Anxiety and Depression Differences Between the Nurses Working at a COVID-19 Pandemic Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To investigate anxiety and depression differences between the nurses working at a COVID-19 pandemic hospital in Turkey. 
 Material and Methods: A quantitative approach using a survey was applied. There were 331 nurses recruited by convenience sampling.
 Results: Females have higher anxiety scores at a significant level (p=0.017). It was also found that nurses who have family members with chronic disease have higher depression scores than nurses who do not have at a significant level (p=0.376). Similarly, nurses who have elderly family members have higher depression and anxiety scores than nurses who do not have at a significant level (p=0.008). There was a significant difference between the nurses providing and not providing COVID-19 care for depression scores (p=0.002).
 Conclusion: This study explores nurses’ depression and anxiety levels. Even though this phenomenon has already been studied, the outbreak of COVID-19 draws more attention to health workers and especially nurses who are part of the pandemic context. Nurses who provide COVID-19 care have higher depression and anxiety scores. Nurses who help patients to recover from COVID-19 should be in functional mental status. Thus, governments, health organizations, and hospital administrations should take adequate steps to reduce nurses’ depression and anxiety to sustain a healthy world.