Conectar
This review aims to synthesize the available evidence of what patients experience when infected with COVID-19, both in hospital and post-discharge settings.
This review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for qualitative systematic reviews and evidence synthesis. Reporting of results was presented according to the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) checklist.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to be a public health crisis worldwide. Many patients diagnosed with COVID-19 have varied levels of persisting mental disorders. Previous studies have reported the degree, prevalence and outcome of psychological problems. Minimal research explored the experience of patients with long COVID. The real-life experience of patients with COVID-19 from diagnosis to post-discharge can deepen the understanding of nurses, physicians and policymakers.
All studies describing the experience of patients were included. Two authors independently appraised the methodological quality of the included studies using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research 2020.
This systematic review aggregated patients’ experience of being diagnosed with COVID-19 in both hospitalized and post-discharge settings. Finally, 17 studies met inclusion criteria and quality appraisal guidelines. The selected studies in the meta-synthesis resulted in 12 categories, and further were concluded as five synthesized findings: physical symptoms caused by the virus, positive and negative emotional responses to the virus, positive coping strategies as facilitators of epidemic prevention and control, negative coping strategies as obstacles of epidemic prevention and control, and unmet needs for medical resource.
The psychological burden of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is heavy and persistent. Social support is essential in the control and prevention of the epidemic. Nurses and other staff should pay more attention to the mental health of the infected patients both in and after hospitalization.
Nurses should care about the persistent mental trauma of COVID-19 survivors and provide appropriate psychological interventions to mitigate the negative psychological consequences of them. Besides, nurses, as healthcare professionals who may have the most touch with patients, should evaluate the level of social support and deploy it for them. It is also needed for nurses to listen to patient's needs and treat them with carefulness and adequate patience in order to decrease the unmet needs of patients.
In this study, we aimed to characterize the impact of long COVID on quality of life and approaches to symptom management among Black American adults.
As a novel condition, qualitative evidence concerning long COVID symptoms and their impact on quality of life can inform the refinement of diagnostic criteria and care plans. However, the underrepresentation of Black Americans in long COVID research is a barrier to achieving equitable care for all long COVID patients.
We employed an interpretive description study design.
We recruited a convenience sample of 15 Black American adults with long COVID. We analysed the anonymized transcripts from race-concordant, semi-structured interviews using an inductive, thematic analysis approach. We followed the SRQR reporting guidelines.
We identified four themes: (1) The impact of long COVID symptoms on personal identity and pre-existing conditions; (2) Self-management strategies for long COVID symptoms; (3) Social determinants of health and symptom management; and (4) Effects on interpersonal relationships.
Findings demonstrate the comprehensive ramifications of long COVID on the lives of Black American adults. Results also articulate how pre-existing conditions, social risk factors, distrust due to systemic racism, and the nature of interpersonal relationships can complicate symptom management.
Care approaches that support access to and implementation of integrative therapies may be best suited to meet the needs of long COVID patients. Clinicians should also prioritize eliminating patient exposure to discrimination, implicit bias, and microaggressions. This is of particular concern for long COVID patients who have symptoms that are difficult to objectively quantify, such as pain and fatigue.
While patient perspectives and experiences were the focus of this study, patients were not involved with the design or conduct of the study, data analysis or interpretation, or writing the manuscript.
This scoping review aims to describe published work on the symptoms and management of long COVID conditions.
Symptoms and management of COVID-19 have focused on the acute stage. However, long-term consequences have also been observed.
A scoping review was performed based on the framework suggested by Arksey and O’Malley. We conducted a literature search to retrieve articles published from May 2020 to March 2021 in CINHAL, Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed and Web of science, including backward and forward citation tracking from the included articles. Among the 1880 articles retrieved, 34 articles met our criteria for review: 21 were related to symptom presentation and 13 to the management of long COVID.
