ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to determine the depression, anxiety, and stress levels of healthcare workers (HCWs) working actively in different health services during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ankara at the Provincial Health Directorate Numune Campus between January and April 2022. The depression, anxiety, and stress levels of HCWs working actively in different health services during the pandemic were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. Results: The study included 381 healthcare workers, 272 (71.4%) of whom were female. The mean age was 40.0±9.9 (21-63) years, and 44.9% (n=171) of the HCWs had a COVID-19 infection at some point. While 28.6% of HCWs needed psychological support before the pandemic, the rate increased to 36.2% during the pandemic (p<0.001). DASS-21 results showed that the frequency of depression was 31.0%, anxiety 47.2%, and stress 22.8% among participants during the pandemic. Conclusion: One out of three HCWs reported experiencing mental health problems. It is essential to improve the working conditions of HCWs to help them cope with the effects of the pandemic on their mental health and to provide psychosocial support.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the roles, expectations and problems of patient companions and to develop solutions to the difficulties encountered by the nurses, patients and their companions. A qualitative approach with semi-structured face-to-face interviews was used during May and June 2014 to collect data. A convenience sample of participants was selected from the nurses, patients and their companions. Content analysis was used for the data. The results of this study revealed that the need for companions is important to the current Turkish healthcare system, but it has many drawbacks. As companions are witness to a patient's declining health and family, social and financial problems, their role should be to support their patients emotionally or socially, but they should not perform medical tasks. Therefore, the agencies responsible for managing the use of patient companions should regularly review its function by communicating often with the patients and their caregivers. Open communication between patient companions and all those responsible for patient care could improve the present difficulties which exist.
