Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: A latest study has revealed that around 67 percent of nurses in Kashmir suffer from depression.
Nursing is often associated with night-work, however, there is little knowledge about its effect on mental health.
To gauge the extent of stress levels among nurses, a study titled, “Incidence of depression among nurses in Kashmir valley” was conducted in Srinagar district.
The 2021 study published in the International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences was conducted on 200 nurses. The findings revealed that the majority of the nurses were found to be females (68%), above 30 years (64%), belonged to nuclear families (69%), married (71%) and residing in rural areas (64%).
“Around 134 (67%) nurses were found to be having symptoms of depression. This will have a negative impact on patient care. Thus, there is a dire need for screening of the nurses and thus early detection of affected ones,” the study said.
PG Psychiatric nursing Javaid Ahmad Mir told The Kashmir Monitor that the nurses experience a variety of occupational stressors (e.g., heavy workload, insufficient time for patient care, irregular work schedule, poor work environment and difficult patients).
“On the top of that, they are underpaid and their work is often not recognized. These may negatively affect the mental health status of nurses, which might then hinder their professional performance and affect the quality of healthcare provided,” Mir said.
He emphasized that their psychological health should be continuously monitored through the help of trained counselors in the healthcare setups.
“If we care about our nurses’ mental health, screening must be made routine, promote assessment and early identification of psychological distress,” Mir said.
