Measuring the extent of stress and fear among Registered Nurses in KSA during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Objectives: The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, was officially recognised in the KSA in March 2020. Registered nurses (RNs) play a frontline role in the delivery of healthcare services to the COVID-19 patients. This role has potentially exposed RNs to infection with its associated consequences. We conducted this study to assess the psychological effects of fear and stress, and level of resilience to the COVID-19 outbreak by RNs in KSA. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited all RNs working with patients with the COVID-19 in KSA during the outbreak. All participants completed an anonymous questionnaire, which included items about their sociodemographic details, job stress related to the COVID-19, and fear of infection. Data were analysed with descriptive correlation statistics and multiple regression tests. Results: In total, 314 RNs responded to our survey. The results showed that the RNs had high levels of anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. RNs were fearful about their safety and the well-being of their families. However, RNs felt more responsible for providing care to the COVID-19 patients. Moreover, our results signalled some predictive factors that increased RNs' level of fear, such as social media (beta = 0.76, p = 0.03), exposure to trauma prior to the outbreak (beta = -0.95, p = 0.003), and readiness to care for infected patients (beta = -0.21, p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study reports high levels of perceived stress and fear among RNs in KSA while caring for patients with the COVID-19. Furthermore, certain factors have a significant impact on RNs' psychological status, which may affect the quality of patient care and safety.