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Arlt Mutch VK, Gordon-Elliott JS, Wyka K, Evans S. Feasibility and acceptability of modified MBSR for hospital employees experiencing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2024; 89:97-99. [PMID: 38599945 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia K Arlt Mutch
- Weill Cornell Medicine Psychiatry, 240 E. 69th Street, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Janna S Gordon-Elliott
- Weill Cornell Medicine Psychiatry, 525 E. 68th Street, Box 140, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Katarzyna Wyka
- Weill Cornell Medicine Psychiatry, 425 E 61st Street, PH, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Susan Evans
- Weill Cornell Medicine Psychiatry, 425 E 61st Street, PH, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
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McClafferty H. Workforce Concerns: Professional Self Care, Personal Readiness, Impact of the Pandemic, and Other Factors that Impact the Workforce. Pediatr Clin North Am 2024; 71:413-429. [PMID: 38754933 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Physician burnout is pervasive and takes a heavy toll on individuals and the healthcare system. Post-coronavirus disease 2019 the negative impact of organizational culture on physician burnout has been highlighted. Substantial research has accrued identifying steps organizations can take to pivot and develop leaders committed to physician well-being. Physicians can also proactively explore research in sleep, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and social connections. Positive mindset has a powerful protective effect in medicine, especially in the emerging areas of self-valuation, self-compassion, and positive psychology. Physician coaching can accelerate positive behavior change. Committed physician leaders are needed for sustained culture change to occur.
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Martins P, Luzia RWS, Filho JAP, Welsh KS, Fuzikawa C, Nicolato R, Alemão MM, Gonçalves MA, Cavalheiro JC, Ávila ID, Veiga RT. Prevalence and factors associated with burnout among health professionals of a public hospital network during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298187. [PMID: 38648225 PMCID: PMC11034648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Burnout is most commonly defined as a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and ineffectiveness, which occurs in response to chronic stressors at work. It can adversely affect health workers' physical and mental health, and the quality of care provided. The COVID-19 pandemic increased stressors and could impact burnout prevalence in this group. There is a lack of information regarding the prevalence of burnout among hospital health workers in Brazil. A newer definition of burnout has been proposed that considers three different clinical profiles: the frenetic, underchallenged and worn-out subtypes. This differentiation could lead to interventions tailored for each subtype. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of burnout, its subtypes, and associated factors in workers of a public hospital network in Brazil, during the pandemic. A total of 143 randomly selected participants answered an online form that included sociodemographic and occupational items, and the Burnout Clinical Subtypes Questionnaire, a summarized version. This questionnaire evaluates three burnout dimensions (overload, lack of development, neglect) that can be used to discriminate the three burnout subtypes (frenetic, underchallenged, worn-out, respectively); higher scores indicate higher burnout levels. The prevalence of burnout was high (53.85%), similar to other studies during the pandemic. The most common subtypes were 'frenetic' (34.97%), characterized by increased efforts to meet work demands, to the point of neglecting personal needs, and 'lack of development' (23.78%), characterized by a sense that work is uninteresting and does not contribute to personal development, and a perfunctory behavior towards tasks. Age was associated with burnout: workers with less than 51 years presented higher levels of burnout. These findings indicate the need for effective interventions to prevent and/or treat burnout. The assessment of burnout subtypes can allow managers to better understand the processes affecting employees, and inform actions to improve workforce health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Martins
- Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Richardson Warley Siqueira Luzia
- Statistics and Workforce Management Center at Hospital Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jair Alves Pereira Filho
- Statistics and Workforce Management Center at Hospital Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kelly Silva Welsh
- Ezequiel Dias Foundation (FUNED), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Cíntia Fuzikawa
- Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Nicolato
- Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Márcia Mascarenhas Alemão
- Department of Health Management, School of Nursing, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Márcio Augusto Gonçalves
- Department of Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - José Carlos Cavalheiro
- Department of Letters, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ianny Dumont Ávila
- Academic at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Teixeira Veiga
- Department of Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Steeb DR, Cain J, Haines ST. Reconsidering Pharmacy: We Need to Turn Career Regret into Career Options. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION 2024; 88:100678. [PMID: 38430985 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2024.100678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Declining interest in pharmacy as a career is a growing concern. This commentary investigates the factors contributing to career regret among pharmacy graduates, based on data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy National Graduating Student Survey. We identify 3 key contributing factors: workplace environment, professional identity formation, and marketing of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. We argue that students observe, in many work environments, a lack of autonomy, repetitive tasks, and unfulfilling work. This leads to diminished job satisfaction and disillusionment. Additionally, marketing tactics and curricular structures can inadvertently contribute to career regret. We propose potential interventions, emphasizing the need for improved working conditions, more versatile roles in pharmacy, and enhanced career development services within colleges/schools of pharmacy. Additional research is needed to fully understand career regret and the steps that academic institutions can proactively take to mitigate career dissatisfaction among their graduates.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Steeb
- University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Jeff Cain
