Title : Clinical profile and risk factors assessment in patients with pressure ulcer – A tertiary institute study in India
Abstract:
Background: Coronavirus has caused serious health problems worldwide and has become the largest health crisis of this century. It has impacted healthcare workers in addition to general population, leading to extreme stress and anxiety due to risk of exposure and health concerns in the former. Nurses play a frontline role in the delivery of healthcare services to the COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to assess perceived stress and anxiety among nurses working in COVID isolation area in Dayanand Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Methods: A descriptive design was used to assess perceived stress and anxiety among 750 nurses working in COVID isolation area in Dayanand Medical College & Hospital selected by convenient sampling technique. Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS) was used to assess stress level and Zung self- rating anxiety scale-20 (SAS) was used to assess anxiety level. Data was collected by self-report (Interview schedule) method.
Results: Findings of the present study revealed that out of 750 nurses, 494 (65.8%) had moderate stress level, while 200 (26.6%) of the nurses had mild to moderate anxiety level while providing health care to COVID patients. Nurses in 20-30 year age group had high perceived stress i.e. 66% as compared to nurses more than 41 years of age in whom high perceived stress was 7%. Nurses who had work experience less than 5 years reported high stress level i.e. 63%. Accidental exposure during patient care, Infection acquired during duty, job related stress and positive family support in both PSS and SAS was found to be statistically significant. There was a strong association between PSS and SAS scores (p = 0.000).
Conclusion: This study reports moderate level of perceived stress and anxiety among nurses working in COVID isolation area. Considerable proportion of nurses working in different COVID areas of hospital appear to experience some degrees of stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic. So it becomes essential that health organization takes measures to improve nurses’ mental health by introducing stress management programme to ensure positive mindset and maintain mental health among nurses providing health care to COVID patients.
