Psychological impact of COVID-19 on nurses working at institute of urology & transplantation; a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the psychological impact of COVID-19 and its association with the psychological well-being of nurses.

Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study was conducted at Institute of urology & Transplantation, Rawalpindi. A sample of 100 staff nurses with prior experience in COVID-19 departments at the Institute of Urology & Transplantation was selected. An online survey was conducted for data collection using a questionnaire consisting of five sections: General Health Questionnaire, MERS-CoV Impact, Factors Causing Stress, and Factors Reducing Stress. Each section was assessed using a Likert-type scale (1=Never, 2=Rare, 3=Often, 4=Always). The questionnaire sections exhibited high reliability with Cronbach's alpha coefficients as follows: α1 = 0.70, α2 = 0.716, α3 = 0.707, α4 = 0.70.

Results: The descriptive study involved calculating the mean and standard deviation for all questions. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the psychological well-being of nurses working in isolation departments. The analysis indicated a significant correlation between the pandemic and nurses' psychological health.

Conclusion: Nurses constitute the backbone of the healthcare system and played a frontline role during the pandemic. They encountered stigmatization associated with COVID-19, battled fears of infection while caring for afflicted patients, and were concerned about transmitting the virus to their families and friends. The additional burden of working in a high-risk environment amplified their stress. To address these challenges, it is recommended to arrange training programs to manage stress during pandemics, offer counseling sessions, and provide appropriate recognition, especially for nurses who are at the forefront of healthcare services. These measures should be in place in anticipation of future outbreaks.