Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Mar;42(3):120-128.
doi: 10.12788/fp.0555. Epub 2025 Mar 17.

COVID-19 Impact on Veterans Health Administration Nurses: A Retrospective Survey

Judy Carlson  1 , Tymeeka Davis  2 , Tracie Citron  3 , Amalia Garcia  3 , Kelly Presser  4 , Saida Adem  3 , Arlene Perry  2 , Anna Farrell  5 , Shakalee Exantus  2 , Brandy Mebane  2 , Kasey Redding  1 , Natalie Purcell  6
Affiliations

COVID-19 Impact on Veterans Health Administration Nurses: A Retrospective Survey

Judy Carlson et al. Fed Pract. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Nurses from Sierra Pacific Network Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities assembled a research team to chronicle the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on VHA nurses within the network. This study sought to include nurses who worked in outpatient areas that were not captured in previous research and nurses who work in inpatient areas.

Methods: After reviewing current literature examining the initial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers and possible measurement tools, the team adapted and formatted an electronic survey to measure nurses' experiences related to job satisfaction, burnout, moral distress, depression, and intent to stay in the workplace.

Results: A total of 860 registered and licensed practical/vocational nurses completed the survey in March 2023. Survey results indicated that VHA nurses experienced loss of patients (58%) and colleagues (30%) from COVID-19, overwhelming workload (57%), stress from short staffing (81%), lack of supplies (51%), burnout (50%), and moral injury (30%).

Conclusions: A high percentage of VHA nurses reported they were satisfied with their jobs and the care they provided to veterans despite experiencing personal and professional challenges stemming from COVID-19. We have identified strategies for leaders to support nurses during and after pandemics as well as plan and prepare for future pandemics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Author disclosures: The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest regarding this article.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020;395(10223)(20):497–506. 30183–5. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Liu X, Kakade M, Fuller CJ, et al. Depression after exposure to stressful events: lessons learned from the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic. Compr Psychiatry. 2012;53(1):15–23. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.02.003. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carmassi C, Foghi C, Dell’Oste V, et al. PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers facing the three coronavirus outbreaks: What can we expect after the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Res. 2020;292:113312. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113312. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. De Kock JH, Latham HA, Leslie SJ, et al. A rapid review of the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers: implications for supporting psychological well-being. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):104. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-10070-3. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gualano MR, Sinigaglia T, Lo Moro G, et al. The burden of burnout among healthcare professionals of intensive care units and emergency departments during the covid-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(15):8172. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18158172. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources