Concurrent Session 5C
Tracks
Meeting Room 3
| Friday, October 6, 2023 |
| 1:30 PM - 2:50 PM |
| Meeting Room 3 |
Details
Session chair: Margaret Fry
Speaker
Professor Julie Considine
Professor and Chair In Nursing
Deakin University - Eastern Health
Frontline Nurses’ Mental-Health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk and Protective Factors
1:30 PM - 1:50 PMAbstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant pressure on frontline work for nurses, leading to high risks of cumulative and prolonged psychological distress. While many have documented the initial impacts of COVID-19 on nurses, enduring COVID-19 outbreaks calls for continued understanding of mental health risk and protective factors.
Aims: This study investigated individual risks and modifiable factors of psychological distress among Victorian Frontline Nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This longitudinal study surveyed nurses over three timepoints (June 2021, Jan 2022, Jan 2023). Nurses were recruited from the emergency departments, intensive care units, COVID wards, hospital in the home, and aged care. Psychological distress (Kessler-6 item) and COVID-19 variables (Coronavirus Health and Impact Survey) were investigated. Data were imputed to address missingness and analysed using multi-level linear regressions to account for within person fluctuations.
Results: A total of 167 frontline nurses was included in the analysis. Findings from the multi-level model, adjusted for significant covariates and time, indicates that significant risk factors across all timepoints for increased psychological distress were COVID-19 infection worries, stress from restrictions on leaving home, and relationship stress. Protective factors identified included better pre-COVID mental health status and time spent outdoors.
Conclusion: After three years of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic's challenges, frontline nurses continue to grapple with psychological distress. This study has identified multiple socio-individual determinants of mental health among nurses and underscored the need to prioritize and address these areas to mitigate long-term mental health consequences among this cohort.
Biography
Professor Julie Considine AO is the Deakin University Chair in Nursing at Eastern Health, one of Victoria’s largest health care services. Professor Considine is an internationally respected clinician, educator and researcher whose expertise spans both industry and academic sectors. Professor Considine's research is aimed at improving the quality and safety of patient care by optimising clinical decision-making, increasing use of research evidence in practice, and ensuring effective models of service delivery. Professor Considine is a foundation member of the Deakin University's Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research and Institute for Health Transformation. She is a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Professional Council and Senior Leadership Team at Eastern Health. She is a Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing, Life Fellow of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia, and is a Senior Editor of Australasian Emergency Care. Julie represents the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia on the Australian Resuscitation Council where she is also deputy convenor of the Education and Implementation subcommittee. She is also an Emeritus Member of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Basic Life Support Taskforce. In 2023, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) (General Division) for distinguished service to medicine in the field of emergency nursing, to tertiary education, and to professional associations.
Mrs Megan Simic
Research Fellow
Federation University Australia
Exploring role impact and recommendations for ED nurses in the peri-COVID-19 era: A case of a graduate nurse, nurse educator and a Nurse Unit Manager.
1:50 PM - 2:10 PMAbstract
Introduction.
Impacts of COVID-19 were experienced differently by ED nurses based on their skill and experience levels. Senior leadership staff considered leaving the profession, whilst graduate nurses transitioned into a workforce that they were unprepared for.
Methods.
Individual cases of three ED nursing staff; a graduate nurse, nurse educator and a Nurse Unit Manager were analysed from a larger longitudinal phenomenological study undertaken from 2020 to 2022. Lived experiences of these ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic were explored, understanding feelings, attitudes and perspectives. The nurses were working in both regional and metropolitan acute care hospitals in Victoria.
Results.
Personal and professional experience of the COVID-19 pandemic varied between the three cases. The graduate nurse felt isolated and unsupported at times, having no comparison to what standard ED nursing practice should be. They ultimately left the profession within 2 years citing mental health decline as the catalyst. The nurse educator experienced a greater sharing of resources internal and external to their organisation, however, saw heavily pandemic focused education lead to a decrease in general acute care skills. The Nurse Unit Manager struggled to balance the wellbeing of their staff with the need to ask them to work overtime. They were unsure how much longer they would remain in the role.
Conclusion.
By exploring role specific experiences of ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, tailoring of resources, education and support can be developed. Through tailored supports, a greater sense of professional identity, role satisfaction and collegiality may be realised.
Impacts of COVID-19 were experienced differently by ED nurses based on their skill and experience levels. Senior leadership staff considered leaving the profession, whilst graduate nurses transitioned into a workforce that they were unprepared for.
Methods.
Individual cases of three ED nursing staff; a graduate nurse, nurse educator and a Nurse Unit Manager were analysed from a larger longitudinal phenomenological study undertaken from 2020 to 2022. Lived experiences of these ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic were explored, understanding feelings, attitudes and perspectives. The nurses were working in both regional and metropolitan acute care hospitals in Victoria.
Results.
Personal and professional experience of the COVID-19 pandemic varied between the three cases. The graduate nurse felt isolated and unsupported at times, having no comparison to what standard ED nursing practice should be. They ultimately left the profession within 2 years citing mental health decline as the catalyst. The nurse educator experienced a greater sharing of resources internal and external to their organisation, however, saw heavily pandemic focused education lead to a decrease in general acute care skills. The Nurse Unit Manager struggled to balance the wellbeing of their staff with the need to ask them to work overtime. They were unsure how much longer they would remain in the role.
Conclusion.
By exploring role specific experiences of ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, tailoring of resources, education and support can be developed. Through tailored supports, a greater sense of professional identity, role satisfaction and collegiality may be realised.
Biography
Megan is a Research Fellow and the Deputy Director Operations of the Collaborative Evaluation & Research Centre (CERC) at Federation University. Megan is instrumental in coordinating research activities, capacity building of staff and fostering industry engagement and partnerships development.