Long COVID symptoms were described in 21 articles. Following COVID-19 treatment, hospitalised patients most frequently reported dyspnoea, followed by anosmia/ageusia, fatigue and cough, while non-hospitalised patients commonly reported cough, followed by fever and myalgia/arthralgia. Thirteen studies described management for long COVID: Focused on a multidisciplinary approach in seven articles, pulmonary rehabilitation in three articles, fatigue management in two articles and psychological therapy in one study.
People experience varied COVID-19 symptoms after treatment. However, guidelines on evidence-based, multidisciplinary management for long COVID conditions are limited in the literature. The COVID-19 pandemic may extend due to virus mutations; therefore, it is crucial to develop and disseminate evidence-based, multidisciplinary management guidelines.
A rehabilitation care plan and community healthcare plans are necessary for COVID-19 patients before discharge. Remote programmes could facilitate the monitoring and screening of people with long COVID.
To identify how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following a relative's COVID-19-related intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalisation.
Family caregiving is often associated with poor health amongst caregivers which may limit their capacity to effectively support patients. Though severe COVID-19 infection has necessitated increasing numbers of persons who require caregiver support, little is known about these caregivers, the persons they are caring for, or the strategies used to effectively adjust to the caregiving role.
A qualitative descriptive study design was adopted, and findings are reported using COREQ.
A secondary analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews conducted with recently discharged ICU patients who had COVID-19 (n = 16) and their family caregivers (n = 16) was completed using thematic analysis. MAXQDA 2020 and Miro were used to organise data and complete coding. Analysis involved a structured process of open and closed coding to identify and confirm themes that elucidated adaptation to family caregiving.
Six themes highlight how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following an ICU COVID-19-related hospitalisation including (1) engaging the support of family and friends, (2) increased responsibilities to accommodate caregiving, (3) managing emotions, (4) managing infection control, (5) addressing patient independence and (6) engaging support services. These themes were found to be congruent with the Roy adaptation model.
Family caregiving is a stressful transition following a patient's acute hospitalisation. Effective adaptation requires flexibility and sufficient support, beginning with the care team who can adequately prepare the family for the anticipated challenges of recovery.
Clinical teams may improve post-hospitalisation care outcomes of patients by preparing families to effectively adjust to the caregiver role—particularly in identifying sufficient support resources.
Participation of patients/caregivers in this study was limited to the data provided through participant interviews.
This study explores UK nurses' experiences of working in a respiratory clinical area during the COVID-19 pandemic over winter 2020.
During the first wave of the pandemic, nurses working in respiratory clinical areas experienced significant levels of anxiety and depression. As the pandemic has progressed, levels of fatigue in nurses have not been assessed.
A cross-sectional e-survey was distributed via professional respiratory societies and social media. The survey included Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9, depression), a resilience scale (RS-14) and Chalder mental and physical fatigue tools. The STROBE checklist was followed as guidance to write the manuscript.
Despite reporting anxiety and depression, few nurses reported having time off work with stress, most were maintaining training and felt prepared for COVID challenges in their current role. Nurses reported concerns over safety and patient feedback was both positive and negative. A quarter of respondents reported wanting to leave nursing. Nurses experiencing greater physical fatigue reported higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Nurses working in respiratory clinical areas were closely involved in caring for COVID-19 patients. Nurses continued to experience similar levels of anxiety and depression to those found in the first wave and reported symptoms of fatigue (physical and mental). A significant proportion of respondents reported considering leaving nursing. Retention of nurses is vital to ensure the safe functioning of already overstretched health services. Nurses would benefit from regular mental health check-ups to ensure they are fit to practice and receive the support they need to work effectively.
A high proportion of nurses working in respiratory clinical areas have been identified as experiencing fatigue in addition to continued levels of anxiety, depression over winter 2020. Interventions need to be implemented to help provide mental health support and improve workplace conditions to minimise PTSD and burnout.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the workload of nurses and changes in working conditions. Stress and the increase in workload during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on nurses' intention to leave. This study aimed to determine the current rate of intention to leave the job among nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak by conducting a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis.
The review procedure was conducted by the PRISMA criteria. The researchers searched PubMed and Web of Science databases for studies providing the rate of nurses' intent to leave, published until 31 December 2021. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test, and publication bias was measured by Egger's test.
