Nurses’ Psychological Trauma and Cognitive Control in the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have faced various nurse-specific traumas in their workplaces, but there is limited understanding of the resulting outcomes and factors that contribute to them. OBJECTIVE: To address this gap, the study employed the middle-range theory of nurses’ psychological trauma (NPT) to examine these relationships among frontline nurses working in critical care areas. METHODS: In a quantitative cross-sectional study, the study compared nurses identified as probable cases of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with those identified as not probable cases. The study investigated the nurse-specific traumas they experienced, their individual personality traits, and the buffers they possessed. The study also sought to identify specific types of nurse-specific traumas that could be associated with negative outcomes, such as alcohol and drug use. RESULTS: It was found that PTSD-probable nurses reported higher levels of trauma from disasters and system/medically induced trauma compared to not-probable nurses. They also experienced more nonwork-related humankind traumas and displayed lower resilience. Furthermore, PTSD-probable nurses identified with trait urgency and trait avoidance motivation. Additionally, trauma from disasters was associated with alcohol use. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the elevated levels of trauma, lower resilience, and specific psychological traits associated with PTSD-probable nurses, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and support to mitigate the negative outcomes experienced by frontline nurses.