Executive Summary
The spread of COVID-19 has affected numerous people, raising an important question concerning the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among nurses working during the pandemic. Resolving the query can help us better understand the consequences of the pandemic on healthcare workers and potentially determine gaps in the existing publications. The following literature review covers quantitative and qualitative studies that illustrate nurses’ experiences and support the research question.
Literature Review
Foli et al.’s Study on Frontline Nurses’ Experiences
One must consider practitioners who have directly worked with COVID-19 patients. Foli et al. (2021) describe the lived experiences of frontline nurses in critical care settings. The research method was a survey, and the design was a qualitative study with variables focusing on demographics, trauma, and substance use (Foli et al., 2021). The sample included 105 registered nurses practicing during the pandemic (Foli et al., 2021).
Data were collected based on an online survey and examined using content analysis (Foli et al., 2021). A major conclusion was that depression, anxiety, guilt, and PTSD were frequently mentioned when depicting psychological distress, which relates to the proposal topic by demonstrating that some nurses face PTSD (Foli et al., 2021). Moreover, additional information from this source concerns post-traumatic growth (Foli et al., 2021). The study can be used to support the research question by proposing that frontline critical care nurses may encounter PTSD when working with COVID-19 patients.
Hernandez et al.’s Study on Risk of PTSD in Frontline Nurses
It is essential to determine the risk of facing COVID-19-related PTSD. Hernandez et al. (2021) have investigated the presence of PTSD in frontline nurses after the initial COVID-19 surge. The research method and design concentrated on a cross-sectional study and measured traumatic stress using the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) (Hernandez et al., 2021). The sample included 298 nurses working in acute care (Hernandez et al., 2021).
Data were collected via an online survey, and results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Hernandez et al., 2021). The study concluded that 58.7% of the participants scored positively on the TSQ, which relates to the current paper’s topic by indicating a high chance of PTSD (Hernandez et al., 2021). Some additional information from the source addresses the demographics of PTSD propensity among nurses. Consequently, the findings can support the research question by specifying that at least half of acute care nurses are likely to be at risk of developing PTSD due to the pandemic.
Sagherian et al.’s Study on PTSD Symptoms in Nurses
Furthermore, one must consider the severity of PTSD symptoms in nurses confronting the spread of COVID-19. Sagherian et al. (2020) propose that the pandemic has exacerbated already demanding laboring conditions for nurses and examine the changes in the practitioners’ well-being. The research method and design were focused on an observational cross-sectional study. They assessed PTSD rigor by employing SPRINT (Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview) with eight items (Sagherian et al., 2020).
The sample was represented by 587 registered nurses and nursing assistants (Sagherian et al., 2020). Data collection used an online survey, and data analysis was conducted in STATA utilizing standard deviations and frequencies for variables (Sagherian et al., 2020). The major conclusions were that SPRINT indicated high PTSD symptom severity and that 55.38% of the participants scored positive for PTSD cases (Sagherian et al., 2020). Moreover, the study provides additional information on the shifts in PTSD in the US (Sagherian et al., 2020). The findings relate to the proposal topic by demonstrating that nurses experience substantial PTSD and can be used to support the research question by revealing how severe the level of the condition has become.
Ayotte et al.’s Study on PTSD in Non-Frontline Nurses
Although PTSD is prevalent among frontline nurses working during the pandemic, it is significant to determine if other nurses have also encountered the disorder. Ayotte et al. (2022) have examined the mental health state of nurses practicing during the COVID-19 outbreak. A survey was used as the research method, and a descriptive correlational design was used to examine PTSD symptoms, interactions with COVID-19 patients, and workplace and demographic factors (Ayotte et al., 2022).
The sample included 218 nurses of various specialties, with 79% having treated individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 (Ayotte et al., 2022). An online survey was developed for data collection, and the responses were examined based on correlations among variables and path analysis (Ayotte et al., 2022). A major conclusion was that nurses who worked with COVID-19 patients reported more PTSD symptoms than those who did not treat those diagnosed with the disease (Ayotte et al., 2022). The authors noted some distinctions in PTSD depending on having a graduate degree, diploma, or access to personal protective equipment (Ayotte et al., 2022). The study can support the research question by explaining that nurses interacting with COVID-19 patients have a higher preponderance of the condition.
Li et al.’s Study on PTSD in Chinese Nurses
Finally, one should consider whether the presence of PTSD in nurses has changed in countries other than the US. Li et al. (2021) have investigated factors associated with PTSD in frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The research was based on a survey with a predictive study design, and the sample included 356 registered nurses who worked in COVID-19 units (Li et al., 2021).
Data collection was conducted via a survey that the participants completed twice, and data analysis was done in STATA (Li et al., 2021). A major conclusion was that before laboring in COVID-19 units, only 6 (1.6%) nurses had PTSD, but the number increased to 2020 (62%) after working in pandemic-focused divisions (Li et al., 2021). The authors provided some additional information, including the demographic-related details of PTSD in the assessed practitioners (Li et al., 2021). The study relates to the proposal topic by illustrating differences in the prevalence of PTSD due to the pandemic. The findings can support the research question by stating that nurses not only in the US but also in China have become at increased risk of PTSD because of COVID-19.
References
Ayotte, B. J., Schierberl Scherr, A. E., & Kellogg, M. B. (2022). PTSD symptoms and functional impairment among nurses treating COVID-19 patients. SAGE Open Nursing, 8, 1-8. Web.
Foli, K. J., Forster, A., Cheng, C., Zhang, L., & Chiu, Y. C. (2021). Voices from the COVID‐19 frontline: Nurses’ trauma and coping. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(9), 3853-3866. Web.
Hernandez, J. M., Munyan, K., Kennedy, E., Kennedy, P., Shakoor, K., & Wisser, J. (2021). Traumatic stress among frontline American nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study. Traumatology, 27(4), 413-418. Web.
Li, X., Zhou, Y., & Xu, X. (2021). Factors associated with the psychological well‐being among frontline nurses exposed to COVID‐2019 in China: A predictive study. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(2), 240-249. Web.
Sagherian, K., Steege, L. M., Cobb, S. J., & Cho, H. (2020). Insomnia, fatigue, and psychosocial well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional survey of hospital nursing staff in the United States. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 1-38. Web.