Perceived Stress and Coping Behavior of Nurses Caring for Critical Patients with COVID-19 Outbreak in Taiwan: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Severe pneumonia with novel pathogens, also called COVID-19, caused a pandemic in Taiwan as well as in the rest of the world in May 2021. Nurses are under great stress when caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the perceived stress and coping behaviors of nurses caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19 using a mixed-methods approach. We recruited 85 nurses from a special intensive care unit (ICU) of a medical center in Taiwan between May and June 2021. To gather data, we used a questionnaire on basic characteristics, the perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and the brief coping orientation to problems experienced inventory (B-COPE), then conducted a qualitative interview. The results showed that the average perceived stress level among nurses was 25.4 points, and most of them perceived moderate stress. The top three coping behaviors practiced by the nurses were active coping, planning, and acceptance. Nurses who received less perceived support from their friends or families and who had shorter working experience in nursing had significantly higher stress levels. The qualitative results revealed that the nurses' perceived stress came from fear, worry, and the increased burden caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19. Coping behaviors included rest, seeking support, and affirmative fighting. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the support nurses receive from their families is an important predictor of perceived stress. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses be provided with more support in dealing with stress caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19 in special ICUs.

Psychological process of caring for patients with coronavirus infections by nurses

Objectives: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia has caused economic turmoil and social unrest worldwide. Large-scale epidemic prevention measures have been implemented globally, and in-house isolation and quarantine strategies have resulted in the large-scale resignation of medical staff, thereby leading to a shortage of human resources. The change of career has caused great pressure and coping problems with the pandemic. With the increase in the diagnosis rate and the exhaustion of medical resources, researchers are encouraged to analyze the burden and experience of nursing staff caring for infected patients. We hope that this report will help in responding and adapting to the pressure and uncertainty faced by medical staff in the future. Methods: In this research, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted. We collected the experiences of 10 nurses caring for patients infected with the coronavirus;analyzed the interview responses;and evaluated the nurses' behavior, language, and nonverbal cues through interaction with them. Results: Based on a literature review and the interviewees' experiences and feelings, four themes were identified as follows: "the past accumulated experience helps to gain momentum and fight the next course of the disease," "colleague encouragement and support help medical staff to be persistent in their work," "lack of medical resources and the difficulties faced by staff in the medical environment, stick to the end," and "the changing number of confirmed cases encountered through a patient's care journey." Conclusions: The study findings can help nursing staff caring for patients infected with the novel coronavirus by providing a basis for understanding psychological pressure among nurses and adjusting the response protocol.