Background: More than 3000 medical personnel in China had been infected with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). We report on 75 previously infected nurses who returned to work. Purpose: The aim was to understand the adaptation status of nurses after recovering from COVID-19 and returning to work. Methods: Data were collected online via the Work Adaptation Scale and the Psychological Capital Scale, and the related influencing factors were analyzed. Results: The social integration and task mastery scores were highest, and the clear roles and cultural adaptation scores were low. The self-efficacy and hope scores were highest, but the resilience and optimism scores were not high. Psychological capital was positively correlated with work adaptation (P < .01). Conclusions: To ensure the quality and safety of nursing care, nurse managers should adopt effective intervention measures to address the physical and mental health of returning nurses and improve their levels of psychological capital and adaptability.