The more that nurses cared for patients the higher the nurses’ depression and anxiety.
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Both home-work and work- home conflict were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety.
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Perceived mastery had the strongest negative correlation with depression and anxiety.
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When asked what has helped the nurses to carry out their care of patients the most common responses were co-worker support, training in proper PPE, and support from family/friends.
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Fewer than one quarter of the nurses reported that their profession nursing education was helpful in caring for the COVID population.
Abstract
Background
Infectious disease pandemics, such as COVID-19, have dramatically increased in the last several decades.
Purpose
To investigate the personal and contextual factors associated with the psychological functioning of nurses responding to COVID in the New York City area.
Method
Cross sectional data collected via a 95-item internet-based survey sent to an email list of the 7,219 nurses employed at four hospitals.
Findings
2,495 nurses responded (RR 35%). The more that nurses cared for COVID patients as well as experienced home-work conflict and work-home conflict the higher the nurses' depression and anxiety. When asked what has helped the nurses to carry out their care of patients the most common responses were support from and to co-workers, training in proper PPE, and support from family/friends.
Discussion
Understanding the potential triggers and vulnerability factors can inform the development of institutional resources that would help minimize their impact, reducing the risk of psychological morbidity.