Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

COVID-19 Contagion and Death Anxiety of Nurses Working in Pandemic Clinics

Year 2022, Volume: 13 Issue: 4, 647 - 654, 01.10.2022

Naile Alankaya

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1083390
Cited By: 1

Abstract

Purpose: Today the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which has affected the whole world, has maximized the anxiety level of nurses working in the forefront by increasing their possibility of getting sick or dying and increasing the number of cases and deaths in the world and in Turkey. This study aimed to examine COVID-19 contagion and death anxiety in nurses working in pandemic clinics that are in the western region of Turkey.
Method: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 278 nurses between May 15, 2020, and June 15, 2020. The study collected the data using the Nurse’s Information Form and the Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety Scale. The study used the Independent Samples t-test, ANOVA and the Tukey tests in the post-hoc test to determine the intergroup differences.
Results: The mean age of the nurses was 36.30±8.01 years and 80.6% of them were female, 70.2% had bachelor's degree, 69.2% were married. Of the nurses, 60.4% had changed their environment in the process, 75.5% needed psychological support and 53.3% experienced loss due to COVID-19. The mean score of Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety Scale was 51.17±8.18.
Conclusion: This study revealed that the nurses had a moderate death anxiety level. Factors such as fear of transmitting the disease to their family and losing them, long working hours, working in the intensive care unit and emergency service for a long time and the inability to receive psychological support had an effect on the death anxiety of the nurses.

Keywords

Death anxiety nurse COVID-19 pandemic

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

None

References

  • Ceyhan Ö, Özen B, Zincir H, et al. How intensive care nurses perceive good death. Death Stud. 2018;42(10):667–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2018.1430084
  • Nia HS, Lehto RH, Ebadi A, et al. Death anxiety among nurses and health care professionals: A review article. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2016;4(1):2–10.
  • Lai XB, Wong F and Ching S. The experience of caring for patients at the end-of-life stage in non-palliative care settings: a qualitative study. BMC Palliat Care. 2018;17(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-018-0372-7
  • Park HJ, Lee YM, Won MH, et al. Hospital nurses’ perception of death and self-reported performance of end-of-life care: Mediating role of attitude towards end-of-life care. Healthcare (Switzerland). 2020;8(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8020142
  • Anderson NE, Bridie Kent and Owens RG. Experiencing patient death in clinical practice: nurses’ recollections of their earliest memorable patient death. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015;52(3):695–704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2014.12.005
  • Hussin E, Wong LP, Chong MC, et al. Factors associated with nurses’ perceptions about quality of end-of-life care. Int Nurs Rev. 2018;65(2):200–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12428
  • Kang L, Li Y, Hu S, et al. The mental health of medical workers in Wuhan, China dealing with the 2019 novel coronavirus. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):e14. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30047-X. Epub 2020 Feb 5.
  • Becker CA, Wright G and Schmit K. Perceptions of dying well and distressing death by acute care nurses. Appl Nurs Res. 2017;33:149–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2016.11.006
  • Said NB and Chiang VCL. The knowledge, skill competencies, and psychological preparedness of nurses for disasters: A systematic review. Int Emerg Nurs [Internet]. 2020;48(September 2019):100806. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2019.100806
  • Hu D, Kong Y, Li W, et al. Frontline nurses’ burnout, anxiety, depression, and fear statuses and their associated factors during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China: A large-scale cross-sectional study. EClinicalMedicine. 2020;24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100424
  • Güner R, Hasanoğlu I and Aktaş F. Covid-19: Prevention and control measures in community. Turk J Med Sci. 2020;50(SI-1):571–7. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2004-146
