Major
Nursing
Advisor
Sackett, Ashlee
Advisor Department
Nursing, College of
Date
4-2024
Keywords
Nursing; Mental health; Burnout; Stigma
Abstract
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare workers that tirelessly fought to provide care to patients are being undermined as caregivers. They were not given the time or resources to cope with the reality of the pandemic and spent many long shifts fighting for patients' lives, ultimately watching them die. The trauma that was endured by nurses during this time was unlike any other seen in the last century. However, there was no time for them to grieve or work through their emotional responses, because patients and families continued to need them.
The objective of this project is to examine research on the mental health of nurses and the resources hospitals are providing, and to suggest how these can be improved and expanded upon to fully encompass the needs of nursing staff. The term “burnout” is defined by the World Health Organization as “an occupational phenomenon, caused by being in an extended stressful working environment without adequate support interventions.” Simply being a frontline nurse during the pandemic was found to be a risk factor for adverse mental health outcomes. A lack of resources provided by hospitals and large-scale companies is only further exacerbating the problem at hand. This has created a barrier for those who wish to seek help, but are fearful due to stigmatization and the burden of putting patients first.
Research has demonstrated that interventions and support have a positive effect on the mental health of nurses, thereby improving the quality of care patients receive. Evidence-based programs have been created that support this view, such as peer and mentor relationships, daily check-ins, mental health screenings, meditation, and structured exercise. Now, the healthcare industry needs to continue to build upon this research and implement these interventions for nursing staff who have endured trauma, fatigue, and hardships that make their place of work more than just a job. In order to promote growth within the nursing profession, there need to be changes made not only around the stigmatization of mental health among nurses, but also in the resources provided for nurses.