Exploring nurses' psychological well-being under the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, Chile and Indonesia: AS06 SUB-THEME 06: Growing and sustaining the nursing workforce

Existing evidence increasingly demonstrates the psychological distress experienced by nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research has been conducted primarily on singular countries and used heterogenous measures. What factors impacted nurses’ psychological well-being in South American and Asian regions during the COVID-19 outbreak to elaborate support strategies are yet unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ psychological well-being across Chile, Indonesia and Taiwan. An international, cross-sectional study was designed. A pre-validated questionnaire measuring preparedness and experiences of managing COVID-19 and the stress level of nurses were used to collect data between 1 January to 30 June 2021 via an online survey. The survey was distributed to registered nurses from Chile, Indonesia and Taiwan. A total of 3633 nurses completed the questionnaire, with 74% of respondents from Taiwan (74%), 15% from Chile (15%) and 11% from Indonesia. More than 76% of participants from Chile and Indonesia had experience managing a COVID-19 case, and only 37.3% of Taiwanese participants had previously cared for a COVID-19 patient. Our findings reveal nurses' fear of contracting COVID-19 and the risk of social isolation due to discrimination associated with working with COVID-19 patients. Workplace managers should provide organisational support in promoting nurses’ psychological well-being, as their social support may be lacking. There is a need for collaborative work of local and international health organisations and stakeholders in developing strategies to support nurses’ psychological well-being during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.