The impact on redeployed nurses of working in critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Many nurses with little critical care experience were redeployed to critical care units during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist with the increased numbers of critically ill patients. The impact of this redeployment on nurses and their employing organization merits detailed assessment.

Aims To (a) measure the impact on redeployed nurses of working in critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify the predictors of that impact, (b) identify any differences between redeployed and critical care nurses and (c) measure the organizational impact.

Study Design A cross-sectional study of redeployed (n = 200) and critical care nurses (n = 461) within the United Kingdom's National Health Service between January 2021 and March 2022. A survey measured components of the Job Demand-Resources Model of occupational stress. Free text questions enabled nurses to describe their experiences of being redeployed to critical care during the pandemic.

Results Survey data indicated high levels of health impairment; 70% of redeployed nurses met the threshold for psychological distress, 52% for burnout and 35% had clinically significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress. When job demands (emotional load, mental load, pace and amount of work and role conflict) were high, health impairment was worse and when job resources (staffing, focus on well-being and learning opportunities) were low, work engagement was reduced. Free text comments illustrated both the stress and distress experienced by redeployed nurses.

Conclusion Many redeployed nurses experienced significant negative consequences and potentially enduring sequelae of working in critical care during the pandemic. These may continue to affect individual and organizational outcomes.

Relevance to Clinical Practice Nurses' well-being should be monitored, and appropriate services provided. Improvements in ongoing and meaningful communications with senior management alongside prioritization of ongoing professional development are required.