Healthcare personnel all over the world have risen to the challenge of treating COVID-19 patients. They put their own health and well-being at risk. COVID-19's potential mental health impact on frontline workers, particularly nurses, is becoming more widely recognized. However, little effort has been made to gain a better understanding of the impact of working on a pandemic from the standpoint of nurses, or their thoughts on support.
Working Conditions
Many nurses' jobs and working conditions are unstable today. The current pandemic has brought attention to nurses' vulnerability to health-damaging factors. Nurses who work in hospitals and nursing homes frequently work in shifts to ensure that patients are cared for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They could be on call, which implies they're on duty and must be available for work at any time.
Fear And Anxiety
Anxiety is a nearly universal emotion. Millions, including nurses and other healthcare professionals, have been affected. Meanwhile, many nurses are working without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves and their patients from COVID-19. This could significantly raise anxiety. Add this to the nurses' anxieties of spreading the infection to their families, friends, and communities. You have a formula for "pre-trauma" and anticipatory fear.
How Nurses Can Proactively Cope With Anxiety During The Pandemic
Nurses can manage their anxiety by using the following techniques:
Being Aware of the Problem
The first step in dealing with anxiety or depression is to recognize the problem. Understanding that mental health issues have no bearing on an individual's worth and that they are widespread. Apparently, this is also true in the field of nursing. Nurses are encouraged to seek help.
Ask For Help
It's critical for recovery to recognize warning signs and unhealthy behaviors early on and take action. If symptoms aren't addressed, they can become incapacitating. Acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder are among conditions that nurses can face in (PTSD).
Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
Long, arduous hours of work by many nurses can drain them, leading to increased stress and burnout, as well as anxiety and melancholy. These workers can refuel and retain a sense of balance by eating a balanced diet and sleeping well. Deep breathing and meditation are two relaxation techniques that can help nurses lower their anxiety.
Stress Management For Teams
Teams can be bonded and empathy can be built through activities that allow nurses to share their individual concerns. Other stress-management tactics for teams include:
- Participating in your employer's workplace health and safety initiatives
- Developing a method for reporting stress or mental health issues that require attention.
- Establishing a peer-support system.
In the fight against infectious diseases, nurses play a critical role. Even the most resilient people might suffer from anxiety and unhappiness as a result of their jobs. But the stigma surrounding mental health continues. Rather than seeking treatment, many nurses try to hide their pain for fear of being judged or punished. However, no one benefits from silence. Nurse administrators are responsible for reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. They need to ensure that their employees feel supported.
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