Problem Statement Assessment of Work Schedule and Coping Strategies Adopted by Staff Nurses Working in COVID-19 Areas of Selected Hospitals

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable physical, psychological and occupational demands on healthcare workers, particularly staff nurses working directly in COVID-19 areas. Increased workload, prolonged duty hours, fear of infection, changing protocols, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and concerns about transmitting infection to family members contributed to occupational challenges. Nurses therefore required effective coping strategies to manage the demands associated with working in COVID-19 areas. The present study was undertaken to assess the work schedule and coping strategies adopted by staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas of selected hospitals.
Aim/Objectives
The objectives of the study were:
1. To assess the work schedule of staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas of selected hospitals, as described by their duty hours.
2. To assess the coping strategies adopted by staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas of selected hospitals.
3. To determine the association between the level of coping strategies and selected demographic variables.
Design
A quantitative, non-experimental descriptive survey design was adopted to assess the duty-hour patterns and coping strategies of staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas.
Setting
The study was conducted among staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas of selected hospitals. The target population comprised staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas in Maharashtra.
Sample Size
The sample consisted of 100 staff nurses who fulfilled the sampling criteria and were willing to participate in the study.
Sampling Technique
A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to select the 100 staff nurses.
Instrument
Data were collected using:
• A structured demographic questionnaire covering age, gender, working area, duty hours, history of illness, previous experience and type of family.
• A 24-item modified four-point Likert scale for assessing coping strategies.
The coping scale had a possible score range of 24–96 and categorized coping as poor (34–54), average (55–75), and good (76–96). Content validity was established by five experts from relevant nursing and allied disciplines. Split-half reliability was assessed during tool development.
Major Findings
Among the 100 staff nurses, 76% were aged 20–30 years, 53% were female and 47% were male. Regarding working area, 28% worked in COVID ICU, 30% in COVID ward, 29% in COVID casualty and 13% in other COVID-19 areas.
In relation to duty hours, 26% worked 6-hour shifts, 33% worked 8-hour shifts, 23% worked 12-hour shifts and 18% worked more than 12-hour shifts, with 8-hour duty being the most common category.
Regarding coping strategies, 81% of staff nurses had average coping levels, 17% had poor coping levels and 2% had good coping levels.
Pearson's chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant association between coping-strategy category and age, gender, type of family, duty hours, working area, history of illness or previous experience at the 0.05 level (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
The study found that the majority (81%) of staff nurses working in COVID-19 areas had an average level of coping, while 17% had poor coping and only 2% had good coping. The nurses worked across different duty schedules, with 8-hour shifts being the most common. No statistically significant association was found between coping level and the selected demographic variables studied. The findings indicate the importance of supportive workplace systems, adequate rest, appropriate staffing, infection-prevention training, peer support and accessible psychosocial support for nurses working in infectious-disease settings.

COVID-19; Staff Nurses; Work Schedule

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