“LEVEL OF STRESS AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG STAFF NURSES WORKING IN ICU IN SELECTED HOSPITALS OF KAMRUP (M) ASSAM: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY”

Abstract

The global state of emergency caused by COVID-19 has put tremendous pressure on nursing services along with the other frontline workers. The physical as well as the mental health of ICU nurses' are affected by excessive workload, insufcient resources, excessive work and environment stressors. Aim of The Study was to assess the level of stres AIM: s amid COVID-19 pandemic among staff nurses working in ICU in selected hospitals of Kamrup (M), Assam. A descriptive research design METHODS AND MATERIALS: was used to accomplish the objectives. Study was undertaken on 150 staff nurses working in ICU of selected hospitals of Kamrup (M), Assam by using convenience sampling. Inventory checklist was used to assess level of stress. The reliability of the tool was done by using Split half method, where r¹ = 0.91 so it was found to be reliable. Modied lazaus and Folkman's stress and coping model, 1966 was used as conceptual framework. : Out RESULTS of 150 staff nurses, majority 129(86%) belongs to 21-30 years of age,146(97%) were female, 122(81%) were unmarried, 130(87%) don't have child, 54(36%) had 3-4 family members, 92(61%) were GNM, 60(40%) had <1 year of experience and 60(40%) had 1-5 years of experience, 77(51%) had ≤ 15,000 income per month, 96(64%) had no deduction in their salary, 113(75%) had no increment in their salary, 121(81%) stayed in rented house, 74(49%) reside in distance of 1-5 km,140(93%) had shifting type of work schedule, 91(61%) didn't attend any COVID-19 training, out of 59 staff nurses, majority 39(66%) had attended 1 session, out of 150 staff nurses, majority 58(39%) had 26 working days per month, 89(59%) had taken care of COVID-19 patients, 82(55%) had history of being quarantined, out of 82 staff nurses, majority 37(45%) were quarantined for 7-14 days. In level of stress regarding physiological aspects, majority i.e. 138(92%) had low stress, 11(7%) had moderate stress and only 1(0.67%) had high stress. With respect to psychological aspects, majority i.e.91 (61%) had low stress and 59(39%) had moderate stress. Considering the behavioural problems, majority i.e. 135(90%) had low stress and 15(10%) had moderate stress. The overall level of stress among staff nurses revealed that 125(83%) had low stress and 25(17%) had moderate stress and the mean score of stress was 28.76 ± 12.21 with minimum score of 3.0 and maximum score of 72.0. It was observed that none of the demographic variables had shown statistically signicant association with level of stress among COVID-19 pandemic among staff nurse. From this study it was concluded CONCLUSION: that majority of staff nurses had low stress with regards to physiological, psychological and behavioural aspects.