Mental health impacts in pediatric nurses: a cross-sectional study in tertiary pediatric hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to assess mental health issues in pediatric nurses during coronavirus pandemic in 2019. Method: cross-sectional study was conducted with pediatric nurses at the Instituto da Criança e do Adolescente based on online self-rated survey about clinical practice and mental health impact during COVID-19 pandemic. Validated self-reported scales for anxiety, depression and burnout were used for assessing these professionals. Results: 107/298 (36%) nurses answered, 90% were female, median age was 41(23-64) years, 68% worked with adolescents, 66% in frontline. Burnout, anxiety and moderate/severe depression occurred in 65%, 72% and 74%, respectively. Lack of standardized treatment protocol for nurses (27%vs.10%, p=0.049), moderate/severe depression (74% vs. 16%, p=0.002) and burnout (82% vs. 58%, p=0.01) were significantly higher in pediatric nurses with anxiety compared to those without. Pediatric nurses that worked with adolescents compared to those that did not showed higher frequency of burnout in the former group (77% vs. 32%, p=0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed that adequate quarantine adherence increased the presence of anxiety in 4.6 times [OR4.6(CI 1.1-20.2), p=0.04]. Conclusion: most pediatric nurses who had worked in the frontline of COVID-19 were under precarious conditions, working with reduced team, and with an expressive changes in their monthly income. Current anxiety was a relevant issue, burnout was also an important mental condition for these professionals, reinforcing culture of good teamwork, collaboration practices and psychological/psychiatric approach.

Prevalence of psychological and mental health symptoms among nursing professionals during the COVID‐19 pandemic in the Americas: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…In the analysis of the abstracts, 202 studies were excluded, leaving 57 studies in the sample. In addition, another six articles retrieved from the references of the studies included were added for analysis, totaling a sample of 62 articles (Appel et al., 2021; Arnetz et al., 2020; Bitencourt et al., 2021; Blanchard et al., 2022; Brown et al., 2023; Burstyn & Holt, 2022; Chapa‐Koloffon et al., 2021; Cohen et al., 2022; Côté et al., 2022; Crowe et al., 2022; Cruz et al., 2021; Cuccia et al., 2022; Dal'Bosco et al., 2020; De las Salas et al., 2021; Drager et al., 2022; El Gindi et al., 2022; Estes et al., 2021; Feingold et al., 2021; Freitas et al., 2021; Freitas et al., 2022; Guillen‐Burgos, Gomez‐Ureche, Acosta, et al., 2022; Guillen‐Burgos, Gomez‐Ureche, Renowitzky, et al., 2022; Gutierrez et al., 2022; Guttormson et al., 2022; Havaei, Ma, et al., 2021; Havaei, Smith, et al., 2021; Hendrickson et al., 2022; Hernandez et al., 2021; Hickling & Barnett, 2022; Ingle, 2021; Kim et al., 2021; Kovner et al., 2021; Machado et al., 2022; Magalhães et al., 2021; Martínez et al., 2020; Martínez‐Ponce et al., 2023; Melnyk et al., 2022; Mensinger et al., 2022; Merkle et al., 2022; Montoya et al., 2021; Obando et al., 2020; Oliveira et al., 2022; Pazmiño et al., 2021; Pico et al., 2021; Prasad et al., 2020; Prasad et al., 2021; Real‐Ramírez et al., 2020; Robba et al., 2022; Robles et al., 2020; Rodriguez et al., 2021; Ruiz et al., 2021; Sagherian et al.,…”

Pilot Study on the Impact of Gratitude Journaling or Cognitive Strategies on Health Care Workers

“…This was not an anticipated finding as the literature suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic had profound effects on the psychological well-being of HCWs, with increased depression, anxiety ( Pappa et al, 2020 ), and burnout ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Office of Health Policy, 2022 ). Increased levels of depression and anxiety have also been reported in the pediatric nursing population ( Robba et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Studies, including systematic reviews, explored the psychological impact of COVID-19 on HCWs, including anxiety, depression, burnout, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disorders ( Carmassi et al, 2022 ; Cénat et al, 2021 ; Duffy et al, 2022 ; Marvaldi et al, 2021 ). Even in pediatric centers with a significantly lower burden of COVID-19-positive patients, HCWs reported significant anxiety, depression, and burnout ( Robba et al, 2022 ). Similar outbreaks, such as the 2003 Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak and the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic, demonstrated short and long-term psychological effects on HCWs ( Jalloh et al, 2018 ; Maunder et al, 2006 ).…”

The Mediating Role of Anxiety in the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Psychosocial Functions of Nurses and Pediatricians in PICUs

“…There are several studies that indicated high anxiety levels between healthcare workers ( 38 , 39 ) and especially, between pediatric workers ( 40 , 41 , 42 ). Nurses and doctors who provide care to pediatric patients face increased stress which comes from factors such as death, parental reaction and the heavy burden of care ( 43 ).…”