Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19 on Intensive Care Unit Personnel: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey Assessment Before, During, and After the First Peak.

Authors

• Nicholas C. Watson, Corewell Health West
• Kathrine Kelly
• Laura Krech, Corewell Health West
• Alistair Chapman, Corewell Health West
• Steffen Pounders, Corewell Health West
• Matthew Armstrong, Corewell Health West
• Charles J. Gibson, Corewell Health West
• Gaby Iskander

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2026

Publication Title

Healthcare

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented significant psychosocial challenges to intensive care unit health care workers (ICU HCW). Prior studies typically used single cross-sectional samples to focus on elements of burnout and psychological stress. We sought to serially assess quality of life and willingness to work before, during, and after the first peak of COVID-19.

Methods: Two survey instruments were prospectively administered at regular intervals to multidisciplinary ICU HCWs, initiating at the local onset of COVID-19 and ending 6 months after the first peak ICU census of COVID-19 patients.

Results: ICU HCWs reported high levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress before, during and after the first peak of COVID-19. Motivation to work declined, and hesitation to work increased from study initiation to the peak ICU census of COVID-19 patients. Hesitation to work was greater in female HCWs and cardiothoracic ICU HCWs. Motivation to work was higher in those working in operating rooms compared to those in the ICU. Concerns about becoming infected, feelings of isolation, and exhaustion were associated with high hesitation to work. Feeling protected by the government and hospital was associated with decreased hesitation and increased motivation to work.

Conclusions: ICU HCWs experienced high levels of stress throughout the first year of COVID-19, while satisfaction with work remained high. Willingness to work was associated with gender, work location, ICU subtype, concerns about infection risk, feelings of exhaustion, and feelings of institutional protection. Because the study methodology precludes causal inference and low survey response rates indicate that findings should be interpreted with caution, these results are best viewed as hypothesis-generating for future work aimed at improving stress mitigation in ICU HCWs.

Volume

14

Issue

9

First Page

1154

Last Page

1154

Recommended Citation

Watson NC, Kelly K, Krech L, Chapman A, Pounders S, Armstrong M, et al. [Gibson CJ]. Psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on intensive care unit personnel: A repeated cross-sectional survey assessment before, during, and after the first peak. Healthcare. 2026;14(9). doi: 10.3390/healthcare14091154. PMID: 42121597.

DOI

10.3390/healthcare14091154

ISSN

2227-9032

PubMed ID

42121597