Perceived Stress and Coping Behavior of Nurses Caring for Critical Patients with COVID-19 Outbreak in Taiwan: A Mixed-Methods Study

Shu-Yen Lee, Kai-Jo Chiang, Yi-Jiun Tsai, Chi-Kang Lin, Yun-Ju Wang, Chou-Ping Chiou and Hsueh-Hsing Pan
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Shu-Yen Lee: School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan
Kai-Jo Chiang: School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan
Yi-Jiun Tsai: School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan
Chi-Kang Lin: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan
Yun-Ju Wang: School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan
Chou-Ping Chiou: School of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84020, Taiwan
Hsueh-Hsing Pan: School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11420, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Severe pneumonia with novel pathogens, also called COVID-19, caused a pandemic in Taiwan as well as in the rest of the world in May 2021. Nurses are under great stress when caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the perceived stress and coping behaviors of nurses caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19 using a mixed-methods approach. We recruited 85 nurses from a special intensive care unit (ICU) of a medical center in Taiwan between May and June 2021. To gather data, we used a questionnaire on basic characteristics, the perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and the brief coping orientation to problems experienced inventory (B-COPE), then conducted a qualitative interview. The results showed that the average perceived stress level among nurses was 25.4 points, and most of them perceived moderate stress. The top three coping behaviors practiced by the nurses were active coping, planning, and acceptance. Nurses who received less perceived support from their friends or families and who had shorter working experience in nursing had significantly higher stress levels. The qualitative results revealed that the nurses’ perceived stress came from fear, worry, and the increased burden caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19. Coping behaviors included rest, seeking support, and affirmative fighting. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the support nurses receive from their families is an important predictor of perceived stress. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses be provided with more support in dealing with stress caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19 in special ICUs.

Keywords: perceived stress; coping behavior; critical patients; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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