The relationship of nurses’ psychological well‐being with their coronaphobia and work–life balance during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study

Yayla, Ayşegül; Eskici İlgin, Vesile

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the relationship of nurses’ psychological well‐being with their coronaphobia and work–life balance during the COVID‐19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: COVID‐19 is a global life‐threatening disease. The COVID‐19 pandemic negatively affects nurses’ mental health. No studies have been conducted to determine the factors that affect nurses’ psychological well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Turkey. If nurses’ psychological well‐being is impaired during the COVID‐19 pandemic, the quality of nursing care and the nurses’ performance may be negatively affected. DESIGN: This is a descriptive, correlational and cross‐sectional study. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guideline checklist for cross‐sectional studies was used for reporting in this study. METHODS: The study population consisted of the nurses working in a Health Application and Research Center in Turkey. Data were collected using Google forms between June–August 2020. The study sample consisted of 295 nurses who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and used social media tools. The data were collected using a Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the COVID‐19 Phobia Scale (C19P‐S), the Work–Life Balance (WLB) Scale and the Psychological Well‐Being (PWB) Scale. The factors that affect psychological well‐being were determined using the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The nurses’ work–life balance and psychological well‐being were negatively affected during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Their COVID‐19 phobia was mild‐to‐moderate level. The nurses’ psychological well‐being was significantly affected by the variable of neglecting life the most, followed by coronaphobia and work–life balance, which explain 75% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that coronaphobia experienced by nurses and work–life balance was related to their psychological well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Managers should take measures (regulating the working hours) to decrease nurses’ COVID‐19 phobia (education, counselling or psychotherapy) and work–life imbalance. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses’ peers, managers and organisations need to take into account nurses’ negative emotions and behaviours and organise training programmes to help them overcome their fears, communicate clearly and provide for their basic needs. Organisations, including managers and nurses, must recognise the distress being experienced by their nurses and create safe environments in which to have significant conversations. Nurses’ mental health can be screened regularly by multidisciplinary teams, psychological support can be provided when required, and working hours can be regulated through appropriate shifts and breaks that will ensure work–life balance during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Nurses receiving emotional support from their families and friends (via chatting and sharing troubles) can also contribute positively. These measures and regulations will positively affect nurses’ psychological well‐being and contribute to an increase in the quality of care and nurses’ performance.