Purpose: Investigating psychological status and job burnout of nurses working in the frontline of the novel coronavirus in Zhangjiajie city in China during the Delta variant outbreak, comparing differences and analyzing factors of these two variables between the nurses from different nucleic acid testing (NAT) sites.
Patients and methods: This survey was conducted from August 1 to 31, 2021. The participants were 512 nurses, 198 nurses of whom were from temporary NAT sites in communities/towns in Zhangjiajie city, and the rest were from NAT sites inside hospitals. The psychological status and the job burnout were measured by the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Scale (MBI-GS).
Results: The prevalence of the SCL-90 positive result and job burnout were 49.4% and 61.1%, respectively. The factors influencing the psychological status of nurses included the contact with COVID-19 patients or their body fluids and specimens, working seniority and the duration of working in the frontline of the novel coronavirus. The independent risk factors of nurses’ job burnout included the following four factors. Firstly, the contact with COVID-19 patients or their body fluids and specimens (OR=150.95, 95% CI=(44.87,507.77), P< 0.001). Secondly, five to nine years of working seniority (OR=8.91, 95% CI=(3.59,22.14), P< 0.001). Thirdly, 10 to 19 days (OR=2.63, 95% CI=(1.19,5.82), P=0.017), 20 to 29 days (OR=161.31, 95% CI=(49.48,525.9), P< 0.001). Lastly, more than 30 days (OR=92.05, 95% CI=(33.88,250.14), P< 0.001) of working in the frontline of the novel coronavirus.
Conclusion: The prevalence of psychological problems and job burnout were at a high level among nurses working in the frontline of the novel coronavirus in different NAT sites. The nurses from NAT sites inside hospitals and temporary NAT sites in communities/towns in Zhangjiajie city had an equal risk of developing psychological problems and job burnout. Interventions need to be immediately implemented to promote psychological well-being and decrease job burnout of nurses.
Keywords: psychological status, job burnout, specimen collection, nucleic acid testing, the novel coronavirus, the Delta variant