The estimated overall intent to leave the profession among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic was 31.7% (95% CI: 25%–39%) with significant heterogeneity (Q test: 188.9; p = 0.0001; I2: %95.2; Tau 2: 0.225). Additionally, Egger's regression test suggested no publication bias for estimating the pooled rate of nurses' intent to leave during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since the research is a meta-analysis study, a literature review model was used. Ethics committee approval was not obtained because the literature review did not directly affect humans and animals.
This study showed that approximately one-third of nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic had thoughts about intending to leave their job. The findings indicate the need for strategies involving precautions and solutions to minimise the psychological impacts of COVID-19 among nurses.
In this period when the global nurse crisis exists, it is of great importance for institutions to retain their nurse workforce. There is an urgent need to prepare nurses to cope better with COVID-19 pandemic. Identification of risk factors for intention to leave could be a significant weapon giving nurses and healthcare systems the ability to response in a better way against the following COVID-19 waves in the near future.
To explore the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurse alcohol consumption.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption to healthcare services worldwide, and nurses have not been immune, experiencing burnout, declining mental health and ultimately, attrition from the profession. Increases in alcohol consumption have been reported across subsections of society, including those with pre-existing mental ill health and experiencing high stress, and exploring this phenomenon in nurses is essential for workforce well-being and sustainability.
Qualitative descriptive study design.
Secondary analysis of individual, semi-structured interviews with nurses (N = 42) from diverse settings across Australia, including community, primary and hospital settings, conducted in July and August 2021. Data were analysed using structural coding and reported in accordance with the CORE-Q guidelines.
Two key themes were found after analysis of the data: (1) factors influencing alcohol consumption (subthemes: workplace factors and external factors), and (2) the pandemic's influence on alcohol consumption (subthemes: increased consumption, moderation of consumption and alcohol as a reward).
Several participants described increased alcohol consumption because of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly due to the stress of working in an environment where resources were scarce. Workplace factors such as overtime, missed breaks and heightened workload were all described as driving stress, and in turn increased alcohol consumption.
Increased alcohol consumption has been associated with burnout, absenteeism and intention to leave. The nursing profession is currently undergoing significant continuing stress providing care and management to patients with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and increased alcohol consumption is a significant threat to personal and workforce well-being, workforce sustainability and quality nursing care.
This study aimed at determining the perception of fatigue among patients with a history of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Fatigue is a long-lasting distressing symptom. It is a multidimensional symptom consisting of several factors, including physiological, psychological, social and environmental. It is vital to examine and understand the perception of fatigue among post-COVID-19 participants.
A descriptive phenomenological design.
The study sample consisted of 14 post-COVID-19 participants that were recruited using criterion sampling. The fatigue levels of the participants were determined using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), and those with a fatigue score above 12 were interviewed. All the interviews were conducted with a smartphone due to the COVID-19. The COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was used.
The age of the participants varied from 24 to 67 years, with the majority of the participants being female (n = 8). The COVID-19 duration ranged from one to 11 months, and the CFS scores varied between 14 and 33. Four themes emerged following the qualitative data analysis: a new symptom beyond fatigue, fatigue increases dependency in daily life, fatigue impedes sociability and a way to hold on to life's regular rhythms.
This study concluded that fatigue in post-COVID-19 participants is a new experience that is difficult to define and manage and overwhelmingly affects the physical and social aspects of life. Participants look for new ways to live with fatigue and turn to traditional methods and psychosocial strategies.
This study revealed the miscellaneous aspects of fatigue in post-COVID-19 participants. Nurses should evaluate fatigue with a holistic approach that includes its physical, social, emotional and spiritual aspects. Nurses can play an active role in the management of fatigue, which is a very common symptom in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nurses play an essential role in responding to severe viral disease which bring considerable challenges to their personal and professional well-being. This subsequently can affect the delivery of care and healthcare systems' organisational capacity to respond. Understanding nurses' experiences of these challenges will help inform healthcare policies.
