The Psychological Impact of Dealing with Death and the Risk of Dying Among Nurses Working in ICU and NICU: Specificities in Mediating and Moderating Variables.

. This study applied the to explore and compare the experiences of nurses working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), by investigating the effects of the interplay (main/mediating/moderating effects) of perceived stress related to dealing with death/critically ill patients ()-which unavoidably features in the daily life of nurses working in ICU/NICU-with further potential (Conflicts-with-Physicians, Peers, Supervisors, Patients/their families, Uncertainty-Concerning-Treatment, Inadequate-Emotional-Preparation, Discrimination, Workload), (Job-Control, Social-Support, Rewards), and (Problem-focused, Seek-Advice, Self-Blame, Wishful Thinking, Escape/Avoidance) on nurses' psychological health conditions according to the working unit (ICU/NICU). . Overall, 62 critical care nurses (ICU = 35; NICU = 27) completed self-report questionnaires. Main/mediating/moderating effects were tested by using Correlational-Analyses and Hayes-PROCESS-tool by working unit. . Nurses working in NICU reported higher than nurses working in ICU. The detrimental psychological impact of was mediated by - among ICU nurses and by and stressors among NICU nurses. The recourse to and coping strategies exacerbated the psychological risk among ICU nurses, while perceived (Job-Control/Social-Support) played a protective moderating role among NICU nurses. . The application of the to deepen the experience of nurses working in ICU/NICU could advance the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between and nurses' psychological health, suggesting tailored risk profiles and accounting for key protective factors, to provide nurses with the necessary resources for adjusting to their challenging and emotionally demanding work-related duties and experiences.