Background and Objectives: The most important challenge right now is the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional self-concept is thought to be a predictor and mediator of health outcomes, and knowledge related to nurses' self-concept is also very important for continued Professional development and growth. Therefore, we decided to conduct a study aimed at determining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses' Professional self-concept. Methods: This was an analytical case-control study. Participants consisted of 220 nurses of Ardabil government hospitals, which were divided into three groups: case (nurses working in the Covid ward and Covid ICU) and control (nurses working in other non-Covid wards). The data collection instrument consists of a two-part questionnaire (Socio-demographic and Nurses' Professional self-concept Questionnaire made by Cowin). Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 16 through descriptive and inferential statistics such as independent t-test, One-Way ANOVA and post hoc tests. The level of significance was considered at P < 0. 05. Results: The results of our study indicated that nurses of ICU Covid and Covid wards had moderate level of Professional self-concept (72-44), but nurses of non Covid wards had low level of self-concept (36-72). Also, comparing the three groups with One-Way ANOVA test, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups (P< 0. 05). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that there is a significant difference between nurses working in Covid and non-Covid wards in terms of the level of Professional self-concept and the more care experience, the more self-concept. Therefore, maintaining the position of the nursing profession resulting from the transition from the crisis of Covid-19, changing the educational planning in order to be more prepared for similar conditions in nursing education and providing in-service training by special nurses to inexperienced nurses seems necessary.

Background: We aimed to investigate factors affecting ego-resilience, emotional labor, and job satisfaction and their relationship with Professional self-concept among psychiatric nurses. Methods: The study was conducted among nurses working in four psychiatric wards: Sung Eun Medical Foundation Reference Hospital (Medical Corporation) in Jeongeup City, Korea,Dasarang Hospital in Gwangju, Korea,Saemirae Hospital in Gwangju (metropolitan city), Korea,and Jangseong Hospital in Jangseong-eup City, Korea. All nurses fully understood the purpose of the study and voluntarily agreed to participate. From August 14 to September 24, 2020, direct survey data were collected by a researcher using a structured questionnaire. Of the 136 questionnaires retrieved, 129 were used for analysis, while 7 were excluded due to incomplete or missing responses. Results: Significantly different effects on Professional self-concept were noted for the following general characteristics: age (P<0. 001), religion (P=0. 024), duration of nursing career (P=0. 041), position (P=0. 021), salary (P=0. 016), nursing job satisfaction (P=0. 022), and psychiatric nursing job satisfaction (P=0. 010). Moreover, Professional self-concept was correlated with ego-resilience (r=0. 62, P<0. 001) and job satisfaction (r=0. 41, P<0. 001). In the multiple regression analysis, factors affecting Professional self-concept included no religious preference (β, =0. 25, P<0. 001), employment as a charge nurse (β, =-0. 20, P=0. 034), and ego-resilience (β, =0. 58, P<0. 001). The explanatory power was 42. 1%. Conclusion: Ego-resilience is the factor most strongly influencing Professional self-concept. Furthermore, Professional self-concept was stronger among those without religious preferences and those who held senior positions (charge nurse).