Table 1 Psychological stress of ICU nurses in the time of COVID-19

1

Anxiety regarding unfamiliar working environment and processes.

Establish a communication mechanism with local medical staff to get familiar with the working environment and working procedures as soon as possible.

2

Lack of work experience in infectious diseases.

Allocate appropriate patients according to the actual nursing ability and provide necessary special training.

3

Worry about getting infected.

Enhance education and training, including personal protective, hand hygiene, ward disinfection, medical waste management, and occupational exposure management.

4

Huge workload and long-term fatigue.

Adjust work shift to ensure nurses to have plenty of rest.

5

Depression due to unsuccessful cure of critically ill patients.

1) Equip each medical team with a psychologist for early psychological assessments and interventions.

2) Strengthen professional training to deepen the understanding of the disease.

3) Share successful therapy cases.

4) Actively express emotions to relieve tension and anxiety.

5) Perform relaxation exercise under the guidance of the mental health professionals.

6

Worry about their families, and vice versa.

1) Communicate with colleagues who have the same experience or similar feelings.

2) Regularly chat and exchange with family through WeChat videos.

3) Establish a social care and support group to find and resolve worries accordingly.

4) Set up a professional team to provide remote mental health training and guidance, individualized psychotherapy, or appropriate medical intervention to nurses in multiple ways.