Summary
For many years, the nursing profession has faced challenges related to insufficient workplace conditions, and these have become especially relevant during the coronavirus pandemic. This article by Havaei et al. (2021) used an electronic survey to determine the effect of COVID-19 workplace conditions on nurses’ mental health outcomes. Nurses from a Canadian province received the survey by e-mail in 2020, and they provided 3,676 responses for further study using a cross-sectional correlational design (Havaei et al., 2021, p. 80).
The authors determined that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative influence on the psychological state of nurses. They noted that almost half of the survey participants had post-traumatic stress disorder, 41 percent of nurses experienced depression, and 60 percent experienced emotional burnout (Havaei et al., 2021, p. 80). Hence, the mental health of nurses needs to be enhanced to provide quality services to patients.
In addition, the authors also identified the main factors in the nurses’ workplace that contributed to the deterioration of their mental health. Havaei et al. (2021) identified negative relationships among employees, a lack of organizational support from management, and limited access to the necessary resources nurses needed during the COVID-19 epidemic. Accordingly, the authors emphasized that measures should be taken to address the mental state of nurses and prevent the spread of poor working conditions. As a result, this will prevent the trend of emotional burnout and stress disorders among nurses.
Criticisms
The article by Havaei et al. (2021) provides a reasonable critique of quality measures in nursing practice. The authors argue that insufficient resources and support in the workplace have a detrimental effect on the psychological state of employees. Nevertheless, the article did not consider access to education as a critical parameter for assessing the psychological state of nurses. Moreover, the article indicates that the constant shortage of personnel in the industry also affects nurses’ burnout in the workplace. Nonetheless, the authors need to suggest ways to overcome such problems.
Havaei et al. (2021) assess the psychological state of employees and indicate that poor working conditions in the workplace lead to negative consequences. However, they do not indicate ways that can be applied to improve the mental health of nurses. Hence, the article needs to discuss in detail the knowledge and skills of nurses that can be used to combat the issue. Moreover, the article’s shortcomings by Havaei et al. (2021) indicate that the causal relationship between the pandemic, inadequate workplace conditions, and the poor mental health of nurses may be uncertain.
My Values
This article influenced my beliefs about safe, professional nursing practice. The reason is that nurses need to have satisfactory working conditions, especially during a pandemic, to provide quality care to patients. If nurses do not feel supported, are overworked, and do not have enough protective equipment, their mental state deteriorates. I consider it unfashionable to provide comprehensive patient care when the nurses themselves need interventions to improve their working conditions.
Havaei et al. (2021) have generally influenced my beliefs about nurses’ need to maintain a high psychological state. Before reading this article, I thought nurses could perform patient care regardless of external circumstances and did not need exceptional psychological support. I am convinced that mental health and the factors that influence it are necessary for nurses to work.
Reference
Havaei, F., Ma, A., Staempfli, S., & MacPhee, M. (2021). Nurses’ workplace conditions impacting their mental health during COVID-19: A cross-sectional survey study. Healthcare, 9(1), 77-84. Web.