The impact of the first COVID-19 surge on the mental well-being of ICU nurses: A nationwide survey study

• Published in: Intensive & critical care nursing 2021-08, Vol.65, p.103034-103034, Article 103034
• Main Authors: Heesakkers, Hidde, Zegers, Marieke, van Mol, Margo M.C., van den Boogaard, Mark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - etiology; Anxiety - physiopathology; Burnout, Professional - etiology; Burnout, Professional - physiopathology; Burnout, Professional - psychology; Continuity of care; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - psychology; COVID-19 - transmission; Critical care; Critical care nursing; Critical Care Nursing - methods; Critical Care Nursing - trends; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depression - etiology; Depression - psychology; Female; Humans; Intensive care; Intensive care unit; Intensive Care Units - organization & administration; Intensive Care Units - standards; Intensive Care Units - statistics & numerical data; Male; Mental depression; Mental health; Middle Aged; Nurses; Nurses - psychology; Nurses - statistics & numerical data; Occupational Stress - complications; Occupational Stress - psychology; Pandemics; Patients; Polls & surveys; Post traumatic stress disorder; Recovery; Regression analysis; Research methodology; Risk factors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Well being; Working conditions
• ISSN: 0964-3397; 1532-4036
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2021.103034

To determine the impact of the first COVID-19 surge (March through June 2020) on mental well-being and associated risk factors among intensive care unit nurses. In September 2020, a nationwide cross-sectional survey study among Dutch intensive care nurses was carried out to measure prevalence rates of symptoms of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and need for recovery (NFR), objectified by the HADS-A, HADS-D, IES-6 and NFR questionnaires, respectively. Associated risk factors were determined using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder were reported by 27.0%, 18.6% and 22.2% of the 726 respondents, respectively. The NFR was positive, meaning not being recovered from work, in 41.7%. Working in an academic hospital, being afraid of infecting relatives and experiencing insufficient numbers of colleagues were associated with more mental symptoms, while having been on holiday was associated with reduced depression symptoms and need for recovery. The first COVID-19 surge had a high impact on the mental well-being of intensive care nurses, increasing the risk for drop out and jeopardising the continuity of care. Effort should be made to optimize working conditions and decrease workload to guarantee care in the next months of the COVID-19 pandemic.