Table 2 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being and working conditions of nurses in Slovakia by type of health care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic

Work related burden symptoms (N, %)

 Often feeling time pressure during work

231 (83%)

231 (66%)

216 (65%)

127 (65%)

805 (70%)

 < 0.001

 High burden due to responsibility

241 (86%)

263 (75%)

261 (78%)

158 (81%)

923 (80%)

 < 0.01

 Feeling nervous or irritated after few hours of work

192 (69%)

206 (59%)

200 (60%)

111 (58%)

709 (61%)

0.037

 Wanting to do something else after few hours of work

180 (64%)

203 (58%)

186 (56%)

104 (54%)

673 (58%)

0.081

 Feeling fatigue/weakness after few hours of work

211 (75%)

222 (64%)

228 (68%)

124 (64%)

785 (68%)

 < 0.01

Composite work burden score (mean, 95%CI)

3 (2.9–3.1)

2.8 (2.7–2.9)

2.8 (2.7–2.9)

2.8 (2.7–2.9)

2.8 (2.8–2.9)

 < 0.001

Did you think of leaving your job (N, % Yes)

212 (76%)

253 (73%)

221 (66%)

122 (62%)

808 (70%)

 < 0.01

Reasons for thinking of leaving (N, %)

 Inadequate pay

62 (29%)

99 (39%)

79 (36%)

40 (33%)

280 (35%)

 Lack of appreciation

33 (16%)

46 (18%)

42 (19%)

19 (16%)

140 (17%)

 Lack of personnel

26 (12%)

27 (11%)

5 (2%)

10 (8%)

68 (8%)

 < 0.01

 Work stress

89 (42%)

78 (31%)

94 (43%)

52 (43%)

313 (39%)

 Lack of equipment

2 (1%)

3 (1%)

1 (1%)

1 (1%)

7 (1%)

How often have you felt (N, %)

 Nervous or irritable

165 (64%)

191 (59%)

179 (59%)

89 (51%)

624 (59%)

0.062

 Unable to solve my problems

97 (41%)

108 (38%)

104 (38%)

46 (30%)

355 (38%)

0.179

 Down, depressed or hopeless

125 (48%)

125 (39%)

113 (37%)

57 (33%)

420 (40%)

 < 0.01

 Little interest or pleasure in doing things

120 (46%)

133 (41%)

128 (44%)

63 (36%)

444 (42%)

0.229

 Unable to control worrying

123 (48%)

149 (49%)

134 (46%)

75 (43%)

481 (47%)

0.659

 Problems with concentration

93 (38%)

108 (34%)

95 (33%)

56 (31%)

352 (34%)

0.469

 Drop in work motivation

153 (58%)

183 (56%)

138 (46%)

81 (45%)

555 (52%)

 < 0.01

Composite mental health score (mean, 95%CI)

1.7 (1.6–1.8)

1.6 (1.5–1.7)

1.5 (1.4–1.6)

1.5 (1.4–1.7)

1.6 (1.5–1.7)

0.073

Availability of protective equipment (N, % Yes)

94 (34%)

150 (43%)

112 (34%)

73 (38%)

429 (37%)

0.04

Situation critical due to lack of nurses (N, %)

 Yes, to a large extent

157 (56%)

177 (51%)

53 (17%)

82 (43%)

469 (41%)

 < 0.001

 Yes, partially

105 (38%)

140 (40%)

125 (40%)

78 (41%)

448 (40%)

Situation critical due to lack of physicians (N, %)

 Yes, to a large extent

30 (11%)

38 (11%)

32 (10%)

22 (12%)

122 (11%)

 < 0.001

 Yes, partially

116 (42%)

144 (42%)

113 (36%)

55 (31%)

428 (38%)

Situation critical due to lack of equipment (N, %)

 Yes, to a large extent

126 (46%)

70 (21%)

29 (13%)

16 (9%)

241 (24%)

 < 0.001

 Yes, partially

94 (34%)

112 (33%)

38 (16%)

31 (18%)

275 (27%)