To explore the experiences and coping strategies of nurses caring for patients during severe viral disease pandemics.
A mixed-methods systematic review informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology.
A mixed-methods systematic review. Five electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, ASSIA and Scopus were searched on 4th April 2021. Results were reported in accordance with PRISMA. The findings were analysed and reported in the context of the Self-Regulatory Common-Sense Model.
In total, 71 peer-review primary research articles describing nurses' experiences of caring for patients during SARS, MERS, Swine flu H1N1, Avian influenza or SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 published in English from 2003 to 2021 were included. We found links between nurses' perception of the health threats, their emotional reactions, and coping strategies. Perceived health threats were influenced by organisational factors including frequent changes in clinical guidelines and workplace protocols, onerous workloads and working hours, unavailability of PPE, and lack of knowledge and training in pandemic management. These impacted nurses' physical, psychological and social well-being. Nurses also reported helpful and unhelpful coping strategies to manage the health threats.
It is vital for stakeholders, policymakers, government and healthcare institutions to recognise and monitor the wider impact on healthcare workers from health emergencies. In addition, support to develop and implement effective systems and individual mechanisms to offset the anticipated impact pre and post pandemics/epidemics is needed. Our findings can inform those strategies for similar future health emergencies.
Nurses are often the first point of contact in providing direct care to patients, hence they are at high risk of being infected. The findings from this review can help managers and policymakers in developing programmes to enhance resilience in the nursing workforce.
This was a literature review study.
To describe how family members of critically ill patients experienced the COVID-19 visiting restrictions in Sweden.
In Sweden, the response to COVID-19 was less invasive than in many other countries. However, some visiting restrictions were introduced for intensive care units, with local variations. Although there is a growing body of literature regarding healthcare professionals' and family caregivers' perspectives on visiting restriction policies, there may be inter-country differences, which remain to be elucidated.
This study has a qualitative descriptive design. Focus group interviews with 14 family members of patients treated for severe COVID-19 infection were conducted. The interviews took place via digital meetings during the months after the patients' hospital discharge. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the interview transcripts. Reporting of the study followed the COREQ checklist.
Two categories—dealing with uncertainty and being involved at a distance—described family members' experiences of coping with visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions were found to reduce family members' ability to cope with the situation. Communication via telephone or video calls to maintain contact was appreciated but could not replace the importance of personal contact.
Family members perceived that the visiting restriction routines in place during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced their ability to cope with the situation and to achieve realistic expectations of the patients' needs when they returned home.
This study suggests that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the visiting restrictions were experienced negatively by family members and specific family-centred care guidelines need to be developed for use during crises, including the possibility of regular family visits to the ICU.
None in the conceptualisation or design of the study.
To explore the International Network for Child and Family Centred Care (INCFCC) members' experiences and views on the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the nursing workforce.
On the 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. While some countries adopted a herd immunity approach, others imposed stricter measures to reduce the transmission of the virus. Hospitals in some countries faced an avalanche of extremely sick admissions, whereas others experienced an early surge in cases or were able to control the spread.
Discursive paper.
A web-based survey was e-mailed to 63 INCFCC members from 28 March to 30 April 2022, as an invitation to share their experience concerning the long-term impact of COVID-19 on their role as a nurse educator, clinician or researcher.
Sixteen members responded, and the responses were grouped under the themes stress and anxiety, safe staffing and pay, doing things differently, impact on research, impact on teaching and learning, impact on clinical practice, nursing made visible and lessons for the future.
The INCFCC members provided their views and highlighted the impact on their role in nursing education, administration, research and/or practice. This discussion of international perspectives on the similarities and differences imposed by COVID-19 found that the impact was wide-ranging and prolonged. The overarching theme revealed the resilience of the participating members in the face of COVID-19.
This study highlights the importance of all areas of nursing, be it in academia or in clinical practice, to work together to learn from the present and to plan for the future. Future work should focus on supporting organizational and personal resiliency and effective interventions to support the nursing workforce both during a disaster and in the recovery phase. Nursing workforce resilience in the face of COVID-19.