As a registered nurse, Megan has a keen interest and experience in ED and intensive care nursing. After completing with Distinction a Bachelor of Nursing in 2016, followed by an Honours degree in nursing in 2019, Megan is now undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), with a research project exploring the lived experience of ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Megan has a keen interest in ED nursing workforce issues, culture and wellbeing of staff, publishing several academic papers in the field.
Mrs Megan Simic
Research Fellow
Federation University Australia
What we have learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic and where to from here: Lived experience perspectives of Australian ED nurses.
2:10 PM - 2:30 PMAbstract
Introduction.
Emerging research suggests the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on the health and wellbeing of nurses globally. ED nurses are leaving the profession at higher rates than pre-pandemic levels, impacting the appropriate skills and resources available within the workforce.
Methods.
This longitudinal research study explored lived experiences of ten Australian ED nurses from 2020 to 2022. The ED nurses had a variety of experience levels, from graduate nurse to Nurse Unit Manager. A qualitative methodology was employed to explore the thoughts, feelings and attitudes of the nurses across the pandemic.
Results.
In 2020, the ED nurses described feeling fearful and uncertain, witnessing substandard care of patients, and managing the virus without appropriate treatments and vaccines. In 2021, ED nurses were in the midst of a Code Brown and beginning to feel the earlier effects of burnout. Some were already considering their exit from the profession. By 2022, within the sample of ten ED nurses, majority had dropped their hours, moved roles within the profession or had left the profession entirely. Cited reasons for these changes included unsustainable workloads, breakdown of professional boundaries, burnout and exhaustion.
Recommendations.
Without immediate action, detrimental impacts on the availability of appropriately skilled ED nurses may be realised. Implementation of organisational, state and federal holistic wellbeing policies for health care workers are limited within Australia. Exploration of these wellbeing measures including the implementation of professional working boundaries and physical, mental and emotional wellbeing management is recommended to maintain a safe and resilient workforce.
Emerging research suggests the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on the health and wellbeing of nurses globally. ED nurses are leaving the profession at higher rates than pre-pandemic levels, impacting the appropriate skills and resources available within the workforce.
Methods.
This longitudinal research study explored lived experiences of ten Australian ED nurses from 2020 to 2022. The ED nurses had a variety of experience levels, from graduate nurse to Nurse Unit Manager. A qualitative methodology was employed to explore the thoughts, feelings and attitudes of the nurses across the pandemic.
Results.
In 2020, the ED nurses described feeling fearful and uncertain, witnessing substandard care of patients, and managing the virus without appropriate treatments and vaccines. In 2021, ED nurses were in the midst of a Code Brown and beginning to feel the earlier effects of burnout. Some were already considering their exit from the profession. By 2022, within the sample of ten ED nurses, majority had dropped their hours, moved roles within the profession or had left the profession entirely. Cited reasons for these changes included unsustainable workloads, breakdown of professional boundaries, burnout and exhaustion.
Recommendations.
Without immediate action, detrimental impacts on the availability of appropriately skilled ED nurses may be realised. Implementation of organisational, state and federal holistic wellbeing policies for health care workers are limited within Australia. Exploration of these wellbeing measures including the implementation of professional working boundaries and physical, mental and emotional wellbeing management is recommended to maintain a safe and resilient workforce.
Biography
Megan is a Research Fellow and the Deputy Director Operations of the Collaborative Evaluation & Research Centre (CERC) at Federation University. Megan is instrumental in coordinating research activities, capacity building of staff and fostering industry engagement and partnerships development.
As a registered nurse, Megan has a keen interest and experience in ED and intensive care nursing. After completing with Distinction a Bachelor of Nursing in 2016, followed by an Honours degree in nursing in 2019, Megan is now undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), with a research project exploring the lived experience of ED nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Megan has a keen interest in ED nursing workforce issues, culture and wellbeing of staff, publishing several academic papers in the field.
Caitlin Fitzgibbon
Western Sydney University
Rethinking the health workforce: Dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics within Australian ambulance services
2:30 PM - 2:50 PMAbstract
Background/Introduction:
The Australian health system is failing to keep pace and innovative ideas are required. With the aim to keep patients out of overcrowded hospitals where appropriate, primary care paramedic roles are being introduced in the out-of-hospital environment. Whilst important, these roles may overlook a resource already in the system; the dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedic.
Aim/Purpose:
To explore the lived experience of dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics working within Australian ambulance services.
Methods/Intervention/Activity:
Individual open-ended interviews were conducted with dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics who met set criteria (n=13). The study adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach.
Results/Outcome:
Despite potential benefits, dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics have skills and knowledge they are prevented from using when working for an Australian ambulance organisation.
Conclusion/Recommendations:
Allowing dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics to work to full scope could improve patient care and prove advantageous to the health system.
The Australian health system is failing to keep pace and innovative ideas are required. With the aim to keep patients out of overcrowded hospitals where appropriate, primary care paramedic roles are being introduced in the out-of-hospital environment. Whilst important, these roles may overlook a resource already in the system; the dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedic.
Aim/Purpose:
To explore the lived experience of dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics working within Australian ambulance services.
Methods/Intervention/Activity:
Individual open-ended interviews were conducted with dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics who met set criteria (n=13). The study adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach.
Results/Outcome:
Despite potential benefits, dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics have skills and knowledge they are prevented from using when working for an Australian ambulance organisation.
Conclusion/Recommendations:
Allowing dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedics to work to full scope could improve patient care and prove advantageous to the health system.
Biography
Caitlin is a dual qualified emergency nurse-paramedic and lecturer in paramedicine, currently undertaking her PhD at Western Sydney University.
