Support for health care workers and psychological distress: thinking about now and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on infection control nurses: A path analysis of job stress, burnout, and turnover intention

BACKGROUND

A infection control nurse (ICN) has played substantial roles in infection control and epidemiology programs in hospitals to protect patients and coworkers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to explore the association between intention to leave in ICNs and job stress and burnout.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among ICNs working in hospitals with ≥200 beds in South Korea from October 1 to 22, 2021. Variables included were related to general and job characteristics specific to COVID-19, as well as measures of job stress, burnout, and turnover intention for ICNs from previous studies. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships between job stress, burnout, turnover intention, and COVID-19-related work characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 203 participants were included, of whom 95% were women. The results showed that work intensity in COVID-19 infection control was significantly associated with job stress (P<.001) and burnout (P = .035). Furthermore, job stress (P = .019) and burnout (P < .001) were positively correlated with turnover intention.

CONCLUSIONS

In a pandemic with emerging infectious diseases, strategies to reduce turnover among ICNs and ensure a sufficient workforce are crucial to reducing work intensity, considering the factors that affect job stress and burnout.

Changes in Anxiety and Depression Over the First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic in Philadelphia, PA: Work Characteristics and Mental Health Supports

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the change in anxiety and depression in a general population cohort over the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in relation to work characteristics and mental health support.

METHODS

We administered questionnaires to a convenience sample in Greater Philadelphia, in summer of 2020 and a year later. With more than 60% response rate, 461 people had repeated measurements.

RESULTS

Anxiety declined but depression increased in the cohort after a year of COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived increase in support from family and trade unions, stable employment, and professional mental health support were protective. Depression scores worsened mostly in healthcare, higher education, and manufacturing industries.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed that while anxiety dissipated over the first year of COVID-19 pandemic, depression worsened, perhaps more so in some industries and where mental health support faltered over time.

Ten areas for ICU clinicians to be aware of to help retain nurses in the ICU

Shortage of nurses on the ICU is not a new phenomenon, but has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The underlying reasons are relatively well-recognized, and include excessive workload, moral distress, and perception of inappropriate care, leading to burnout and increased intent to leave, setting up a vicious circle whereby fewer nurses result in increased pressure and stress on those remaining. Nursing shortages impact patient care and quality-of-work life for all ICU staff and efforts should be made by management, nurse leaders, and ICU clinicians to understand and ameliorate the factors that lead nurses to leave. Here, we highlight 10 broad areas that ICU clinicians should be aware of that may improve quality of work-life and thus potentially help with critical care nurse retention.