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Ditwiler RE, Hardwick D, Swisher LL. "Definitely a Dark Time:" professional and ethical issues in post-acute care physical therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physiother Theory Pract 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38420945 DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2024.2321216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disproportionate effects of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on older adults in post-acute care settings created many professional and ethical challenges for patients and healthcare providers. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the professional and ethical issues of physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) in providing facility-based post-acute care in residential settings (skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term acute care hospitals) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A qualitative descriptive research design was used to explore professional and ethical issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. PTs and PTAs described their experiences during semi-structured interviews conducted virtually. Interview data was analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS Thematic analysis produced 4 themes: facility-wide battle against infection and death, doing the best you can to provide care amidst COVID-19 constraints, promoting ethical good and doing the right thing, and a dark intense time. CONCLUSIONS Professional and ethical constraints on providing care faced by PTs and PTAs during the COVID-19 pandemic can inform current and future clinical practice. Although some of the challenges faced by PTs and PTAs were unique to COVID-19, many problems represent preexisting systemic and organizational issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Edgeworth Ditwiler
- School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Dustin Hardwick
- School of Physical Therapy, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Laura Lee Swisher
- School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
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Englbrecht JS, Schrader D, Alders JB, Schäfer M, Soehle M. Post-COVID-19 pandemic organ donation activities in Germany: a multicenter retrospective analysis. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1356285. [PMID: 38444435 PMCID: PMC10912160 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1356285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the number of solid organ transplantations. After a global decline of 16% in 2020, their numbers subsequently returned to pre-pandemic levels. In contrast, numbers in Germany remained almost constant in 2020 and 2021 but fell by 6.9% in 2022. The reasons for this divergent development are unknown. Methods The number of deceased with a severe brain damage, potential and utilized donors after braindeath and the intensive care unit treatment capacity were retrospectively compared for the years 2022 and 2021 at five university hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Reasons for a donation not utilized were reviewed. To enable a comparison of the results with the whole of Germany and the pre-pandemic period, numbers of potential and utilized donors were extracted from official organ donation activity reports of all harvesting hospitals in Germany for the years 2019-2022. Results The numbers of deceased with a severe brain damage (-10%), potential (-9%), and utilized donors after braindeath (-44%), and intensive care unit treatment capacities (-7.2%) were significantly lower in 2022 than 2021. A COVID-19 infection was a rarer (-79%), but donor instability (+44%) a more frequent reason against donation in 2022, whereas preserved brain stem reflexes remained the most frequent reason in both years (54%). Overall numbers of potential and utilized donations in Germany were lower in 2022 than in the pre-pandemic period, but this was mainly due to lower numbers in hospitals of lower care. The number of potential donors in all university hospitals were higher in 2022 but utilized donations still lower than in 2019. Conclusion The decrease in potential and utilized donations was a result of reduced intensive care unit treatment capacities and a lower conversion rate at the five university hospitals. A COVID-19 infection did not play a role in 2022. These results indicate that ICU treatment capacities must be restored to increase donations. The lower number of potential donors and the even lower conversion rate in 2022 throughout Germany show that restructuring the organ procurement process in Germany needs to be discussed to increase the number of donations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Sönke Englbrecht
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Schrader
- The Medical Director's Staff Division of Organ Donation Coordination, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jörg Benedikt Alders
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Melanie Schäfer
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Martin Soehle
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Saintila J, Soriano-Moreno AN, Ramos-Vera C, Oblitas-Guerrero SM, Calizaya-Milla YE. Association between sleep duration and burnout in healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional survey. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1268164. [PMID: 38269387 PMCID: PMC10806404 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1268164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Short sleep duration in healthcare professionals is a recurring concern among researchers. On the other hand, the prevalence of burnout in this population group is experiencing exponential growth. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between sleep duration and burnout in healthcare professionals. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected by applying a non-probabilistic convenience sampling, considering a sample of 300 healthcare professionals from the public sector in Peru. The association between variables was explored using multivariate logistic regression. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results The results of the analysis in the crude models revealed that both men and women who slept < 7 h during workdays and days off were 8.33 (95% CI = 2.68-13.99, p = 0.004) and 17.18 (95% CI = 10.50-23.87, p < 0.001) times more likely to have burnout compared to those who reported ≥7 h, respectively. After adjusting for confounding variables, the association remained statistically significant. Conclusion The findings of this study underscore the critical importance of sleep duration in the incidence of burnout among healthcare professionals. In the context of the global challenges to the mental and physical health of these professionals, our results highlight the urgent need to implement strategies at the organizational and individual level. This includes promoting a better work-life balance, and effective stress management and improved sleep quality.
