Finnish nurses’ anxiety levels in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and 18 months later: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

It is extremely important to have an overall view of nurses’ well-being and anxiety levels during the COVID-19 pandemic to support the well-being and working conditions of workers in optimal ways in future crises. The aim of the study was to describe changes in the anxiety levels of nurses from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to a time point 18 months later, and to describe how the working conditions, interactions between workers, psychological distress, and managers’ actions were associated with the anxiety of nursing staff. The repeated cross-sectional survey was distributed to nurses at two Finnish hospitals. The mean anxiety scores of nurses increased over the examined 18-month period, but still indicated mild anxiety at both time points. Working conditions, interactions between workers, and psychological distress were associated with anxiety. At both measurement points, the nurses who did not receive support from their manager had higher levels of anxiety compared to those who received support. Hospital organizations can take advantage of the results when preparing for new pandemics and producing concrete plans to support nurses’ mental health and coping at work.