The effectiveness of motivational messages to intensive care unit nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of motivational messages on optimism, hopelessness, and life satisfaction of intensive care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: This is a multicentre, randomized controlled, open-label study. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: The study was conducted with a total of 87 nurses working in the COVID-19 intensive care units of three hospitals in Istanbul. Motivational messages were sent via SMS to the participants in the motivational group (n = 41) for 21 days. The data were obtained using a Personal Information Form, the Life Orientation Test, Beck Hopelessness Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: The nurses’ mean age in the motivational and control groups was 28.4 ± 7.6 and 26.9 ± 3.7 years, respectively. Before the messages, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of life orientation (p = 0.059), hopelessness (p = 0.214), and satisfaction with life (p = 0.898) scores. After the messages, life orientation (p = 0.042) and life satisfaction (p = 0.040) scores were significantly higher in the motivational group compared with the control group, and the hopelessness score was significantly lower (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: According to our study, motivational messages sent to intensive care nurses during the pandemic increased their level of optimism and life satisfaction and decreased their level of hopelessness. Trial registration: NCT04751474.