major reasons for stress are: excessive workload/work hours, lack of adequate personal protective equipment, information overdose, lack of emotional support systems and an increase in infection rates among medical staff.
The Covid-19 crisis is creating stress in people. The whole world is fighting an enemy that has already killed more than 2,50,000 people. Everyone is aware that healthcare professionals like nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals who are testing for and treating patients with Covid-19 are at a higher risk of contracting it. Their profession has a purpose and meaning in this pandemic yet they’re scared. They know that if there is a community spread, the first ones to be affected will be health workers. Studies have shown that the prevalence of insomnia, stress, and associated mental health issues are on the rise among healthcare professionals. Higher stress levels lead to anxiety, depression and insomnia. The major reasons for stress are: excessive workload/work hours, lack of adequate personal protective equipment, information overdose, lack of emotional support systems and an increase in infection rates among medical staff. Despite the stress, they motivate themselves to save the humanity.
Stress has been recognized as an occupational hazard for people-oriented professions like healthcare. Among healthcare professions, nursing is acknowledged as a stressful occupation which affect the physical and mental health of nurses. A study published on March 23, 2020 in the medical journal JAMA found that, among 1,257 healthcare workers working with Covid-19 patients in China, 50.4% reported symptoms of depression, 44.6% symptoms of anxiety, 34% insomnia, and 71.5% reported distress. Nurses were among those with the most severe symptoms. Usually, nurses are exposed to a hefty level of strong stressors like heavy workload, time pressure, conflict with superiors, dealing with abusive patients, grueling shift work, and sexual harassment. Apart from this the nurses in India are highly demoralized with low remuneration and allowances, too, especially in the private sector. They have job insecurity, lack of respect and dignity at work places. These already struggling nurses are now faced with Covid-19 pandemic and its demands. Here nursing staff assigned duty in the Covid-19 ward are working in three shifts. As per the guidelines of the hospital infection control committee, each shift has to last only four hours. However, nurses are working six hours each during morning and evening shifts and 12 hours during the night shift. Wearing PPE suits in this summer season for long hours cause rashes and breathing difficulties. Apart from this, they cannot eat, drink or take toilet breaks while wearing PPE for long hours. Added to these factors, many nurses are experiencing financial insecurity due to the sudden lose of their partners job or reduced income due to lock down. These issues add to their stress. Other sources of stress are lack of PPE kits, worries about children, concerns about family members health, support for other personal and family needs as work hours and demands increase. Many expressing concerns that the pandemic is negatively impacting their mental health. These long hours of work, psychological stress and fatigue increase the risk of catching the infection easily. Coronavirus has infected around 548 doctors, nurses and paramedics across the country so far. The infection rate among nurses are more when compared to other medical staff. If they get infected more and remain in quarantine will add strain to the overall healthcare system. During the Covid-19 crisis, there were reports of how the quarantined nursing staff were treated by giving shoddy and unhygienic accommodations. These nurses have uncertainty whether the employers will support or take care of their personal and family needs if they develop the infection. They are experiencing fear, anxiety, exhaustion, isolation and bearing these fights in order to gain experience to get a better paying job abroad. Statistical data shows that India is facing a shortage of 2 million nurses. If the existing nursing staff are not supported during this pandemic, there is the danger that once this all over they will leave the profession which will put the health service sector in India in an enormous strain.
It is appreciated that the government has acknowledged the contribution of frontline warriors including nurses. But acknowledgment won’t drive away the virus. The foremost thing governments can do right now is to deploy more nurses by giving attractive perks and pay, give safety to them by providing the PPE they need, and considerably revise the remuneration and working conditions of existing nurses. Because they are determined, energetic and dynamic professionals who are always in the forefront of this battle. The unique reality is that without their labor, our health care system would fall apart.
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