The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with negative job outcomes for nurses during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on nurses of color. The study used data from 3,782 nurses in the Current Population Survey to examine the relationship between nurse characteristics and COVID-19-related inability to work or look for work during May through December 2020. The analysis showed that race and gender did not significantly impact nurses' job outcomes. The odds of a negative impact were increased by age (1.5% per year, p < .05), having a child in the home (43%, p < .01), having no spouse present (36%, p < .01), and working in an outpatient role (48%, p < .001). While race alone was not linked to negative outcomes, nurses of color had higher rates of other factors that were associated with negative outcomes, indicating a need for a more nuanced examination of their work and life contexts and job outcomes throughout the pandemic.
Keywords: equity in nursing; nurse turnover; nurses; nurses of color; nursing jobs; racism in nursing; systems/management/leadership.