Covid 19: Perioperative Nurses' Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID pandemic has created a crisis in perioperative nursing roles and responsibilities throughout the world. Many have experienced temporary changes in their roles as a result of greatly reduced surgical volumes or getting pulled to other roles and responsibilities. The impact of these changes on stress, burnout, and intent to stay have not been explored. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the perioperative nurse’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate how this and their perceived stress, burnout, and job satisfaction may influence their intent to stay in the workforce. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional design using electronic survey methodology will be used. Eligible participants will include perioperative nurses who are currently working or were working as of March 2020. Participants will be recruited from AORN membership as well as snowball sampling via social media. Survey questions will be guided by the Job Demands-Resources model and include questions examining job demands, job resources, burnout, and engagement. The primary outcome variable of interest will be intent to stay. Data Analysis: Data analysis will include univariate and multivariate techniques. Implications: Perioperative nurses experiences during the COVID crisis likely differed from that of other acute care nurses. Knowledge gained from this study will provide insights into their unique roles and experiences. Study results can be used to help guide future interventions aimed at improving resources available to perioperative nurses during times of crisis to reduce stress and improve their likelihood to stay in the workforce.