Half of U.S. nurses providing patient care for COVID-19 feel emotionally overwhelmed, and nearly 30% say they are experiencing feelings of depression. That’s according to a mental health and wellness survey of nearly 10,000 nurses conducted by the American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association.
The survey, conducted between March 20 and July 6, also found that nearly three in four nurses say they are suffering from sleep challenges, either excessive sleep or sleeplessness.
“These findings indicate a tremendous need to … make widely available authentic support systems and tools to safeguard our nurses’ well-being,” said Foundation Executive Director Kate Judge.
Survey respondents were geographically diverse and represented more than 54 different work environments, including long-term care.
“It is deeply concerning that nurses are still operating in a crisis mode … and that few are receiving the support they tell us they need,” Judge said. “It is essential to recognize that supporting and protecting nurses includes access to both personal protective equipment and solutions to address the trauma, grief, moral distress and PTSD our nursing workforce is experiencing and will struggle with long after the COVID-19 crisis is over.”
From the September 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
