Trastorno de estrés postraumático en enfermeras de áreas críticas durante la pandemia de COVID-19: una revisión de alcance

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant emotional distress among nursing staff, particularly those working in critical areas such as intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency medical services (EMS). Constant exposure to critically ill patients, fear of infection, excessive workload, and frequent contact with death contributed to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems. Methodology: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The literature search was conducted in databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, BVS, Scopus, and ProQuest. Terms related to PTSD, nursing, critical care, and COVID-19 were used. Studies published between 2022 and 2026 in English, Spanish, and Portuguese were included. A total of 18 studies were included in the final analysis. Results: Studies showed that PTSD was the primary psychological disorder experienced by nursing staff working in critical care areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main contributing factors were the work environment, work overload, staff shortages, emotional exhaustion, and continuous exposure to suffering. Furthermore, resilience, family support, and social and organizational support were identified as protective factors against PTSD. Conclusions: PTSD significantly impacted nursing staff in critical care areas during the pandemic. The findings demonstrate the importance of strengthening the psychological support network, improving working conditions, and promoting spaces for emotional support and/or follow-up. Keywords: nursing, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Critical care nursing, Intensive care units, COVID-19.