LAUSR

Abstract Aim This cross‐sectional study, conducted from August to September 2020, examined nurses’ stress, self‐efficacy and nursing intentions when caring for COVID‐19 patients and identified the predictors of nursing intentions during the pandemic. Background The COVID‐19 outbreak has increased nurses' role expectations and imposed a heavy social responsibility. In particular, frontline nurses are under significant stress when caring for patients during a novel epidemic because of the lack of accurate information. Methods A total of 232 nurses with experience in providing care for suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 patients from seven large hospitals in three cities in Korea completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Self‐Efficacy Scale and Predictive Nursing Intention Scale. Results Multiple regression confirmed that completing COVID‐19‐related education and self‐efficacy were significant predictors of nursing intentions during the current pandemic; the regression model explained 22.0% of the variance in nursing intentions. Conclusion Stress did not affect frontline nurses' nursing intentions towards COVID‐19 patient care, but completing COVID‐19‐related education and higher self‐efficacy predicted improved nursing intentions. Implications for Nursing Management Nurse leaders should recognize that to improve nursing intentions during a novel infection outbreak, infection‐related education should be provided and strategies to improve self‐efficacy should be implemented.