[Caring for the caregiver: The emotional impact of the coronavirus epidemic on nurses and other health professionals]

Enferm Clin (Engl Ed). 2021 Feb:31:S35-S39. doi: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.05.006. Epub 2020 May 16.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

The health crisis caused by the COVID-19 virus pandemic has once again highlighted the role of health professionals as a key element for their containment, who suffer from high tension marked by healthcare pressure and the lack of means of protection. Given this tension, it is relevant to analyze the emotional impact on health professionals of the coronavirus pandemic and the coping resources to reduce or mitigate this impact. Stress, sleep disorders and depressive symptoms stand out. Some strategies are recommended that have been used by professionals who have previously been under pressure from COVID-19 and have been helpful to them. Finally, some recommendations whose efficacy is known for managing emotional impact are pointed out.

La crisis sanitaria provocada por la pandemia del virus COVID-19 ha vuelto a destacar el papel de los profesionales sanitarios como elemento clave para su contención, que sufren una alta tensión marcada por la presión asistencial y la falta de medios de protección. Ante esta tensión, resulta relevante analizar el impacto emocional en los profesionales sanitarios de la pandemia de coronavirus y los recursos de afrontamiento para disminuir o atenuar este impacto. Destacan el estrés, los trastornos del sueño y los síntomas depresivos. Se ofrecen algunas estrategias que han sido utilizados por profesionales que anteriormente han sufrido la presión del COVID-19 y les han sido de utilidad. Por último, se señalan algunas recomendaciones cuya eficacia es conocida para el manejo del impacto emocional.

Keywords: Burnout; COVID 19; Emotional adjustment; Health personnel; Psychological; Stress.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / etiology
  • Anxiety / prevention & control
  • Breathing Exercises / methods
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / psychology*
  • Depression / etiology
  • Depression / prevention & control
  • Depression / psychology
  • Exercise
  • Guidelines as Topic
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Mindfulness / methods
  • Nursing Staff / psychology*
  • Occupational Diseases / etiology
  • Occupational Diseases / prevention & control
  • Occupational Diseases / psychology*
  • Pandemics*
  • Psychotherapy
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / etiology
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / prevention & control
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological / prevention & control
  • Symptom Assessment / methods