  • Ağalar C and Öztürk Engin D. Protective measures for covid-19 for healthcare providers and laboratory personnel. Turk J Med Sci. 2020;50(SI-1):578–84. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2004-132
  • Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet (London, England). 2020;395(10223):507–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7
  • World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 Jun 11]. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 May 27]. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
  • International Council of Nurses. COVID-19 pandemic one year on: ICN warns of exodus of experienced nurses compounding current shortages. International Council of Nurses. Geneva, Switzerland. 2021.
  • Kim Y. Nurses’ experiences of care for patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus in South Korea. Am J Infect Control. 2018;46(7):781–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2018.01.012. Epub 2018 Mar 1.
  • Ariapooran S, Ahadi B and Khezeli M. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in nurses with and without symptoms of secondary traumatic stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. Arch Psychiatr Nurs [Internet]. 2021;(April). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.05.005
  • Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y, et al. Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China. Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708–20. http://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
  • Lázaro-Pérez C, Martínez-López JÁ, Gómez-Galán J, et al. Anxiety about the risk of death of their patients in health professionals in spain: Analysis at the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(16):1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165938
  • Xie J, Tong Z, Guan X, et al. Critical care crisis and some recommendations during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Intensive Care Med. 2020;46(5):837–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-05979-7
  • Atay S and Cura ŞÜ. Problems encountered by nurses due to the use of personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic: Results of a survey. Wound Management & Prevention. 2020;66(10):12–6.
  • Fernandez R, Lord H, Halcomb E, et al. Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID- 19 . The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company’s public news and information. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020;111(01):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103637
  • Galehdar N, Toulabi T, Kamran A, et al. Exploring nurses’ perception about the care needs of patients with COVID-19: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;19(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02898-1
  • Thorson JA and Powell FC. A revised death anxiety scale. Death Stud.1992;16:507–21.
  • Karaca F and Yıldız M. Thorson-Powell Ölüm Kaygısı Ölçeğinin Türkçe çevirisinin normal popülasyonda geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Tabula-Rasa. 2001;1(1):43–55.
  • George D and Mallery P. IBM SPSS statistics 25 step by step: A simple guide and reference. 15th ed. Routledge; 2019.
  • Holroyd E and McNaught C. The SARS crisis: Reflections of Hong Kong nurses. Int Nurs Rev. 2008;55(1):27–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2007.00586.x
  • Matsui M and Braun K. Nurses’ and care workers’ attitudes toward death and caring for dying older adults in Japan. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2010;16(12):593–8. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2010.16.12.593
  • Yigit D and Acikgoz A. Anxiety and Death Anxiety levels of nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic and affecting factors. J Educ Res Nurs. 2021;18(Supp1):S85–92. https://doi.org/10.5152/jern.2021.35683
  • Peters L, Cant R, Payne S, et al. How Death Anxiety impacts nurses’ caring for patients at the end of life: A Review of Literature. Open Nurs J. 2013;7:14–21. http://doi.org/10.2174/1874434601307010014. Epub 2013 Jan 24.
  • Koh Y, Hegney D and Drury V. Nurses’ perceptions of risk from emerging respiratory infectious diseases: A Singapore study. International Journal of Nursing Practice. 2012;18(2):195–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2012.02018.x
  • Fitzgerald DA. Human swine influenza A [H1N1]: Practical advice for clinicians early in the pandemic. Pediatric Respiratory Reviews. 2009;10(3):154–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prrv.2009.06.005
  • Whiteside T, Kane E, Aljohani B, et al. Redesigning emergency department operations amidst a viral pandemic. Am J Emerg Med. 2020;38(7):1448–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.032

