Comparison of Alabama Nurse Experiences Between Practice Areas During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: According to the Total Worker Health® framework, safety culture including a reasonable workload among healthcare workers is essential to the security and well-being of patients, staff, and healthcare organizations. Evaluating the impact of the pandemic on the nursing workforce in different practice areas is critical for addressing workforce health and sustainability. The purpose of this study was to compare work and selfcare experiences among Alabama nurses between practice areas and the early pandemic years (2020 vs. 2021). Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA) survey data was conducted. Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance, Wilcoxon rank, and false discovery rates were examined. Results: There were 1,369 and 2,458 nurse survey responses in 2020 and 2021, respectively. By 2021, nurses reported worsening staff shortages, a greater need for retired and new graduate nurses to help with the workload burden, and perceptions of heavier emergency department workloads. Lower proportions of nurses reported the ability to engage in self-care activities and satisfaction with state and federal crisis management. Intensive care nurses were more likely to report staffing shortages while also reporting the lowest ability to engage in self-care. Conclusions: Overall, the Alabama nursing workforce perceived worsening work conditions in 2021 compared to when the pandemic began. Practice areas varied greatly in their responses, with acute and intensive care areas perceiving more difficult work conditions. Total Worker Health® programs should be designed to promote and support nurses’ well-being based on their experience and the needs of specific practice areas.