Justin Kim, ACNP, MSN (he/him/his)
George Washington University Hospital
Disclosure information not submitted.
.jpg "Katherine Farrar, MS, PA-C photo")
Katherine Farrar, MS, PA-C
Critical Care Physician Assistant
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Ivy Benjenk, RN, MPH, PhD
Research Coordinator
George Washington University Hospital, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Jennifer Park, MSc
Research Coordinator
George Washington University Hospital, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Kimia Zarabian, BS
Medical Student
George Washington University Hospital, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Philip Dela Cruz, n/a
Resident Physician
UHS SoCal MEC Internal Medicine Residency, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Eric Heinz, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
George Washington University, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Danielle Davison, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and of Medicine
George Washington University Medical Center, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
David Yamane, BS, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Critical Care Medicine
George Washington University Hospital, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Title: Occupational Hazard: One Year Comparison of Stress Related to COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has psychological impacts on healthcare workers (HCW), especially those in the intensive care unit (ICU). We hypothesized that HCWs in the ICU treating COVID-19 patients would have high levels of risk perception, stress, and burnout one year into the pandemic. However, we believed that wide-spread vaccination would have a potential protective effect.
Methods: An online survey study conducted amongst HCWs across multiple roles in a tertiary academic center ICU during spring of 2020 and spring 2021. Questions evaluated levels of workplace stress index correlates, burnout, and risk perception related to the care of COVID patients. Chi-squared tests compared results along with demographic and professional characteristics of participants. In 2021, vaccination status and Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQOL) were added.
Results: 151 surveys were collected between spring 2020 (n=83) and spring 2021 (n=68). Participants were 75.5% female, 66.9% white, and 53.4% nurses/technicians/respiratory therapists. Results revealed that despite high vaccination rates (92.8% of participants), and significantly decreased risk perception, levels of stress remained high. Comparing 2020 to 2021, participants felt less risk at their job (74.7% vs 48.5%; p= < 0.001), less afraid of contracting COVID (85.5% vs 33.8%; p= < 0.001), less likely to feel little control over contracting COVID (54.9% vs 25%; p= < 0.001), and less afraid of transmitting COVID unto others (86.7% vs 61.2%; p= < 0.001). Levels of stress at work (83.1% vs 73.1%; p=0.137) and thoughts of resignation (13.4% vs 14.7%; p=0.82) remained similar between survey years. In 2021, the PROQOL questions demonstrated that 57% of participants met criteria for moderate or high levels of traumatic stress and 75% met criteria for moderate or high levels of burnout.
Conclusions: There were significant decreases in risk perception related to COVID amongst both cohorts. However, regardless of COVID vaccination, ICU HCWs felt high stress levels and burnout at work with ongoing thoughts of resignation. While it appears that vaccination status may be somewhat protective with respect to risk perception, it did not alleviate the mental burden of caring for COVID patients. Further investigation in stress mitigation strategies in ICU providers are paramount.