Nurses considered leaving NHS after COVID-19 first wave

A study led by Glasgow Caledonian University health services researcher Dr Nicola Roberts revealed that just over a quarter of respiratory nurses had considered leaving the NHS after the first wave of COVID-19.

Dr Roberts, with colleagues from Edge Hill and Southampton universities, asked respiratory nurses on the frontline about their experiences during the winter of 2020 - six months after the first wave of the pandemic.

They analysed responses from 161 nurses across the UK, assessing levels of anxiety, depression, resilience and fatigue, and found that 41 (25%) had considered leaving nursing during that time.

This study, which follows on from previous research which showed high levels of stress and depression among nurses caring for respiratory patients during the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020, found that it continued over the winter of that year.

Dr Roberts is the Principal Investigator in a new paper entitled ‘Factors influencing fatigue in UK nurses working in respiratory clinical areas during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic: an online survey’, which has been published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

The study concluded: “A significant proportion of respondents reported considering leaving nursing.  Retention of nurses is vital to ensure the safe functioning of already overstretched health services.  Nurses would benefit from regular mental health check-ups to ensure they are fit to practice and receive the support they need to work effectively".

Dr Roberts explained: “Nurses are vital for health systems and their mental and physical wellbeing need to be nurtured and protected.  Nurses and other healthcare professionals are likely to have fatigue levels higher than the general population and it is vital that they are supported to provide safe and effective care for patients. Appropriate support and interventions need to be implemented to improve the mental health and provide support for staff working in clinical area.

“It is essential that the NHS considers the impact of pandemics on the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals and puts in place robust systems to support them.

“Our study found that a large proportion of nurses were considering leaving the profession. NHS employers should be alert to the potential impact on retention of experienced nurses and should take proactive measures to recruit, retain and upskill the workforce.

“A high proportion of nurses working in respiratory clinical areas have been identified as experiencing fatigue in addition to continued levels of anxiety, depression over winter 2020.    Interventions need to be implemented to help provide mental health support and improve workplace conditions to minimise PTSD and burnout.”

According to the data, nurses who experienced higher levels of fatigue were more likely to suffer a mental health impact, with 22% of those surveyed reporting that they experienced anxiety and 21% reported moderate to severe depression.

Rachael Moses, President of the British Thoracic Society, said: “Nurses are the backbone of our health and care systems and the common thread across clinical services, leadership and multi-disciplinary working.

“We were aware of the workforce crisis before the pandemic and the effects of the unprecedented last two and a half years has had further devastating effects on nurses’ physical and mental health.

“As a respiratory virus, COVID-19 has impacted on our services in ways we could have never imagined.  Nurses having no option but to care for patients on respiratory wards with unsafe and unacceptable staffing numbers, caring for extremely vulnerable patients and picking up additional shifts has taken such a huge personal toll.

“We are so grateful for all the incredible work Respiratory Nurses have done and will continue to, but we must ensure significant investment is made into services and ensure the cultures in which nurses work are as compassionate and caring as they are.”