ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a contagious illness caused by a recently identified form of the coronavirus (CoV), infected approximately 8,450 people worldwide and resulted in over 800 deaths. Of approximately 30 countries that were directly impacted by the SARS outbreak, SARS had especially adverse effects on China and Canada. The SARS outbreak was distinct from other pathogenic outbreaks because of its disproportionately high levels of infection in healthcare workers, particularly in nurses. Nurses experienced high levels of distress due to SARS; it is likely that their perceived professional efficacy and their perceptions of the effectiveness of their services were diminished. Professional efficacy is particularly affected by individual's resources including their perceived social support and their coping strategies. Hobfoll et al addresses the interpersonal, interactive nature of coping and social resource acquisition. Greenglass reports that social support at work and at home contributed to preventive and instrumental coping strategies used by managers.
