DUBLIN: If the nurses who take care of the patients, themselves begin to suffer, the entire health system of the country will be in trouble. Recent research has shown that health workers in Ireland are going through such a crisis.
New research has found that health workers, including nurses in Ireland, experience high levels of anxiety, stress and depression associated with COVID distress. Researchers at NUI Galway and University of Milan-Bicocca, with funding from the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council, conducted the research as part of the FLoWS Project.
Health workers are always at the forefront of COVID sufferers
Since the beginning of the Pandemic, Irish health care workers have been exposed to high levels of COVID-19 infection. It is currently estimated that 10% of all cases are caused by health workers. Ireland once held the record for the highest number of infections among health care workers in the world.
Last week alone, 6,500 health workers were unable to work because of COVID-19. As a result of the pressure, even nurses with close contacts of COVID patients had to return to work.
Similar situation exists in Ireland and around the world
Research reveals that there are significant signs of deteriorating mental health among health professionals globally. In March 2020, a survey in China reported that 70% of health workers were suffering from mental illness. In the UK, a survey of 9 intensive care units found that almost half of all officers were suffering from severe mental health problems.
Leading health care officials in Ireland have reported a high level of anxiety and depression. Evidence of long-term effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder and adjustment disorders is also emerging.
Continuous stress
Continuous stress is a major issue facing healthcare professionals. There is also a feeling that solidarity with the public is declining. The support given to nurses by the public in the early stages of Pandemic is no longer available to them. Switching to unfamiliar roles and losing contact with loved ones can be a problem for immigrant health workers. Career breaks, changes, early retirement, and changing roles have made health care workers more concerned.
Most sufferers are beginners
Students and career beginners are more likely to experience stress than experienced nurses. They find it difficult to reassign to more responsible roles in caring for the most vulnerable. In addition, the inexperience of caring for critically ill patients and the high mortality rate of patients are all sources of stress.
Situation in Ireland is worse than in Italy
Signs of long-term repercussions are that health care workers in Ireland show a higher level of depression and anxiety than Italians. Although there are many reasons, the preparation of the health care system may be one reason for this. In April last year, more nurses in Ireland were reassigned to critical care assignments due to the relatively low number of ICU beds. The study reveals that this caused them great stress.
Look positively and seek solutions
While these findings are worrying, INMO leaders say there are indications that the results are not entirely negative. Healthcare staff are also reporting signs of positive growth. Vaccine programs can be thought of as a cure for many health problems. But mental health problems in health care workers may take time to reveal themselves.
In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) had reminded of supporting healthcare workers through “a marathon, not a sprint”. They also gave simple instructions. Emphasized the importance of talking to colleagues and peers. They also highlighted the importance of mentorship and guidance, flexible schedules, and rotations in and out of higher stress roles. It is imperative that ‘Psychological PPE’ be made available to all health professionals, as described by UK researchers and psychologists. Research also suggests that there should be a conscious effort to ensure psychological support.
Kindly click the link below to join WhatsApp group chat to get important news and breaking news from Irish Samachar