Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37845635›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2023

Occupational stressors and coping mechanisms among obstetrical nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

Julia Dobrowolski, Samia Chreim, Sanni Yaya, Serine Ramlawi, Alysha L J Dingwall-Harvey, Darine El-Chaâr

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nursing, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Treatment Effects of the Integrated Perinatal Diabetes Education and Management Program.Diabetes spectrum : a publication of the American Diabetes Association · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Julia DobrowolskiTelfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Samia ChreimTelfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Sanni YayaSchool of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Serine RamlawiClinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Alysha L J Dingwall-HarveyClinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Darine El-ChaârClinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada. delchaar@toh.ca.
Ottawa Hospital Research InstituteUniversity of Ottawa · CAGeorge Institute for Global Health · GB

Funding

CIHR VR4-172760
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDue to heightened occupational stress throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital nurses have experienced high rates of depression, anxiety, and burnout. Nurses in obstetrical departments faced unique challenges, such as the management of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy with limited evidence-based protocols and the unknown risks of the virus on pregnancy and fetal development. Despite evidence that obstetrical nurses have experienced high levels of job stress and a decrease in job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is less known about the working conditions resulting in these changes. Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study aims to offer insight into the COVID-19 working environment of obstetrical nurses and shed light on their COVID-19 working experiences.

methodsThe study was conducted using a qualitative approach, with data collection occurring through semi-structured interviews from December 2021 to June 2022. A total of 20 obstetrical nurses recruited from the obstetrical departments of a tertiary hospital located in Ontario, Canada, participated in the study. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using NVivo. Data was analyzed using a theoretical thematic approach based on the JD-R model.

resultsFour themes were identified: (1) Job stressors, (2) Consequences of working during COVID-19, (3) Personal resources, and (4) Constructive feedback surrounding job resources. The findings show that obstetrical nurses faced several unique job stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic but were often left feeling inadequately supported and undervalued by hospital upper management. However, participants offered several suggestions on how they believe support could have been improved and shared insight on resources they personally used to cope with job stress during the pandemic. A model was created to demonstrate the clear linkage between the four main themes.

conclusionsThis qualitative study can help inform hospital management and public policy on how to better support and meet the needs of nurses working in obstetrical care during pandemics. Moreover, applying the JD-R model offers both a novel and comprehensive look at how the COVID-19 hospital work environment has influenced obstetrical nurses' well-being and performance.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health workforceNursesObstetricsOccupational stressQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID37845635
PMCPMC10577898
OpenAlexW4387669852

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.