Feelings, Stress, and Coping of Nurses Amidst COVID-19 Outbreak in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: A year after the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, the pandemic is still affecting healthcare systems with an increasing number of infected healthcare workers. Such a unique situation may often result in emotional turmoil, anxiety, depression, and fear, which could lead to resignation and burnout. The study intended to assess the feelings of nurses toward the COVID-19 outbreak; ascertain the factors that cause stress; and determine their coping strategies and factors contributing to coping.
 Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized to recruit 313 nurses working in the Ministry of Health (Saudi Arabia) hospitals that accommodate COVID-19 patients. The study instrument was adapted and modified from the ”MERS-CoV Staff Questionnaire” and the Brief COPE.
 Results: The results showed that female, married, those with a bachelor’s degree, and aged 25–34 years had higher significant coping strategies. On the other hand, Filipino nurses assigned in the Outpatient Department and COVID-19 Isolation Ward had more negative feelings and encountered several factors causing stress but were coping in a better way than others.
 Conclusion: Nurses’ commitment to their profession appears to be an intrinsic motivation to continue caring for COVID-19 patients despite the risk of infection. Comfort with religion, spiritual beliefs, and the presence of a support system were the coping strategies used by nurses to ameliorate the stress and negative feelings during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Perceived stress and resilience levels during the COVID-19 pandemic among critical care nurses in Saudi Arabia: a correlational cross-sectional study

“…The results of this study showed that the majority of critical care nurses reported a moderate to high level of COVID-19-related stress, similar to previous studies ( Rahman et al, 2021 ; Mohsin et al, 2021 ; Alotni & Elgazzar, 2020 ; Crowe et al, 2021 ; Said & El-Shafei, 2020 ; Lu et al, 2020 ). Our study revealed that nurses were severely stressed that “something serious will happen unexpectedly with the epidemic,” which indicates that nurses may have been afraid that they could transmit COVID-19 to a loved one, a fear potentially exacerbated by the insufficient supply of personal protective equipment ( Natividad et al, 2021 ). Also, working at a hospital that hosts COVID-19 patients, regardless of whether or not healthcare workers dealt directly with these COVID-19 patients, was significantly associated with developing anxiety ( Alenazi et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Occupational status, number of family members, and years of experience in the medical sector were all linked to burnout ( AlJhani et al, 2021 ). However, coping mechanisms were found to be more prevalent in those aged 25–34 years, females, married, and those with a bachelor’s degree ( Natividad et al, 2021 ).…”

Work-related Stress Management Behaviors of Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

“…This incident corroborates that nurses and other healthcare workers are in the extreme emotional turmoil that requires urgent interventions. In a more recent study, Natividad et al (2021) explored nurses’ feelings and factors that cause stress; and coping strategies during COVID-19. The authors opined that one year after the pandemic outbreak, the healthcare systems are still struggling with an increasing number of infected healthcare workers who are also experiencing emotional harm.…”

A structural equation model analysis of the association between work‐related stress, burnout and job‐related affective well‐being among nurses in Saudi Arabia during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Nurses are the largest number of health care providers and are at the frontline to face COVID‐19 outbreaks (Choi et al, 2020 ). Despite the danger of infection, nurses' dedication to their work appears to be an innate desire to provide care for patients with COVID‐19 (Natividad et al, 2021 ). Nonetheless, the universal effort to control the outbreak leads to higher work hours and workload, which has been defined as the primary contributor to work‐related stress among nurses (Alenezi et al, 2018 ; Duarte et al, 2020 ; Hoedl et al, 2021 ).…”