Introduction
In the introduction, we provide background information on the contagious COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on a recognizable demographic: hospital-based nurses dealing with stress, anxiety, and burnout. It collects and assesses prior COVID-19 research and the experiences of nurses adjusting to increased workloads. It first introduces the concept of evidence-based practice (EBP). Melnyk and Fineout-Overhold (2022) defined EBP as making decisions and providing patient care based on the most compelling research findings. The systematic application of EBP has been shown to improve patient outcomes and healthcare quality. The difficulties faced by nurses experiencing comparable levels of stress, despair, and physical suffering were highlighted in this article, which drew parallels between the current pandemic and the 2003 SARS epidemic. This research is significant because it bridges the gap between previous research and current knowledge.
Aims of the Research
The issue is discussed with a specific group of nurses who worked at the hospital suffering from stress, anxiety, and burnout. The introduction uses negative descriptive terms to explain the history of infectious pandemics. It overviews relevant past studies on the COVID-19 condition and the backdrop of nurses dealing with growing workloads. The objectives for each of the three criteria are clearly stated, with the author explaining the aims to the reader well throughout the content in the article’s title, abstract, and introduction.
Methodology
The qualitative technique used in the study is suitable for the research questions. The techniques portion of this article contains enough information, including diagrams and simple language, to accurately reproduce this research using the same equipment and under similar conditions. The qualitative method captures changing attitudes within the target group, provides a flexible approach, and is associated with fewer limitations than the quantitative methodology (O’Connor & Joffe, 2020). The qualitative technique allows the key questions to be answered and, eventually, supported conclusions to be formed.
Research Design
The researcher took a reasonable path in preparation, data collection and analysis, and conclusions derivation. Eighty nurses, predominantly women aged 18 to 65, who worked at a university hospital in Turkey and cared for COVID-positive patients were recruited (Dincer & Inangil, 2021). It was carried out with a good sample size, in line with acknowledged research ethics, and per Covid-19’s health policy criteria. This study appears to be real and trustworthy, of excellent quality since the purpose was clearly stated, and the research methodology is appropriate for the investigation. Additionally, random controlled trials could reduce bias by comparing two otherwise equal groups while blinding one. This study, which is objective, controlled, and rich in first-hand observations and experience, improves theoretical understanding of nursing culture by applying research knowledge and impact.
Techniques for Recruiting
This study was carried out in a university hospital in Turkey by nurses caring for COVID-19 patients throughout May 2020. To participate, the nurses had to meet several requirements. Firstly, no participant was expected to have any mental disorder (Dincer & Inangil, 2021). Second, it was not expected that the individual would have attended or been attending any stress and anxiety management classes. Finally, individuals’ permission to participate in the study was requested. This shows excitement and guarantees that a larger proportion of participants would complete the study. The recruitment strategy was, therefore, thorough and resulted in the selection of passionate persons for the study.
Data Collection
Zoom was utilized to conduct interviews, while Survey Monkey was used to gather online data. These two data collection strategies suit the study’s context and aims. Accessing internet resources was the best option because the study was conducted during a dangerous period. The data was gathered using inventories such as the State-Trait Anxiety, the Subjective Units of Distress scale, and the Descriptive Characteristics Form (Dincer & Inangil, 2021). Survey Monkey’s electronic self-access function and the restriction of repetitive data submissions from the same individual simplified data gathering and tracking (Abd Halim et al., 2018). To obtain anonymous replies, electronic and IP address records were fully deactivated to maintain secrecy.
Relationship between Researcher and Participants
The relationship between the participant and the researcher was closely monitored throughout the investigation. The researcher, therefore, ensured the nurses participated willingly, allowing each participant to leave at will. Only 72 completed the study, and 80 were recruited (Dincer & Inangil, 2021). Personal space was therefore offered, respecting all participants’ feelings and will as a requirement, according to Polgar and Thomas (2011). Additionally, the researcher protected the participant by choosing methods like zoom interviews to avoid spreading the Covid 19 virus. Although the Rosenthal effect is a disadvantage of a randomized controlled study, all participants were treated identically to give a sense of belonging.
Ethical Considerations
Researchers acted ethically since the essential ethical principles of informed consent and self-determination (the freedom to choose whether or not to participate) were addressed. Participants understood the study’s aim, risks, and planned use of the collected data. The researcher followed scientific excellence and quality standards and was certified to utilize the Emotional Freedom Technique, which eliminates risk to the greatest degree possible (Stapleton et al., 2020). The right to privacy and confidentiality was protected, ensuring that no one was coerced into participating and that everyone was informed of the scope of the study. Additionally, this instills trust in the participants by notifying them that their information would not be shared with third parties in line with the consent agreements.
Data Analysis
There was no risk of analytical bias because the data was meticulously collected. The analysis was carried out by an uninformed researcher of the researchers’ group designations. As a result, the chance of the analysis favoring some components over others was minimal. The Statistical Package for Social was used to analyze the data (Dincer & Inangil, 2021). The data showed a non-normal distribution, according to the Shapiro-Wilks test. Tools such as the Pearson Chi-Square test were used for the statistical analysis. Overall, the data analysis, in this case, was outstanding, indicating confidence in the result.
Statement of Findings
The researcher presented the findings clearly and transparently to communicate the results to the readers. The researcher offers analytical aspects that explain how various results were reached in addition to explanation. Finally, the intervention group had statistically significant stress, anxiety, and burnout decreases, all at (p.001). The control group did not show significant changes in the measured parameters. According to the findings, an online group intervention employing EFT decreased stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Conclusions and Purpose
This study stresses the necessity for an intervention to improve nurses’ job experiences. Nurses face significant physical and emotional pressures as the first line of defense in the fight against COVID-19, which may harm their mental health. After only one session of short, online group psychotherapy employing EFT, the problems were considerably eased. It is a simple and quick technique that nurses anywhere in the world can use to treat COVID-19, but there are still many unanswered questions, including how long the effects will last. Furthermore, the study serves as a foundation or pilot study for future research in the same field. The findings of this article might be used in future studies to provide more conclusive and accurate results.
References
Abd Halim, M., Foozy, C. F. M., Rahmi, I., & Mustapha, A. (2018). A review of live survey application: SurveyMonkey and SurveyGizmo. JOIV: International Journal on Informatics Visualization, 2(4-2), 309-312.
Dincer, B., & Inangil, D. (2021). The effect of emotional freedom techniques on nurses’ stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the covid-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Explore, 17(2), 109-114.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overhold, E. (2022). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
O’Connor, C., & Joffe, H. (2020). Intercoder reliability in qualitative research: debates and practical guidelines. International journal of qualitative methods, 19, 1609406919899220.
Polgar, S., & Thomas, S. A. (2011). Introduction to research in the health sciences e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Stapleton, P., Crighton, G., Sabot, D., & O’Neill, H. M. (2020). Reexamining the effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(8), 869.