Pakistani nurses providing care to COVID patients extremely exhausted and psychologically distressed – Research

Nurses are a vital part of the healthcare system worldwide. They are around the patients 24 hours a day for monitoring and to make sure that the patients are taking drugs as prescribed.

During epidemics when the number of patients increases the burden on the nurses also rises.

A study was published in the ‘International Nursing Review’. The study aimed to assess the burden of burnout and psychological distress among Pakistani nurses providing care to patients with COVID-19.

The study involved a convenience sample of 288 nurses.

Also Read: Four Pakistani research papers on Covid-19 retracted due to plagiarized content

Results:

Burnout was present in 48.6% of nurses, severe emotional exhaustion in 37.2%, severe depersonalization in 36.8%, and low personal accomplishment in 46.9% of nurses. Psychological distress was present in 45% of nurses.

Burnout and psychological distress were significantly higher in nurses who: were working in public hospitals, did not receive training for COVID-19 prevention, and were dealing with increased patient load.

Burnout and its domains were significantly associated with depression, anxiety, stress, anger, and low social support.

The authors stressed that hospitals must screen nurses frequently for the presence of significant burnout and psychological distress. They should offer supportive interventions to protect their mental health and well-being.

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