Date of Defense

4-21-2022

Date of Graduation

4-2022

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Sally Vliem

Second Advisor

Susan Houtrouw

Keywords

COVID-19, well-being, isolation, anxiety, depression, insomnia

Abstract

The development of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, led to the spread of turmoil across the United States and further around the globe. With the virus creating uncertainty among the population, the evidence began to demonstrate that individuals could have devastating health effects, including death. Healthcare workers are among those who were on the frontlines in order to care for the infected, ultimately increasing their own chances of acquiring the virus and putting their health at risk. These workers have experienced a direct impact due to this exposure in the form of isolation, anxiety, depression, suicide, and sleep disturbances. With the spread of burnout occurring throughout the healthcare field, students partaking in healthcare studies will be among the first to begin their careers in such conditions. It is crucial that we understand the effects of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being and formulate coping mechanisms that will prevent such detrimental effects on our future healthcare workers. The purpose of this paper is to review the commonly found impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers and utilize this information to design strategies for students in healthcare to improve their overall well-being. A literature review was conducted utilizing a variety of scholarly articles and journals consisting of information pertaining to this topic. This review aims to answer the following question: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the well-being of our healthcare workers, and how can we utilize such findings to assist with current students in healthcare?

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

Thesis Presentation(1).pdf (1768 kB)
Defense Presentation

Poster #1.pdf (65 kB)
Poster 1

Poster #2.pdf (440 kB)
Poster 2

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