Many nurses have died and some of them have suffered psychological impacts due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). A report by the World Health Organization indicates that approximately 110,000 nurses in May 2021 after contracting COVID-19 from their places of work (Barrett & Heale, 2021). Additionally, the pandemic seriously worsened the nursing shortage that is already experienced by many nations globally. As the number of COVID-19 patients increased rapidly in 2020, nurses had no choice but to work extra hours. A good number of them suffered burnout and mental fatigue which eventually caused negative impacts on their quality of life. Reports indicating the rise in the number of nurses with different mental conditions confirm the psychological impacts that COVID-19 has had on nurses. For example, Al Thobaity and Alshammari (2020) reported increased incidences of depression and anxiety among nurses during the pandemic. Junior nurses in many healthcare settings have also suffered bullying and maltreatment in the hands of senior nurses during the pandemic.
Changes in Media and Public Profiles for Nurses
The media profile of nurses, as well as their public image, has been raised significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. People have been talking about nurses regarding the effort that they have put in caring for patients infected with COVID-19. Some practitioners have been honored due to their contributions to nursing during the pandemic (Koren et al., 2021). This high profile for nurses, both in the media and in the face of the public never used to exist before the pandemic. With this changed profile, nurses are making efforts to make unique contributions that can make them be recognized by their employers the public (Barrett & Heale, 2021). This translates to an increase in the quality of care delivered to patients with different types of illnesses.