COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of Health Effects on Emergency Service Nursing Workers via a Qualitative Approach

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, longstanding issues involving nursing work, which has always involved significant risks of illness and infection, were intensified. It is necessary to acknowledge the risks and nurses’ perceptions about the risks qualitatively during the period of the health crisis. The aim of this study was to examine the health repercussions perceived by nursing workers in emergency services during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This was a qualitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The settings of the study were emergency services with a national scope; the participants were nursing workers. Data were collected via face-to-face virtual calling interviews and analyzed via a content analysis technique, which was supported by IRAMUTEQ software. The formation of textual classes pointed in three thematic directions, from which three categories emerged: nursing workers’ exposure, due to a lack of protective equipment, to the risk of being contaminated with, falling ill from, and transmitting the COVID-19 virus; changes in work environments, processes, and relations in response to the pandemic; and physical, mental, and psychosocial alterations perceived by emergency service nursing workers. The exposure to the virus, risk of contamination, and changes in the work environment and relations all resulted in health repercussions, which were perceived as physical, mental, and psychosocial alterations that were described as dietary disturbances, physical fatigue, burnout, increased smoking, anxiety, sleep alterations, fear, exhaustion, stress, social isolation, loneliness, distancing from relatives, and social stigma.

Covid-19 pandemic? Mental health implications among nurses and Proposed interventions

“…Through virtual face-to-face interviews, they investigated the perceived health effects. The study revealed various physical, mental, and psychosocial alterations among professional nurses, including eating disorders, fatigue, burnout, anxiety, and social isolation [32] .…”

Mental suffering among public and private assistance professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Algumas hipóteses podem explicar este resultado, como, por exemplo, a época da coleta de dados. O primeiro semestre de 2020 foi o início da pandemia, ainda sem muitas informações sobre a doença, que impactou a saúde física e mental dos trabalhadores em decorrência da falta de equipamentos de proteção, ao risco de contaminação, adoecimento e transmissão do vírus covid-19, e às mudanças nos ambientes de trabalho, processos e relações em resposta à pandemia 25 . Outra hipótese quanto ao achado da alta frequência de sofrimento mental está relacionada ao método, que pode ter levado a um viés de seleção, com participação de profissionais mais interessados no tema.…”

“…De acordo com a literatura, a detecção de associação entre sofrimento mental e comorbidades reflete, além da sobrecarga, influências sobre o medo de adoecer, afastar-se das atividades, sobrecarregar outros membros da equipe, deixar de prover sustento à família e, até mesmo, morrer 25 .…”

Estrés laboral durante la pandemia covid-19 en el personal de enfermeria de cuidados intensivos

“…3 Durante esta crisis sanitaria por la pandemia COVID-19, el personal de enfermería ha tenido que batallar, exponiéndose a la infección, estrés y una sobrecarga laboral que ha repercutido en su salud psicológica 4 . Diversos estudios muestran que uno de los grupos más afectados por el estrés en su trabajo diario es el de los profesionales de enfermería 14 . El incremento de la carga laboral, la pérdida de seguridad laboral, la falta de suministros para la prestación de servicios, los bajos salarios, la falta de recursos humanos y el incremento de procesos judiciales, son factores que generan sobrecarga laboral, cansancio y agotamiento físico-mental en este grupo de trabajadores de enfermería 5 15 .…”