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Class/synthesis
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Fragments
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I) Impact of work on mental health
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“The sources of personal stress were fear of contamination (including of members of my family) and emotional shock resulting from the deaths of loved ones.” (P67) |
| Statements reveal the profound impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health. Fear of death, stress from social isolation, anxiety in the face of uncertainty, concern for families’ and friends’ health, and helplessness in the face of a crisis are predominant themes. |
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“My sources of stress were related to having to stay away from family, uncertainty about an effective vaccine, and the loss of family, friends, and coworkers. It was painful to choose to face a deadly disease and put your life and the lives of the people you love most at risk.” (P153) |
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II) Mental health and everyday life
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“My main sources of stress were fear of the unknown, fear of death due to the precarious situation at work, lack of proper rest and disturbed sleep.” (P96) |
| It reflects stress associated with the risk of infecting loved ones and the physical and mental exhaustion of dealing with the pandemic period. The separation from family and friends, the lack of physical contact, and the difficulties with remote teaching of children were also sources of stress. |
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“Low salary, heavy workload, and financial difficulties were my main sources of stress. I developed anxiety throughout the pandemic.” (P238) |
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“I was afraid of infecting my family, of bringing the disease home to my family. Working in a war zone and bringing the enemy home […]” (P86) |
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“I was pregnant at the height of the pandemic and with a young daughter, so I was in constant fear of catching the virus and taking it home, and my daughter was taking several strict and constant sanitary measures.” (P183) |
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III) Resilience and vulnerabilities
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“My main sources of personal stress during the pandemic were stress-related. Over time, we became more skilled at caring for COVID-19 patients. However, stress continued to increase because we did not have any psychological support. The damage caused is still being felt today with psychiatric treatments.” (P49) |
| With the arrival of vaccines, there was relief, but care and caution remained. Many developed greater resilience and a more empathetic and introspective outlook, although emotional challenges and psychological recovery persisted. |
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“My main sources of personal stress during the pandemic have changed over time. I have started to pay more attention to my spiritual life, going to church, praying more, and becoming more introspective. In a special way, I have matured and my fear of death has diminished.” (P113) |
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“This improved from the moment the vaccine was developed and arrived. It meant hope for controlling the spread of the virus, but for it to work, we also had to continue taking precautions.” (P139) |
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IV) Economic balance and challenges in the support network
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“During the pandemic, I often had to leave my daughter at friends’ houses, some of whom lived far away. It took a financial and emotional toll on the child. Keeping her distance from family members and following the spread of the virus through social media was painful […]” (P184) |
| Statements highlighted concerns related to direct patient care, in addition to the need to maintain family, religious, and friendship ties. In addition, the difficulty in achieving economic stability became a significant source of stress, reinforced by the need for multiple employment relationships and maintaining employment. |
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“Loneliness was very present in my life, as it was in other colleagues’ lives. I often cried because I was living with the fear of the disease and because I was far from my husband, because I felt alone.” (P294) |
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“I was left without a support network; I felt invaded by an immeasurable void. If I hadn’t believed in God, I would have given up. I started taking antidepressants and increased my work hours due to financial necessity.” (P304) |
Brazilian nurses’ perception of professional and personal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic