Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work environment and mental health of intensive care unit nurses: Reflections from the United States

Compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in pediatric and neonatal care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden

PURPOSE

Quality of care and the mental and physical health of nurses are interlinked. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed an extremely high burden on health care. This study aimed to: 1) describe professional quality of life of registered nurses (RN) working in the pediatric and neonatal care units during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden, 2) compare professional quality of life between RNs with and without a Master's degree in specialist nursing pediatric care (MSc), and 3) compare differences in professional quality of life associated with the nursing experience (years).

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The PROQoL®-5-questionnaire was administered as a web survey to 160 RNs at four pediatric wards and two neonatal units of two hospitals in Sweden.

RESULTS

Seventy-one RNs responded to the survey. Overall, they reported a sufficient professional quality of life. RNs with an MSc suffered significantly lower secondary traumatic stress levels. Experienced RNs reported significantly higher compassion satisfaction and lower occupational burnout.

CONCLUSION

Higher education and longer experience are beneficial for nurses' professional quality of life when working in pediatric care units.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Results from this study highlights the importance of offering RN education in pediatric care at master level and supporting novice nurses, to prevent negative professional well-being outcomes in pediatric care, because the health of nurses is of utterly importance when crisis such as a pandemic hits the world. The findings also suggest that the conditions for professional quality of life could improve through activities such as self-care, time for reflection, better working hours, competence-adjusted salary, and educational opportunities.

Assessment of the Critical Care Work Environment of Intensive Care Unit Nurses in Saudi Arabia

Background

Nurses play a major role in the delivery of complex and challenging critical care in intensive care units (ICUs). Assessment of work environment is essential indicators of hospital management and can be applied to workforce planning and identifying nursing profession needs. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recognized six standards for a healthy work environment and developed the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT). The aim of this study was to assess the work environment of ICU nurses in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at public and private hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that included the sociodemographic characteristics and the AACN HWEAT. Data were analyzed to obtain descriptive and inferential statistics. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed to compare demographic data, on the basis of the overall mean HWEAT score.

Results

The study participants were 238 ICU nurses, who were predominantly female (83%). The mean overall HWEAT score was 3.55±1.03, which is within the "good" range, and was higher for male nurses (3.66), nurses aged ≥41 years (3.76), and nurses with postgraduate education (4.04), work experiences of >10 years (3.63), and alternate work shifts (3.6). Nurses in private hospitals had significantly higher overall scores than nurses in public hospitals (3.83 vs 3.19, P<0.001). All HWEAT standards ("effective decision-making", "authentic leadership", "appropriate staffing", "true collaboration", "skilled communication", and "meaningful recognition") were rated as good (mean range, 3.43-3.63).

Conclusion

The study results could assist hospitals in prioritizing the adoption of AACN HWE standards. A target benchmark of "good" was established for both the overall score and each standard, which indicates a good work environment as perceived by ICU nurses. In Addition, interpersonal differences should be considered when developing improvement initiatives.

Providing End-of-Life Care to COVID-19 Patients: The Lived Experiences of ICU Nurses in the Philippines

In the midst of COVID-19, radical change in the work environment further exacerbated the detrimental effects of critical illness in the intensive care unit (ICU). This may be heightened if the patient experiences a lamentable end-of-life experience due to inadequate end-of-life care (EoLC). Anchoring on the theory of bureaucratic caring and the peaceful end-of-life theory, insights can be gained into the motivations and behaviors that support the delivery of palliative care during COVID-19. With this having been having said, the objective of this study was to use a narrative approach to examine the lived experience of 12 nurses who provided EoLC in the COVID-19 ward of several hospitals in the Western Philippines. Participants' narratives were transcribed, translated and analyzed. Among the themes that have emerged are: establishing a peaceful journey to death, holistic caring for the end of life, venturing into risky encounters in the call of duty, staying close amidst the reshaped work environment, and preparing the family life after a loved one's departure. The study identified the importance of assisting patients on their journey to a peaceful death, but this journey was also accompanied by a sense of self-preservation and safety for colleagues and families.

Assessment of Professional Quality of Life Among Critical Care Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Aim

Nurses play a major role in critical care units (CCUs), providing care to critically ill patients while also facing numerous health challenges that impair their quality of life. This was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess the professional quality of life (ProQOL) and establish the prevalence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among CCU nurses in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of CCU nurses was conducted using the ProQOL Scale, consisting of three subscales: 1) compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, 2) burnout, and 3) secondary traumatic stress. The data were analyzed to obtain descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

A total of 238 ICU nurses, who were predominantly female (83%) and had a bachelor’s degree (80%), participated in this study. The ProQOL subscales exhibited varied mean scores across demographic variables. Statistically significant differences were observed in the compassion satisfaction (p=0.014) of CCU nurses working in public hospitals, and in the secondary traumatic stress (p=0.006) among nurses working in night shifts. The percentage distribution of CCU nurses’ individual levels for all the ProQOL subscales were within the average to high levels.

Conclusion

The ProQOL was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, varied ProQOL mean scores across demographic characteristics suggest that interpersonal differences should be considered when developing improvement initiatives.