COVID-19 and health-care worker's combating approach: an exhausting job demand to satisfy

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between person-role conflict, psychological capital and emotional exhaustion. Specifically, the research explores how person-role conflict magnified due to daily contact with COVID-19 carriers leads doctors and nurses to experience emotional exhaustion. Moreover, psychological capital function as an explanatory mechanism between stressor strain relationships has also been tested.

Design/methodology/approach

The study results are based on three months of lagged data conducted from the sample of 347 frontline physicians and nurses who provide treatment and care to infected people. To test direct, indirect and total effect, the author's used PROCESS Macro.

Findings

The results suggested that person-role conflict reduces state-like psychological capital and increases emotional exhaustion through reduced psychological capital. Results aligned with the model's expectations in that psychological capital mediated the relationship between person-role conflict and emotional exhaustion, and the mediation was partial.

Originality/value

This paper is the first one that tested the link between person-role conflict and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, up till now, no study has examined the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between person-role conflict and emotional exhaustion. Finally, in the context of the contagion outbreak, this is the preliminary effort that validated the resource loss cycle principle of conservation of resource theory.

Citation

Shah, S.J. and Huang, C. (2021), "COVID-19 and health-care worker's combating approach: an exhausting job demand to satisfy", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 848-866. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-01-2021-0008