Background Nurses are a crucial part of healthcare organisations, constituting around half of the global healthcare workforce. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that may affect their job performance, which is central to the delivery of effective healthcare services.

Aim To examine the relationships between stress, resilience and job performance within the nursing context in Jordan.

Method A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used. A self-administered questionnaire comprising stress, resilience and job performance scales was completed by a convenience sample of 207 nurses working in five hospitals in the northern and middle regions of Jordan.

Results Overall, respondents self-reported moderate stress levels, normal resilience levels and moderate job performance. The study identified: a moderate positive correlation between stress and resilience; a weak negative correlation between stress and job performance; and a weak positive correlation between resilience and job performance.

Conclusion It is essential that nurse managers, leaders and policymakers implement measures to mitigate the stressors encountered by nurses, increase resilience and foster effective coping mechanisms. Such measures could enhance nurses’ resilience and job performance, ultimately improving patient care.