A Descriptive Study to Assess the Psychological Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Staff Nurses Working in Selected Tertiary Care Hospital of Ludhiana, Punjab

Background: COVID-19, declared a pandemic by WHO in March 2020, iscaused by SARS-CoV-2, affecting the respiratory and digestive systems.Symptoms range from mild to severe, with asymptomatic individualsalso spreading the virus. Vulnerable groups include the elderly, thosewith underlying conditions, and children. Healthcare workers facephysical, emotional, and mental health challenges.Aim: To evaluate the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic onstaff nurses employed by a few Ludhiana, Punjab, tertiary care hospitals.Materials and Methods: A descriptive research design assessed thepsychological effects of COVID-19 on staff nurses in Ludhiana, Punjab.The pilot study included eight nurses, and 80 nurses from Nurses Hostel Malakpur, working at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, were select-ed via convenience sampling. Data were collected electronically using online forms and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The study’s findings showed that the majority of nurses (62%)knew nothing about the coronavirus prior to the COVID-19 pandemicand that 70% of them did not know of any significant others who hadthe virus. Additionally, some nurses reported that their coworkers (21%)had tested positive for the virus. Seventy percent of nurses looked forinformation about COVID-19 on the Internet or social media.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 67.5% of nurses reported a positive public perception of healthcare workers. While 20% expe-rienced moderate depression, 65% had normal depression scores. Moderate anxiety was present in 31.3%, and 75% had varying anxietylevels. Stress was subclinical in 76.3%, with mild stress (11.3%) linkedto COVID-19. Factors like limited prior knowledge, exposure to infectedindividuals, media usage, and societal attitudes were associated withnurses’ depression, anxiety, and stress. Overall, nurses reported lowstress, moderate anxiety, and depression levels. How to cite this article:Rashid A, Rashid B, Mukhtar T, Misbah S. ADescriptive Study to Assess the PsychologicalImpact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Staff NursesWorking in Selected Tertiary Care Hospital ofLudhiana, Punjab. Int J Preven Curat Comm Med.2025;11(1&2):4-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2454.325X.202502