Challenges Experienced by ICU Nurses during COVID-19 Pandemic-A Survey from Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), India

Introduction: Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) has impacted nursing field profoundly in terms of direct care capabilities, practice issues, emotional and financial challenges. Aims & Objectives: We conducted this survey to understand challenges faced by nurses while working in COVID-ICU during COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This was a survey about the challenges faced by the nurses while working in COVID-ICU consequent to the second wave of COVID-19 in Delhi-national capital region (NCR), India. A Google forms-based questionnaire was prepared on the pertinent issues, having 3 demographic and 25 core survey questions. Results: 168 responses were gathered. Most of our participants (63.7%) were from private hospital, and 56% had worked in ICU previously. 88.1% of all the respondents had received brief orientation about the anticipated challenges in COVID-19-ICU. Personal protective equipment (PPEs) was easily available to the majority (88.7%), but only 45.8%, reported it to be good-quality. 85.7% of the respondents regularly interacted with the patients admitted to COVID-19-ICU. Carrying infection home (45.2%) was reported to be the greatest fear while working at such areas. Stress & anxiety are the major behaviour change noted. 97.6% have reported to have received vaccine against COVID-19. Conclusion: Poor quality of PPEs, lack of workplace, emotional and financial security continues to be the major challenges faced even after 2years & 2 waves of this pandemic. However, despite all the challenges faced, the zeal to work and fight with this dreaded infection was strong amongst all the participants. Most of them have expressed their readiness to work again in COVID-19 ICUs, if required.Nursing education, constructing,and implementing robust care policies, is need of the hour