University students are generally quite active in social life. It is thought that their fear of contagion/being contagious will affect their depression, anxiety and stress levels due to the removal of restrictions and the increase in individual responsibilities. This study aims to determine the effect of fear of contagion/being contagious on depression, anxiety and stress levels of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study, descriptive and cross-sectional. Quantitative data were collected using the Demographic Information Form, the Fear of Contagion/Transmission Scale and the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale. The sample included 3500 participants. Descriptive statistics were used for the presentation of the results. The STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was used in this study.
This study revealed that the depression, anxiety and stress levels of university students were above normal, and these results were mostly associated with females, those with a chronic disease and high fear of contagion/being contagious.
The findings of this study may be useful for precautionary plans to support the psychological health of university students after the COVID-19 pandemic and in the fight against possible new pandemics. Considering the findings of our study, educational programs should be planned for youth in general and university students in particular to deal with depression, anxiety, stress and fears.
The depression, anxiety and stress levels of university students were above normal. As the fear of contamination and contagion increases, the level of depression, anxiety and stress increases. Those with chronic diseases have high levels of depression, anxiety and stress.
Research data were collected through an online questionnaire. Data collection tools were prepared on Google Forms, and then, links were shared with student groups over social media. Students shared the link on their social platforms, allowing it to reach wider audiences.
Single studies support the presence of several post-COVID-19 symptoms; however, there is no evidence for the synthesis of symptoms.
We attempt to provide an overview of the persistent symptoms that post-COVID-19 patients encounter, as well as the duration of these symptoms to help them plan their rehabilitation.
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
A total of 16 studies involving 8756 patients post-COVID-19 were included.
The CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from 2019 to August 2021. Observational studies that reported data on post-COVID-19 symptoms were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal for Observational Studies. We included medium- to high-quality studies. We used a random-effects model for the meta-analytical pooled prevalence of each post-COVID-19 symptom, and I 2 statistics for heterogeneity.
From the 2481 studies identified, 16 met the inclusion criteria. The sample included 7623 hospitalised and 1133 non-hospitalised patients. We found the most prevalent symptoms were fatigue and dyspnea with a pooled prevalence ranging from 42% (27%–58%). Other post-COVID-19 symptoms included sleep disturbance 28% (14%–45%), cough 25% (10%–44%), anosmia/ageusia 24% (7%–47%), fever 21% (4%–47%), myalgia 17% (2%–41%), chest pain 11% (5%–20%), and headache 9% (2%–20%). In addition to physical symptoms, anxiety/depression was also prevalent 27% (8%–53%).
Fatigue and dyspnea were the most prevalent post-COVID-19 symptoms and experienced up to 12 months.
Multiple persistent symptoms are still experienced until 12 months of post-Covid 19. This meta-analysis should provide some awareness to nurses to highlights the unmet healthcare needs of post-COVID-19 patients. Long-term monitoring for the evaluation and treatment of symptoms and conditions and rehabilitation programs should be conducted.
To determine the frequency, timing, and duration of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) and their impact on health and function.
Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection is an emerging major public health problem that is poorly understood and has no current treatment or cure. PASC is a new syndrome that has yet to be fully clinically characterised.
Descriptive cross-sectional survey (n = 5163) was conducted from online COVID-19 survivor support groups who reported symptoms for more than 21 days following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Participants reported background demographics and the date and method of their covid diagnosis, as well as all symptoms experienced since onset of covid in terms of the symptom start date, duration, and Likert scales measuring three symptom-specific health impacts: pain and discomfort, work impairment, and social impairment. Descriptive statistics and measures of central tendencies were computed for participant demographics and symptom data.
Participants reported experiencing a mean of 21 symptoms (range 1–93); fatigue (79.0%), headache (55.3%), shortness of breath (55.3%) and difficulty concentrating (53.6%) were the most common. Symptoms often remitted and relapsed for extended periods of time (duration M = 112 days), longest lasting symptoms included the inability to exercise (M = 106.5 days), fatigue (M = 101.7 days) and difficulty concentrating, associated with memory impairment (M = 101.1 days). Participants reported extreme pressure at the base of the head, syncope, sharp or sudden chest pain, and “brain pressure” among the most distressing and impacting daily life.
Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection can be characterised by a wide range of symptoms, many of which cause moderate-to-severe distress and can hinder survivors' overall well-being.
This study advances our understanding of the symptoms of PASC and their health impacts.
The purpose of this study was to generate a conceptual definition and theory of grief for nurses working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic using grounded theory methodology.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on nurses working on the frontlines. The increasing flow of diagnosed COVID-19 cases, diverse unknowns and demands in the treatment of patients with COVID-19, and depression related to countless deaths can trigger grief experiences.
A mixed methods approach, including the qualitative method of grounded theory and a quantitative 30-question survey, was used in this study.
Eight focus group sessions were conducted with registered nurses working on the frontlines during the pandemic. Sessions were audio recorded and analysed using constant comparative data analysis. Following the interviews, a survey including demographics and self-report inventories was completed by participants. The COREQ checklist was used to assess study quality.
Major concepts that emerged include ‘facing a new reality’, ‘frustrations’, ‘stress’ and ‘coping’. Core concepts were combined into a conceptual definition of grief and a grounded theory of the experience of nurses working on the frontlines during the pandemic. Cross comparisons of qualitative and quantitative findings were made and compared with the literature.
This study provides a better understanding of the grief experience of nurses working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to recognise professional grief and develop intervention strategies that lead to grief reconciliation.
Findings provide useful insights for healthcare administrators to provide support and develop interventions to reduce frustrations and stress of frontline registered nurses.
This study design involved registered nurses participating in focus group sessions. Participants detailed their experience working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic with patients, family and hospital administration.
This study aimed to investigate factors associated with facial pressure injury (FPI) in patients receiving non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during hospitalisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) and to identify predictors of FPI.
Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation is a method of treating patients with acute and chronic respiratory failure. However, FPI may occur due to unsuitable nasal-oral NIPPV masks and discomfort in contact with the skin surface.
A retrospective case–control study.
From January 2018 to October 2020, a total of 397 patients admitted to a national hospital in Taiwan were enrolled. Patients received NIPPV and routinely used under-mask prophylactic dressings during hospitalisation. Patients were divided into the non-FPI group (n = 357) and the FPI group (n = 40). Demographic, clinical characteristics, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores, and Braden Scale scores were collected from medical records. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the contribution of each factor to the FPI, and odds ratios were reported. The STROBE checklist was used in this retrospective case–control study.
There were significant differences between the groups in age, serum albumin, C-reactive protein, body mass index (BMI), disease severity, Braden Scale score, length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and use of corticosteroids. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factor for FPI was the Braden Scale score [OR = 1.630 (1.176–2.260)], BMI [OR = 0.396 (0.210–1.784)] and corticosteroids [OR = 0.394 (0.159–1.811)], which were predictors of FPI in patients with NIPPV.
Facial pressure injury may still occur in patients who routinely use prophylactic dressings under NIPPV masks. This study provides information on continuing education training for FPI to more accurately identify high-risk and timely preventive measures to reduce FPI.
Addressing FPI-related factors to prevent facial skin damage and reduce comorbidities in patients using NIPPV masks.
(1) To investigate the vulnerability of nurses to experiencing professional burnout and low fulfilment across 5 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) To identify modifiable variables in hospital leadership and individual vulnerabilities that may mitigate these effects.
Nurses were at increased risk for burnout and low fulfilment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital leadership factors such as organisational structure and open communication and consideration of employee opinions are known to have positive impacts on work attitudes. Personal risk factors for burnout include symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Healthcare workers (n = 406 at baseline, n = 234 longitudinal), including doctors (n = 102), nurses (n = 94), technicians (n = 90) and non-clinical administrative staff (n = 120), completed 5 online questionnaires, once per month, for 5 months. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on professional fulfilment and burnout, perceptions of healthcare leadership, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants were recruited from various healthcare settings in the southeastern United States. The STROBE checklist was used to report the present study.
