Abstract
Purpose: To identify the impact of dealing with COVID-19 patients in clinical areas on nurses’ professional self-concept and self-confidence. Background: Professional self-concept is considered a critical factor in the recruitment/retention process in nursing, nursing shortage, career satisfaction, and academic achievements. Professional self-confidence is also a crucial determinant in staff satisfaction, reducing turnover, and increasing work engagement. Design: Descriptive, comparative study. Methods: The study was conducted between February to May 2021 by utilizing a convenience sampling technique. A total of 170 nurses from two facilities were recruited from two COVID-19- and non-COVID-19-designated facilities. The level of professional self-concept and self-confidence was assessed by utilizing the Nurses’ Self-Concept Instrument and Self-Confidence Scale. Results: The professional self-concept level among the group exposed to COVID-19 patients was lower than the comparison group, while the professional self-confidence level among the exposed group to COVID-19 patients was similar to the comparison group. On the other hand, the satisfied staff and those who received professional training in dealing with COVID-19 patients reported a higher level of professional self-concept. Conclusions: Dealing with COVID-19 patients has an impact on professional self-concept; the exposure group was lower than those who did not deal with COVID-19 patients, while the professional self-confidence level among the exposed group was similar to the comparison group. Getting professional training in dealing with COVID-19 patients and being satisfied at work were significant factors in improving professional self-concept. Policymakers should create strategies that target the improvement of professional training in dealing with COVID-19 patients.
Highlights
Nurses fought against different health crises such as Cholera, H1N1, SARS, and Ebola
170 responses were included in this study, as 18 participants submitted missing data files, and 66 participants from the comparison group were excluded as they dealt with COVID-19 patients for a short period
The professional self-concept level among the group exposed to COVID-19 patients was lower than the comparison group of those who did not deal with COVID-19 patients, while the professional self-confidence level among the group exposed to COVID-19 patients was similar to the comparison group
Summary
Nurses fought against different health crises such as Cholera, H1N1, SARS, and Ebola. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a significant impact on all nurses worldwide and other healthcare professionals [2,3]. Nurses have significant roles in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic They play substantial roles in directing, running, and maintaining healthcare systems and conserving them from collapse [6]. During this pandemic, nurses are facing several clinical challenges such as alterations in working hours, increasing workload, policy changing, alterations in psychological well-being, as well as increased levels of anxiety, stress, depression, and insomnia [1,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Nurses dealing with COVID19 patients are at high risk of facing physical, psychological, and professional consequences
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