COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s been a stressful year for nurses who have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, but new data shows many of them have been struggling with stress long before the pandemic began.
What You Need To Know
- A study showed nurses were stressed before the pandemic
- More than 50% experienced anxiety and more than 60% rated their physical health as a five or lower out of 10
- The Ohio State dean of nursing said hospitals need to invest in the wellbeing of their nurses
“Just the work we do each day, seeing similar patients each day and the intensity of the work we do and the outcomes we sometimes see can be distressing,” said Hunter Jefferis.
Jefferis has been an intensive care unit nurse for almost a decade. Now, he leads his peers at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center ICU.
“We saw a lot of COVID positive cases,” he said. “I will say we worked hard to make sure staff felt supported.”
A study released by the OSU College of Nursing evaluated ICU nurses before the pandemic. It shows about two-in-five critical-care nurses reported depressive symptoms. More than 50% experienced anxiety and more than 60% rated their physical health as a five or lower out of 10.
Bernadette Melnek, the Dean of the College of Nursing, said it’s up to health care systems to take care of their employees.
“Systems need to invest,” Melnek said. “This is not an expense this is an investment that will affect quality and safety of care.”
She also said it’s up to nurses to take care of their mental health.
“I always tell people if you are experiencing burnout, stress or depressive symptoms to the point it’s interfering with concentration that’s the big red flag,” she said.
Melnek suggested nurses practice gratitude and mindfulness, she also said to take time during the day to reset when needed.
