVID‐19 on frontline nursing staff at a military hospital in Saudi Arabia

AIM: The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between stress, psychological symptoms and job satisfaction among frontline nursing staff at a military hospital in Saudi Arabia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. DESIGN: Descriptive cross‐sectional study. METHODS: Data were collected using an online survey. All Registered Nurses (N = 1,225) working at a military hospital between February to April 2021 were contacted, 625 responded (51%). Data were analysed using descriptive and multivariate analysis, Student's t‐test for independent samples and one‐way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's multiple comparison tests. RESULTS: Stress was experienced more significantly than depression or anxiety. Approximately 29% of the change in scores for psychological symptoms was explained by age group, being a Saudi national and working in emergency departments (F ([3,620]) = 19.063, p < 0.0001). A 37% change in nursing stress scores was explained by nationality and work department. (F ([5,618]) = 19.754, p < 0.0001). A 29% change in job satisfaction scores was explained by nationality and work department (F ([3,620]) = 19.063, p < 0.0001).