Both at baseline and across the 5 months, nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic reported increased burnout and decreased fulfilment relative to doctors. For all participants, burnout remained largely steady and fulfilment decreased slightly. The strongest predictors of both burnout and fulfilment were organisational structure and depressive symptoms. Leadership consideration and anxiety symptoms had smaller, yet significant, relationships to burnout and fulfilment in longitudinal analyses.
Burnout and reduced fulfilment remain a problem for healthcare workers, especially nurses. Leadership styles and employee symptoms of depression and anxiety are appropriate targets for intervention.
Leadership wishing to reduce burnout and increase fulfilment among employees should increase levels of organisational support and consideration and expand supports to employees seeking treatment for depression and anxiety.
Research has shown sleep problems, elevated fatigue, and high cases of burnout, as well as signs of post-traumatic stress and psychological distress among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many US hospitals attempted to minimise its impact on staff by providing basic resources, mental health services, and wellness programs. Therefore, it is critical to re-evaluate these well-being indices and guide future administrative efforts.
To determine the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic after 18 months on hospital nurses' insomnia, fatigue, burnout, post-traumatic stress, and psychological distress.
Cross-sectional.
Data were collected online mainly through state board and nursing association listservs between July–September 2021 (N = 2488). The survey had psychometrically tested instruments (Insomnia Severity Index, Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Patient Health Questionnaire-4) and sections on demographics, health, and work. The STrengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology checklist was followed for reporting.
Nurses had subthreshold insomnia, moderate-to-high chronic fatigue, high acute fatigue, and low-to-moderate intershift recovery. Regarding burnout, they experienced increased emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, and some depersonalisation. Nurses had mild psychological distress but scored high on post-traumatic stress. Nurses who frequently cared for patients with COVID-19 in the past months scored significantly worse in all measures than their co-workers. Factors such as nursing experience, shift length, and frequency of rest breaks were significantly related to all well-being indices.
Nurses' experiences were similar to findings from the early pandemic but with minor improvements in psychological distress. Nurses who frequently provided COVID-19 patient care, worked ≥12 h per shift, and skipped rest breaks scored worse on almost all well-being indices.
Administration can help nurses' recovery by providing psychological support, mental health services, and treatment options for insomnia, as well as re-structure current work schedules and ensure that rest breaks are taken.
To explore the experiences of nursing students in England who had worked through the first wave and transitioned to qualification in the ongoing pandemic.
Experiences of health professionals and student nurses during the pandemic are now well documented, but the transition of students to qualification is less well understood. In Summer 2020, we interviewed 16 student nurses who had worked as health care assistants on paid extended placements as part of the COVID-19 response in the East of England, finding surprisingly positive experiences, including perceived heightened preparedness for qualification. A year later, we re-interviewed 12 participants from the original study to hear about transitioning to qualification during the ongoing pandemic. This study provides novel insights into their experiences.
A qualitative study design was used.
Twelve newly qualified nurses who had participated in the original study took part in qualitative, online interviews where they shared their experiences of working and transitioning to qualification during the ongoing pandemic since we spoke to them a year earlier. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. COREQ guidelines were used in developing and reporting this study.
Three themes were identified. Constant change: in the clinical environment and arising out of the transition to newly qualified nurse, mental health and well-being and reflecting on the past to learn for the future.
Participants experienced a unique transition to qualification. The perceived heightened preparedness for qualification that participants who had worked as students during the first wave of the pandemic had become a reality, ameliorating some of the known effects of transition. However, increased expectations and added responsibilities in extremely busy, fluctuating clinical environments with minimal support add weight to calls for mandatory preceptorship programmes. While heightened resilience was evident, provision of ongoing mental health and well-being support is strongly recommended.
We need a partnership approach with nurse educators and practice colleagues which ensures preparation for qualified practice is appropriate. If we do not effectively prepare students for qualified nurse posts, patient care will almost certainly be compromised.
FreshRSS 