Al Haddad Ali, Arber Anne, Cox Anna, Gallagher Ann
Amiri Hospital, Gulf Street, Sharq, Kuwait.
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2024 Jul 15;7:100226. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2024.100226. eCollection 2024 Dec.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems worldwide, with intensive care unit (ICU) nurses at the forefront of patient care. To date, there is limited evidence into ICU nurses'experiences of the pandemic in Kuwait.
RESEARCH QUESTION/AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the challenges faced by ICU nurses in Kuwait during the pandemic, by considering two research questions: "What contributed to intensified pressure for the ICU nurses?" and "How were the nurses affected?".
This was a qualitative study which utilised semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted between January 2021 and June 2022 with ICU nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analysed using Charmaz's grounded theory methodology.
25 nurses from three ICUs in Kuwait.
The study was approved by the University Ethics Committee and by the Ministry of Health in Kuwait.
FINDINGS/RESULTS: The analysis identified two themes (the factors contributing to intensified pressure in the ICU, and the impact on the nurses) and seven sub-themes. The pressure in the ICU intensified due to the rise in the number of patients, staff shortages, and the requirement to adhere to unrealistic new procedures for infection control. Restricted and cancelled leave, as well as impaired autonomy at work, impeded the nurses' ability to recover from stress. The heightened stress also contributed to a worsening in interpersonal relationships between the nurses and their colleagues. The nurses' care was compromised by these challenges, leading to moral distress and a range of mental health symptoms (e.g., stress, anxiety, emotional exhaustion).
The study accords with other research conducted during the pandemic in revealing a significant mental health toll among healthcare workers during the pandemic. The stressors were similar to those which have been reported in other studies, although there were also context-specific effects relating to the environment of the ICU and the Kuwaiti context.
冠状病毒（COVID-19）大流行给全球医疗系统带来了前所未有的挑战，重症监护病房（ICU）护士处于患者护理的前沿。迄今为止，关于科威特ICU护士在大流行中的经历的证据有限。
研究问题/目的：通过考虑两个研究问题来阐明科威特ICU护士在大流行期间面临的挑战：“哪些因素导致ICU护士压力加大？”以及“护士受到了怎样的影响？”
这是一项采用半结构化访谈的定性研究。在2021年1月至2022年6月期间，对在COVID-19大流行期间工作的ICU护士进行了访谈。使用 Charmaz 的扎根理论方法对数据进行了分析。
科威特三个ICU的25名护士。
该研究获得了大学伦理委员会和科威特卫生部的批准。
分析确定了两个主题（导致ICU压力加大的因素以及对护士的影响）和七个子主题。由于患者数量增加、人员短缺以及需要遵守不切实际的新感染控制程序，ICU的压力加大。休假受限和取消，以及工作自主权受损，阻碍了护士从压力中恢复的能力。压力加剧还导致护士与同事之间的人际关系恶化。这些挑战损害了护士的护理工作，导致道德困扰和一系列心理健康症状（如压力、焦虑、情绪耗竭）。
该研究与大流行期间进行的其他研究一致，揭示了大流行期间医护人员存在严重的心理健康问题。压力源与其他研究报告的相似，尽管也有与ICU环境和科威特背景相关的特定背景影响。
