COLUMBUS – Critical care nurses are at risk of developing stress-related diseases, a new study from The Ohio State University College of Nursing said.
The nationwide survey found that depression, anxiety and other stress side effects are “alarmingly high.”
“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, a critical care registered nurse in the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center intensive care unit.
Before COVID-19, OSU’s study revealed approximately 40% of critical care nurses surveyed said they experienced depressive symptoms, whereas some 50% suffered from anxiety. Physical health was also reported to suffer, with over 60% scoring themselves at five or less on a 10-scale.
Depression and anxiety can also lead to a rise in self-reported medical errors among critical care nurses, an OSU press release stated.
“It’s important that hospitals fix systems issues and offer evidence-based programs and support to equip their clinicians with resilience,” Bernadette Melnyk, chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing at Ohio State, said in the release. “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.”
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center offers confidential mental health resources and services such as counseling and mindfulness coaching. Also available is the Buckeye Paws pet therapy program to help foster coping skills.
“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,” Curtisi said.