Year 2022, Volume: 13 Issue: 4, 647 - 654, 01.10.2022

Naile Alankaya

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1083390
Cited By: 1

Abstract

Project Number

None

References

  • Ceyhan Ö, Özen B, Zincir H, et al. How intensive care nurses perceive good death. Death Stud. 2018;42(10):667–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2018.1430084
  • Nia HS, Lehto RH, Ebadi A, et al. Death anxiety among nurses and health care professionals: A review article. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2016;4(1):2–10.
  • Lai XB, Wong F and Ching S. The experience of caring for patients at the end-of-life stage in non-palliative care settings: a qualitative study. BMC Palliat Care. 2018;17(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-018-0372-7
  • Park HJ, Lee YM, Won MH, et al. Hospital nurses’ perception of death and self-reported performance of end-of-life care: Mediating role of attitude towards end-of-life care. Healthcare (Switzerland). 2020;8(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8020142
  • Anderson NE, Bridie Kent and Owens RG. Experiencing patient death in clinical practice: nurses’ recollections of their earliest memorable patient death. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015;52(3):695–704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2014.12.005
  • Hussin E, Wong LP, Chong MC, et al. Factors associated with nurses’ perceptions about quality of end-of-life care. Int Nurs Rev. 2018;65(2):200–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12428
  • Kang L, Li Y, Hu S, et al. The mental health of medical workers in Wuhan, China dealing with the 2019 novel coronavirus. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):e14. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30047-X. Epub 2020 Feb 5.
  • Becker CA, Wright G and Schmit K. Perceptions of dying well and distressing death by acute care nurses. Appl Nurs Res. 2017;33:149–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2016.11.006
  • Said NB and Chiang VCL. The knowledge, skill competencies, and psychological preparedness of nurses for disasters: A systematic review. Int Emerg Nurs [Internet]. 2020;48(September 2019):100806. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2019.100806
  • Hu D, Kong Y, Li W, et al. Frontline nurses’ burnout, anxiety, depression, and fear statuses and their associated factors during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China: A large-scale cross-sectional study. EClinicalMedicine. 2020;24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100424
  • Güner R, Hasanoğlu I and Aktaş F. Covid-19: Prevention and control measures in community. Turk J Med Sci. 2020;50(SI-1):571–7. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2004-146
  • Ağalar C and Öztürk Engin D. Protective measures for covid-19 for healthcare providers and laboratory personnel. Turk J Med Sci. 2020;50(SI-1):578–84. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2004-132
  • Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet (London, England). 2020;395(10223):507–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7
  • World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 Jun 11]. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 May 27]. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
  • International Council of Nurses. COVID-19 pandemic one year on: ICN warns of exodus of experienced nurses compounding current shortages. International Council of Nurses. Geneva, Switzerland. 2021.
  • Kim Y. Nurses’ experiences of care for patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus in South Korea. Am J Infect Control. 2018;46(7):781–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2018.01.012. Epub 2018 Mar 1.
  • Ariapooran S, Ahadi B and Khezeli M. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in nurses with and without symptoms of secondary traumatic stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. Arch Psychiatr Nurs [Internet]. 2021;(April). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.05.005
  • Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y, et al. Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China. Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708–20. http://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
  • Lázaro-Pérez C, Martínez-López JÁ, Gómez-Galán J, et al. Anxiety about the risk of death of their patients in health professionals in spain: Analysis at the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(16):1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165938
  • Xie J, Tong Z, Guan X, et al. Critical care crisis and some recommendations during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Intensive Care Med. 2020;46(5):837–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-05979-7
  • Atay S and Cura ŞÜ. Problems encountered by nurses due to the use of personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic: Results of a survey. Wound Management & Prevention. 2020;66(10):12–6.
  • Fernandez R, Lord H, Halcomb E, et al. Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID- 19 . The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company’s public news and information. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020;111(01):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103637
  • Galehdar N, Toulabi T, Kamran A, et al. Exploring nurses’ perception about the care needs of patients with COVID-19: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;19(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02898-1
  • Thorson JA and Powell FC. A revised death anxiety scale. Death Stud.1992;16:507–21.
  • Karaca F and Yıldız M. Thorson-Powell Ölüm Kaygısı Ölçeğinin Türkçe çevirisinin normal popülasyonda geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Tabula-Rasa. 2001;1(1):43–55.
  • George D and Mallery P. IBM SPSS statistics 25 step by step: A simple guide and reference. 15th ed. Routledge; 2019.
  • Holroyd E and McNaught C. The SARS crisis: Reflections of Hong Kong nurses. Int Nurs Rev. 2008;55(1):27–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2007.00586.x
  • Matsui M and Braun K. Nurses’ and care workers’ attitudes toward death and caring for dying older adults in Japan. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2010;16(12):593–8. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2010.16.12.593
  • Yigit D and Acikgoz A. Anxiety and Death Anxiety levels of nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic and affecting factors. J Educ Res Nurs. 2021;18(Supp1):S85–92. https://doi.org/10.5152/jern.2021.35683
  • Peters L, Cant R, Payne S, et al. How Death Anxiety impacts nurses’ caring for patients at the end of life: A Review of Literature. Open Nurs J. 2013;7:14–21. http://doi.org/10.2174/1874434601307010014. Epub 2013 Jan 24.
  • Koh Y, Hegney D and Drury V. Nurses’ perceptions of risk from emerging respiratory infectious diseases: A Singapore study. International Journal of Nursing Practice. 2012;18(2):195–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2012.02018.x
  • Fitzgerald DA. Human swine influenza A [H1N1]: Practical advice for clinicians early in the pandemic. Pediatric Respiratory Reviews. 2009;10(3):154–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prrv.2009.06.005
  • Whiteside T, Kane E, Aljohani B, et al. Redesigning emergency department operations amidst a viral pandemic. Am J Emerg Med. 2020;38(7):1448–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.032
There are 34 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Nursing, Health Care Administration
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Naile Alankaya 0000-0002-3950-2409

Project Number None
Publication Date October 1, 2022
Submission Date March 12, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2022Volume: 13 Issue: 4

Cite

EndNote Alankaya N (October 1, 2022) COVID-19 Contagion and Death Anxiety of Nurses Working in Pandemic Clinics. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 13 4 647–654.

Cited By

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Çalışan Hemşirelerde Ölüm Kaygısı
Bandırma Onyedi Eylül Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri ve Araştırmaları Dergisi
https://doi.org/10.46413/boneyusbad.1296156
 Download Cover Image