Work Stress and Emotional Exhaustion Among Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study on the Limited Moderating Effect of Podcast Listening.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems worldwide, significantly impacting frontline healthcare workers, especially nurses. These professionals have faced considerable psychological stress from caring for COVID-19 patients and the fear of spreading the virus to their families. Studies report that over 132 out of 220 participants (60%) of nurses experience anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion, which adversely affects their mental health and the quality of care they provide.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between work-related stress and emotional exhaustion among nurses, and to assess whether listening to podcasts moderates this association.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between March 1 and March 31, 2023. A total of 271 clinical nurses, aged 20 to 65 years, were recruited for the study. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group, consisting of regular podcast listeners (n=173), and the control group, comprising non-listeners (n=98). Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the local ethics committee (IRB No. YGHIRB20230421B). Validated scales were used to measure work stress, emotional dissonance, and emotional exhaustion. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between variables.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in terms of overall work stress (mean difference = -0.09, 95% CI: -0.31 to 0.13, P=.42) or emotional exhaustion (mean difference = 0.07, 95% CI: -0.15 to 0.29, P=.53). Emotional dissonance emerged as a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion in both the experimental (β = 0.476, P<.001) and control groups (β = 0.321, P=.010). Nurses reporting higher workloads had significantly higher emotional exhaustion levels (experimental group: β = 0.302, P<.001; control group: β = 0.327, P=.002). Podcast listening demonstrated only a slight, non-significant moderating effect.

Conclusions: While podcasts alone may not significantly reduce work stress or emotional exhaustion among nurses, indicating a potential, albeit limited, moderating effect of podcasts on emotional well-being. They could serve as a supplementary tool for emotional support. However, broader and more comprehensive interventions are required to address the underlying causes of stress and emotional exhaustion in this population. A more in-depth exploration and recommendations can be made by analyzing the content and patterns of listening. Further research is needed to examine the long-term benefits of integrating podcasts with other digital tools for holistic stress management in healthcare settings.

Clinicaltrial: