The emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan in early 2020 marked a turning point for healthcare workers worldwide. In response to the crisis, over 42,000 healthcare professionals were swiftly mobilized across China to support Wuhan and Hubei, with an astonishing 68% of this dedicated workforce comprising nurses. While the psychological toll on healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic has been well-documented, scant attention has been paid to the coping strategies employed by nurses grappling with the far-reaching consequences on their mental health.
The pandemic thrust nurses into the frontline, bringing them into close proximity with COVID-19 patients. They tirelessly engaged in tasks such as sputum drainage, which exposed them to a heightened risk of infection. Moreover, they shouldered the emotionally taxing responsibility of handling the deceased patients’ bodies. Such demanding circumstances led many nurses to forgo basic needs, even refraining from drinking water or taking restroom breaks during their arduous shifts. Shockingly, some resorted to wearing adult nappies to avoid any interruption in patient care. Tragically, a number of nurses contracted COVID-19 and, heartbreakingly, some even succumbed to the virus.
In a testament to their unwavering commitment, nurses played a pivotal role in the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations, with more than 3.4 billion doses administered in China alone. Responding promptly to vaccination demands, nurses traversed to various locations without hesitation, sometimes delivering vaccines directly to the homes of less mobile elderly residents.
Today, even as domestic holidays pass and life inches back to normalcy, sporadic local cases of COVID-19 continue to surface. Local governments have initiated extensive RNA screening efforts to detect positive cases and asymptomatic infections, a task entrusted to nurses who collect throat swab specimens. This arduous duty unfolds outdoors, exposing nurses to the vagaries of weather. Regrettably, prolonged working hours under these conditions have led to instances of nurses fainting due to exhaustion.
Compounding these challenges is the influence of traditional Chinese culture, which often discourages nurses from openly discussing their psychological distress. Even when subjected to workplace insults and attacks, many nurses internalize these experiences, opting to suffer in silence rather than seek support. While specialized psychological counseling helplines and clinics were established during the early stages of the pandemic, the capacity to provide face-to-face counseling to all nurses remained limited, leaving some to grapple with unresolved psychological issues.
In light of these profound challenges, medical authorities and hospitals must urgently formulate and implement effective coping strategies tailored to nurses facing mounting mental health problems. The importance of supporting these frontline heroes cannot be overstated as they continue to navigate the relentless demands of their profession in the face of the ongoing pandemic.
