Anxiety, Depression, and Resilience in Pediatric Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences 2024-09, Vol.17 (3), p.1605-1620
• Main Authors: Koutantelia, Olga-Maria, Togas, Constantinos, Alexias, George, Triantafyllidou, Sofia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Clinical outcomes; COVID-19; Females; Hospitals; Hypotheses; Intervention; Medical personnel; Mental depression; Mental health; Nurses; Pandemics; Pediatric nursing; Questionnaires; Stress
• ISSN: 1791-5201; 1792-037X

Introduction: After the emergence of the first COVID-19 case, the mental health of nurses was significantly impacted. Aim: To investigate the levels of anxiety, depression, and resilience among pediatric nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted over a five-month period in one private and two public pediatric hospitals in Greece, involving a sample of 158 pediatric nurses. The data collection tool included sections for demographic and work-related information, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results: More than half of the participants reported normal levels of depression and anxiety. However, around one in five presented borderline abnormal levels of depression (22.2%) and anxiety (21.5%). The total score on the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale was 67.8. Women scored significantly higher than men in both depression and anxiety, but lower in resilience. Significant differences in depression, anxiety, and resilience were also found based on various demographic and work-related characteristics. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a significant negative association between certain CD-RISC subscales and both Depression (R = 0.562, R = 0.316, Adjusted R = 0.294) and Anxiety (R = 0.608, R = 0.370, Adjusted R = 0.349). Discussion: Approximately 20% of pediatric nurses experienced borderline abnormal levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. These percentages are lower than those reported in studies involving other nursing populations. Future research is recommended to further investigate the demographic and work-related characteristics that significantly influence pediatric nurses' anxiety and depression levels.