Stress among nursing staff and interventions in Austrian nursing homes

Background Most of the limited number of studies that have been carried out on COVID-19 in nursing homes have not included primarily nursing staff. Nevertheless, knowledge about staff experiences will help to provide recommendations for the future. Aim The aim of this study was to describe stress experienced and interventions performed by nursing staff and to identify factors that are associated to the perceived stress among Austrian nursing home staff during the first and the second waves of COVID-19. Methods A secondary data analysis of two cross-sectional surveys performed in 2020 and 2021 among nursing home staff was performed. We did descriptive analysis as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results A total of 449 nurses participated in the first survey and 300 in the second survey. 12.7% experienced high stress levels in the first wave, while 26.0% experienced high stress levels in the second wave ( p < 0.001). The analysis showed that nursing staff in the second wave had a 2.195-fold higher relative chance of experiencing a high stress level compared to nursing staff in the first wave ( p < 0.001). Caring for COVID-19 residents (odds ratio [OR] 1.827; p = 0.007) and being female (OR 1.992; p = 0.018) also significantly increased the relative chance of experiencing a high stress level. Some protective interventions, such as the use of FFP masks, increased between the two waves, while others decreased, such as the practice of airing the residents’ rooms. Conclusion Austrian nursing staff in nursing homes experienced more stress during the second wave, illustrating the heavy burden of the long pandemic on staff. Nursing management should plan appropriate supportive interventions such as psychological help, stress relief measures and financial incentives for nursing staff, especially for the identified high-risk groups.