Emotional responses and coping strategies in nurses and nursing students during Covid-19 outbreak: A comparative study

Long Huang, Wansheng Lei, Fuming Xu, Hairong Liu, Liang Yu, Long Huang, Wansheng Lei, Fuming Xu, Hairong Liu, Liang Yu

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in December has seen more than 76,000 cases in China, causing more than 3,000 medical staff infections. As the disease is highly contagious, can be fatal in severe cases, and there are no specific medicines, it poses a huge threat to the life and health of nurses, leading to a severe impact on their emotional responses and coping strategies. Therefore, this study will investigate nurses' emotional responses and coping styles, and conduct a comparative study with nursing college students. This study was conducted through the online survey 'questionnaire star' from February 1st to February 20th, 2020 in Anhui Province, using the snowball sampling method to invite subjects. The results found that women showed more severe anxiety and fear than men. Participants from cities exhibited these symptoms more than participants from rural areas, however rural participants experienced more sadness than urban participants. The nearer a COVID-19 zone is to the participants, the stronger the anxiety and anger. The COVID-19 outbreak has placed immense pressure on hospitals and those nurses at the frontline are more seriously affected. Hospitals should focus on providing psychological support to nurses and training in coping strategies.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

    1. World Health Organization. Clinical management of severe acute respiratory infection when Novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected: interim guidance. Jan 11, 2020. (ncov)-infection-is-suspected (accessed Jan 30, 2020)
    1. Special Expert Group for Control of the Epidemic of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia of the Chinese Preventive Medicine. (2020). An update on the epidemiological characteristics of novel coronavirus pneumonia(COVID-19). Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 41(2): 139–144 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-6450.2020.02.002
    1. Gao JL, Zheng PP, Jia YN, et al (2/17/2020). Mental Health Problems and Social Media Exposure During COVID-19 Outbreak.
    1. Chiu HFK, Lam LCW, Chiu E (2003). SARS andpsychogeriatric–perspective and lessons from Hong Kong. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18: 871–873. 10.1002/gps.1003
    1. Leung PC, Ooi EE (2003). SARS War: Combating the Disease. New Jersey: World Scientific.
    1. Liu Y (2003 May 5). Zhong Nanshan: The Beijing epidemic is controllable. WenWei Po, p. A05.
    1. Khalid I, Khalid TJ, Qabajah MR, et al. (2016). Healthcare Workers Emotions, Perceived Stressors and Coping Strategies During a MERS-CoV Outbreak. Clinical Medicine & Research, 14(1): 7–14.
    1. Lin CY, Peng YC, Wu YH, Chang J, Chan CH, Yang DY. (2007). The psychological effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome on emergency department staff, Emerg Med J, 24: 12–7. 10.1136/emj.2006.035089
    1. Lehmann M, Bruenahl CA, Löwe B, Addo MM, Schmiedel S, Lohse AW, et al. (2015). Ebola and psychological stress of health care professionals. Emerg Infect Dis, 21: 913–914. 10.3201/eid2105.141988
    1. Wong TW, Yau JK, Chan CL, Kwong RS, Ho SM, Lau CC, et al. (2005). The psychological impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak on healthcare workers in emergency departments and how they cope. Eur J Emerg Med, 12: 13–8. 10.1097/00063110-200502000-00005
    1. Folkman S, Lazarus R, Pimley S, et al. (1987). Agedifferences in stress and coping processes. Psychology and Aging, 2: 171–184. 10.1037//0882-7974.2.2.171
    1. Folkman S, Lazarus R (1980). An analysis of coping in amiddle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21: 219–239.
    1. Frijda NH (1994). Emotions are functional, most of the time In Ekman P. & Davidson R. J. (Eds), The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions (pp. 112–122). New York: Oxford University Press.
    1. Levenson RW (1994). Human emotion: A functional view In Ekman P. & Davidson R. J. (Eds), The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions (pp. 123–126). New York: Oxford University Press.
    1. Fredrickson BL (2001). The role of positive emotions inpositive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56: 218–226. 10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218
    1. Charles ST, Reynolds CA, Gatz M (2001). Age-related differences and change in positive and negative affectover 23 years. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80: 136–151.
    1. Yeung DYL, Fung HH (2007). Age differences in coping and emotional responses toward SARS: A longitudinal study of Hong Kong Chinese. Aging & Mental Health, 11(5): 579–587.
    1. Carver CS (1997). You want to measure coping but yourprotocol’s too long: Consider the Brief COPE. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4: 92–100. 10.1207/s15327558ijbm0401_6
    1. Zhang L. J., Lu P. J., & Gao Y. X. (2004). A study on the emotional and behavioral experiences of nursing students during the SARS epidemic. Journal of Nurses Training, 19(7): 601–603.
    1. Chai J (2003). Countermeasures to reduce psychological stress of nurses in SARS ward. Journal of Peking University (Health Sciences), S1: 156.
    1. Xu MC, Zhang Y (2020). Psychological survey of the first-line clinical front-line support nurses to combat new coronavirus-infected pneumonia. Nursing Research of China, 34(3): 368–370.
    1. Maunder R, Hunter J, Vincent L, et al. (2003). The immediate psychological and occupational impact ofthe, 2003 SARS outbreak in a teaching hospital. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 168: 1245–1251.
    1. Nickell LA (2004). Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: survey of a large tertiary care institution. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 170(5): 793–798. 10.1503/cmaj.1031077
    1. Gao WB, Chen ZY, Wang YN, et al. (2003). Analysis on the influence and change trend of public mentality during Sars epidemic. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 17(9): 594–596.
    1. Qan MY, Ye DM, Dong W, et al. (2003). Changes of coping behavior, cognitive evaluation and emotional state of SARS in Peking people in different periods. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 08: 515–520.
    1. Gao Y, Xu MZ, Yang YF, et al. (2004). Research on coping style and related factors of college students during SARS outbreak. Chinese Medical Ethics, 02: 60–63.
    1. Li S, Liu H, Bai XW (2009). The "psychological eye of typhoon" effect in wenchuan "5.12" earthquake. Science & Technology Review, 27(03): 87–89.

Source: PubMed

Szponzorok és közreműködők

Egészségi állapot

Kábítószer-beavatkozások

3
Iratkozz fel