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Jung E, Jung YE, Kim MD. Factors Affecting Fear of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Dedicated Teams: Focus on Professional Quality of Life. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e366. [PMID: 37935169 PMCID: PMC10627728 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined factors related to high fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) in COVID-19 dedicated teams. We assigned 371 HCWs to low, medium, and high COVID-19 infection fear groups, and investigated factors associated with COVID-19 infection fear. High COVID-19 infection fear was significantly associated with being a woman and poor professional quality of life. High COVID-19 infection fear group had higher burnout levels and secondary traumatic stress scores than the low and medium fear groups. These findings deepen our understanding of risk factors for and psychological outcomes of COVID-19 infection fear in HCWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eulji Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea
| | - Young-Eun Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
| | - Moon-Doo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea
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Marlicz W, Koulaouzidis A, Charisopoulou D, Jankowski J, Marlicz M, Skonieczna-Zydecka K, Krynicka P, Loniewski I, Samochowiec J, Rydzewska G, Koulaouzidis G. Burnout in healthcare - the Emperor's New Clothes. PRZEGLAD GASTROENTEROLOGICZNY 2023; 18:274-280. [PMID: 37937112 PMCID: PMC10626384 DOI: 10.5114/pg.2023.131595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Burnout is common among physicians; it severely alters their health and has a negative impact on functioning of healthcare systems. Hypertension, increased cortisol levels, maladaptive behaviors with negative social consequences, and suboptimal quality of care have been associated with healthcare providers' burnout. As the number of patients with cancers, psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders will rise, we need new solutions to maintain physicians' health and, therefore, quality of care. Coping strategies before the COVID-19 pandemic seem ineffective in scaling all the deficits of the global healthcare systems. Examples of new initiatives include new collaborative projects, such as COH-FIT (The Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times - https://www.coh-fit.com), which aims to collect global data and understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health in order to identify various coping strategies for patients and healthcare workers during infection times, or MEMO (Minimizing Error, Maximizing Outcome), funded by the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Others: i) Rome Foundation GastroPsych undertake efforts dedicated to the science and practice of psychogastroenterology, a burgeoning field with roots in behavioral intervention, cognitive science and experimental psychology focused on fostering the professional growth and collaboration of those engaged in medical practices, or ii) World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), Train The Trainers (TTT) program including a new topic of the impact of burnout on career longevity in order to foster strategies for staying healthy and increasing career satisfaction. There is a need for continuous development of digital technologies (e.g. training simulators, telemedicine, robots and artificial intelligence). Their implementation into medical practice is inevitable. Now more than ever, there is a need for a new spirit in healthcare. Together with others in the field, we believe this article is a desperate call for maximizing the use of novel technologies supported by collaborative interactions among healthcare providers and medical professionals of diverse medical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Marlicz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Anastasios Koulaouzidis
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Odense, Denmark
| | - Dafni Charisopoulou
- Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Academic Centre for Congenital Heart Disease, Netherlands
| | - Janusz Jankowski
- Institute for Clinical Trials, University College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Marlicz
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | | | - Patrycja Krynicka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Igor Loniewski
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Samochowiec
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Grażyna Rydzewska
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Warsaw, Poland
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - George Koulaouzidis
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
