ORIGINAL PAPER
Professional challenges of nurses working during the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic
 
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1
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery)
2
Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland (Health Sciences Faculty, Department of Clinical Nursing)
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Grażyna Puto   

Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Kopernika 25, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
Online publication date: 2022-12-27
 
Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2023;36(1):112–124
 
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The diverse list of tasks and needs related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may lead to different professional experiences in nurses working with patients infected with and not infected with SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the study was to measure the professional challenges of nurses working during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Poland. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in 2021 in a group of 151 nurses. The following scales were used: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ-SF), the Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBIHSS). Results: Nurses working with patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed a positive correlation between workload and emotional exhaustion (ρ = 0.26, p = 0.02), as well as positive correlations among control, community and depersonalization (ρ = 0.25, p = 0.02; ρ = 0.23, p = 0.04). Among nurses working with uninfected patients, positive correlations were found among control, community, fairness and emotional exhaustion (ρ = 0.40, p = 0.000; ρ = 0.41, p = 0.000; ρ = 0.25, p = 0.03), as well as correlations between control and depersonalization (ρ = 0.33, p = 0.01), and among control, community and personal accomplishment (ρ = 0.23, p = 0.05; ρ = 0.27, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Nurses working during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with infected and uninfected patients both experienced a variety of psychosocial challenges in coping with the demands of their work, social relationships and personal life. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):112–24
eISSN:1896-494X
ISSN:1232-1087