Comparison of demoralization in nurses of COVID-19 wards and other wards admitted to hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences- 2021

Nurses working in Covid-19 wards suffer from a variety of physical and psychological complications that require attention.  this study aimed to compare of demoralization in nurses of COVID-19 wards and other wards admitted to hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2021.

The present study is a descriptive-analytical study and its statistical population is all nurses working in Covid-19 wards and other wards of Shahid Madani and Imam Ali (AS) hospitals in Karaj affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences in the second half of the 2021. 200 nurses were selected and examined through simple random sampling method based on inclusion criteria. Nurses' demographic characteristics questionnaire and 16-item questionnaire Kissane-II demoralization were used to collect data. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 21 software and using statistical tests.

Most of the nurses participating in the study were married, with undergraduate degrees, rotation shift workers with contract employment status who had Covid-19 disease at least once. The mean score of demoralization of nurses working in Covid-19 and other wards were (22.50±2.73) and (17.15 ±3.22), respectively, and were severe. There was a significant difference between the mean scores of nurses' demoralization syndrome (P <0.001), meaning and purpose subscale (P <0.001) and anxiety and coping subscale (P <0.001) and in three cases, the mean scores of nurses working in Covid-19 wards were higher.

It is very important to pay attention to the psychological issues and complications resulting from caring for patients during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is necessary to take effective management measures to control them. Also, because the demoralization in nurses working in Covid-19 wards was higher than nurses in other words, it is recommended that all nurses, especially front-line nurses, be given more importance and value during the crisis.