Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Polish Healthcare Staff in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kobelski, Grzegorz; Naylor, Katarzyna; Ślusarz, Robert; Wysokiński, Mariusz

doi:10.3390/jcm12124072

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a global systemic healthcare weakness: a shortage of medical staff [ 17 , 18 ], particularly nurses, which was also observed in Poland [ 19 ]. Overworked nurses were required to work under high stress and personal risk conditions [ 20 , 21 ]. Evidence shows that heavier workloads correlate with higher stress levels and greater unwillingness to work additional hours, especially if unpaid [ 22 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of experience, tenure, and organisational preparedness on nurses' readiness in responding to disasters: An exploration during the COVID-19 pandemic

et al. 2023

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Background The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed unprecedented challenges on the nursing practice, particularly in Poland. Nurses, as crucial healthcare service providers, have faced organisational disruptions, altered working conditions, and heightened professional anxieties. Methods We undertook a comprehensive survey across all medical centres in Lublin, Poland in 2020 to understand nurses' attitudes towards their roles and working conditions during the pandemic. This involved 470 nurses completing a questionnaire which focused on four pivotal areas: readiness to be on call in a disaster situation (even when not formally asked); willingness to work overtime in a disaster without additional compensation, preparedness to undertake health risks by caring for individuals with infectious diseases or exposure to hazardous substances, and willingness to be transferred to other departments during a disaster. Results We found that excessive workload, fear of infection, and feelings of helplessness significantly influenced nurses' readiness to work overtime, particularly when unpaid. We also presented the ethical dilemmas that nurses encountered during the pandemic and how these dilemmas affected their decision-making processes. We further explored the impact of variables such as nurses' professional experience, tenure, and level of organisational preparedness on their readiness to respond to crisis situations. Conclusions Gaining an understanding of nurses' perspectives is key for formulating strategies to bolster their professional engagements and resilience during crises. Addressing these issues can help build a more robust and well-prepared healthcare system that can effectively navigate future crises.

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