Critical care nurses experiencing high levels of stress, depressive symptoms and anxiety directly correlated with an increase in self-reported medical errors, says a new study by The Ohio State University College of Nursing, reported by HealthcareGlobal.com.
The study also discovered that nurses had "alarmingly high levels of stress" and anxiety symptoms prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These errors are made by very dedicated, caring, committed nurses who are experiencing their own symptoms of depression, anxiety or poor physical health,” said Bernadette Melnyk, chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing at Ohio State. “It’s important that hospitals fix systems issues and offer evidence-based programs and support to equip their clinicians with resilience, because we know that’s a protective factor for their own mental and physical health, as well as their ability to provide optimal care to their patients.”
According to a national survey conducted prior to COVID-19, nearly two-fifths of critical-care nurses reported depressive symptoms, while more than half reported anxiety, and more than 60% ranked their physical health as a five or lower on a scale of one to ten.
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center currently has several programs to promote clinician well-being, including the Employee Assistance Program, which provides confidential mental health support and services such as counseling, while the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program offers the Buckeye Paws pet therapy program to facilitate coping and resiliency skills building.
“The feeling of being the person holding someone’s hand as they pass away is hard to describe, but it’s something I definitely took home with me, and that impacted every aspect of my life,” said Jessica Curtisi, critical care registered nurse in the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center intensive care unit. “Through counseling and mindfulness, I was finally able to see that I didn’t need to push my feelings down and that there were healthy ways to feel and express the grief that comes with being a critical care nurse."