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Momeni K, Salimi Y, Majzoobi MR, Ziapour A, Janjani P. Anxiety, coping style and hopelessness during COVID-19 pandemic: An Iranian population-based study. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1233. [PMID: 37152235 PMCID: PMC10154849 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims The COVID-19 pandemic has caused new conditions such as nationwide quarantine, a dramatic decrease in-person interaction and an increase in death anxiety for governments and people. The pandemic of an unpredictable disease with no definite treatment can pose physical and psychological risks to individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the state of anxiety, coping styles, and hopelessness of people in the lockdown period and reopening in Iran. Methods In this national population-based cross-sectional study, a total of 1191 people who had access to social networks from all over Iran completed the anxiety, hopelessness, and coping style questionnaires online using the snowball sampling method. Analysis was conducted using Stata software version 12 (Stat Corp). The significance level was set at 0.05. Results The results of the study suggested that women experienced higher levels of anxiety than men, and, in stressful situations, women were more likely to use emotion-focused coping styles, while men frequently used problem-focused coping styles. The majority of participants reported moderate levels of anxiety and low levels of hopelessness (64.04%). The results of multiple linear regression show any level of anxiety mild (ß = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32-0.85), moderate (ß = 0.72, 95% CI: 1.36-1.08), and severe (ß = 2, 95% CI: 1.36-2.56) relative to the none anxiety significantly increase the hopelessness, Furthermore, showing a negative significant adjusted association with the problem-focused coping style (ß = -0.06, 95% CI: -0.07 to -0.04), and a significant positive association with the emotion-focused coping style (ß = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02-0.06). Conclusion Our findings could be used to prevent psychological damage in societies and suggested addressing problem-focused coping style, especially during a crisis, and providing people with preprepared mental health protocols at this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yahya Salimi
- Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Health InstituteKermanshah University of Medical SciencesKermanshahIran
- Department of Epidemiology, School of HealthKermanshah University of Medical SciencesKermanshahIran
| | | | - Arash Ziapour
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Health Institute, Imam‐Ali hospitalKermanshah University of Medical SciencesKermanshahIran
| | - Parisa Janjani
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Health Institute, Imam‐Ali hospitalKermanshah University of Medical SciencesKermanshahIran
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Mary Pappiya E, Mubarak Al Baalharith I, Arulappan J, Missiriya Jalal S, Venkatesan K, Salem Al Grad H, Baraik S. Alawad A. Stress and Burnout Among Frontline Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic in a Middle Eastern Country. SAGE Open Nurs 2023; 9:23779608231185918. [PMID: 37457617 PMCID: PMC10345911 DOI: 10.1177/23779608231185918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unanticipated shift in nursing practice to meet the sudden increase in demand for pandemic-related care, leaving nurses unable to provide acceptable services to patients in the way they were taught and expected to do. It put the nurses under more stress and most of them were dissatisfied with their work due to excessive burnout. Objectives The study determined the level of stress and burnout among front-line nurses working at the Ministry of Health Hospitals in Najran, Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A total of 1594 nurses were chosen using a convenience sampling approach. Google Forms were used to collect data from the nurses. COVID-19 stressors questionnaire and an abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to assess stress and burnout among nurses. Results Our study reported that the majority of nurses experienced extreme levels of stress as their colleagues became ill; that they would spread COVID-19 infection to their family and friends; upsetting to see COVID-19 patients dying in front of them; not knowing when the COVID-19 pandemic will be under control; and emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue. A vast majority of nurses felt there were not adequate protective measures; there was a shortage of staff at times; were nervous and scared and thought of quitting their job; and they would quit their job if a COVID-19 outbreak recur and they would fall sick. Likewise, 41.9% of the nurses experienced a high level of burnout. A significant association was found between the area of working and the level of burnout among nurses. Conclusion As nurses experienced extreme levels of stress and severe burnout, it is vital to design regular programs to assist frontline nurses in maintaining their mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Mary Pappiya
- Department of Nursing, Regional Nursing Administration, Directorate of General Health Affair, Ministry of Health, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Mubarak Al Baalharith
- Department of Nursing, Regional Nursing Administration, Directorate of General Health Affair, Ministry of Health, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Judie Arulappan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khoudh, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Sahbanathul Missiriya Jalal
- Department of Nursing, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Krishnaraju Venkatesan
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamad Salem Al Grad
- Department of Nursing, Regional Nursing Administration, Directorate of General Health Affair, Ministry of Health, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullaah Baraik S. Alawad
- Department of Nursing, Regional Nursing Administration, Directorate of General Health Affair, Ministry of Health, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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