LONG TERM IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY AND QOL AMONG NURSES

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the major health crisis worldwide. Mental health of medical and nursing staff met greatly challenged during the immediate wake of the viral epidemic and most of the studies focused on short term impact of pandemic. This study tried to explore the long term impact of Covid-19 on functional health status and QOL among nurses. Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of Covid-19 on functional capacity and Quality of Life (QOL) among female nurses. Methods: 50 Nurses working in COVID-19 pandemic were included. Their functional status was assessed using 6minute walk test (6MWT) and SF- 36 questionnaire was used to evaluate the Quality of Life. The data was collected and analysed with appropriate statistical tools. Results: The study results showed that the mean value of 6MWT observed in nurses was 298±117meters and average Gait speed was 0.85±0.28 meters per second. SF-36 scores which is related to the QOL shows that, the least scored components of quality of life was role limitation to physical health (Mean/SD =12.50±29.12 ) followed by role limitation due to emotional problem (Mean/SD=37.30±18.62) and role limitation due to energy/fatigue (Mean/SD=37.80±18.16). The highest score was obtained for the component social functioning (Mean/SD=53.50±14.95). Conclusion: This study concluded that functional ability of nurses worked in Covid pandemic is reduced and health related quality of life observed low in the component of role limitation due to physical health.