Analysis of mental health effects among nurses working during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review

Accessible Summary

What is Known on the subject?

• Working on the frontline during the pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental health of health professionals. A significant proportion experienced anxiety, insomnia, posttraumatic stress or depression.

What the paper adds to existing knowledge?

• Analysis and synthesis of the evidence of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of nurses based on their work context. There exists a gap in the literature as no studies were found that analysed the effects on nurses' mental health according to the level of care they worked in (hospital–primary care–nursing home).

What are the implications for practice?

• There is an urgent need to assess and respond to the impact of COVID‐19 on the physical and mental well‐being of nurses, and to monitor international policies for the improvement of nurses' working conditions.

Abstract

Introduction

Health professionals have suffered negative consequences during the COVID‐19 pandemic. No review has specifically addressed the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of nurses exclusively according to the work context.

Aim

To analyse the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of nurses who have worked in hospitals, primary care centres and social health centres.

Method

PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Cochrane databases were searched (Prospero number: CRD42021249513). Out of 706 papers, 31 studies (2020–2021) were included in the systematic review. A qualitative synthesis method was used to analyse the data.

Results

Most studies were conducted in hospitals or frontline settings. The prevalence of moderate‐to‐severe symptoms was for anxiety 29.55%, depression 38.79%, posttraumatic stress disorder 29.8%, and insomnia 40.66%.

Discussion

This review highlights the mental health effects among nurses working in acute hospital settings. It also evidences a data gap on mental health effects among nurses working in primary health care and in nursing homes.

Implications for practice

In the post phase of the pandemic, there is an urgent need to assess and respond to the impact on the mental well‐being of nurses, and to monitor international policies for the improvement of nurses’ working conditions.