coronavirus; covid-19

Dr. Kathi Huddleston, PhD, MSN

Research

Mason Momentum

Low energy, high fatigue, and increased alcohol use may be early signs of declining mental health in nurses

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:48:35 +0000

Low energy, high fatigue, and increased alcohol use may be early signs of declining mental health in nurses Mary Cunningham Mon, 01/29/2024 - 14:48

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Cheryl Oetjen, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Since 2020, in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 100,00 nurses have quit their jobs. By 2027, almost one-fifth of all registered nurses will have considered leaving the field, according to research. Nurses cite burnout and mental health stressors as the leading reasons for leaving. To safeguard nurses’ physical and mental health and improve nurse retention, employers must identify and address signs of mental health challenges before the next pandemic or public health crisis.

Researchers at the College of Public Health studied the physical and mental health impact of the pandemic on front-line nurses. Their research found that low energy, high fatigue, and increased alcohol use are linked to depression and may be used as warning signs that a nurse is struggling with their well-being. Knowing this can help employers identify nurses who need more support. There is good news from the study—nurses with depression were more likely to seek mental health counseling than those without depression.

Professor Amira Roess from the Department of Global Health, and from the School of Nursing Associate Professor Kathi Huddleston, Director of Research Operations Grace Lawrence, and Professor Cheryl Oetjen examined the relationship between depression, anxiety, energy, and fatigue as associated with sleep quality and the feeling of loneliness, among frontline working nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients.

“Despite the general consensus that the pandemic increased the mental health burden on nurses working with COVID-19 patients, there is a lack of literature that examines the association between energy and fatigue and depression. In future pandemics or disaster response, we need to know how to create support systems for nurses and other frontline workers to address their mental health needs.” said Roess, who is the e principal e investigator. Roess is co-first author with Tulay Soylu, an alum of the Mason PhD in Health Services Research and Master of Health Administration programs and current assistant professor of instruction at Temple University.

The interprofessional team collected the data in 2020 and in 2021 by meeting with nurses outdoors and in open garages to keep everyone safe.

“Depression, Anxiety, Energy, and Fatigue Among Nurses Who Cared for Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study" was published in The Journal of Holistic Nursing in September 2023. Ali Boolani of Clarkson University and Alyssa Wilson, a Mason Master of Nutrition alum, were co-authors.

This research was funded by a GO Virginia grant. The grant sought to study the physical and mental health impact of COVID-19 on the workforce, especially among essential, front-line workers such as those in health care, first responder roles, education, and retail. Results will inform tailored stress management interventions and programs for front-line health care providers. Read more about the grant here.

Topics

Nurses

Depression

CPH research

public health research

Coming Full-Circle: A Career Dedicated to Making Health Visible, Bookended by Two Pandemics

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 09 May 2022 20:18:57 +0000

Coming Full-Circle: A Career Dedicated to Making Health Visible, Bookended by Two Pandemics Mary Cunningham Mon, 05/09/2022 - 16:18

Dr. Germaine Louis gives a patient a COVID-19 vaccine at the Mason and Partners Clinic vaccination event with Prince William Health District on February 23, 2021.

As Dean Germaine Louis retires at the end of the 2021-22 school year, we reshare this story where she reflects on the similarities in the beginning and end of her career.

When Germaine Louis became Dean of the College of Health and Human Services, she never envisioned serving during a pandemic like COVID-19. “Certainly, when I accepted the position in 2017, a pandemic was not on my horizon—what was on my horizon was bringing together the College’s faculty, staff, and students to become a college of public health.”

When asked about leading the future college of public health during COVID-19, Louis is quick to point out that the COVID-19 is not the first pandemic in her lifetime or her 30+ year career as an epidemiologist, referencing the AIDS pandemic which peaked in the U.S. while Louis was completing her graduate studies. “Becoming an epidemiologist during the AIDS pandemic was impactful for me on so many levels, as this new infectious agent disproportionately took the lives of young men and women. I sadly recall the stereotyping and other shaming actions on the part of some towards affected individuals. As a reproductive epidemiologist, I understood why individuals with risky behaviors were often being blamed for their disease, and I recall with great pride the many scientific advances that led to successful treatment and a more compassionate understanding of AIDS."

“Of course, COVID-19 is very different from AIDS in many regards with a larger susceptible population and its airborne transmission,” says Louis. Still, COVID-19 is an important reminder why public health is essential for contemporary life. “COVID-19 has taught us that it’s almost impossible to imagine a world without a strong public health infrastructure to protect the health and safety of all people.”

Louis credits the College's faculty, staff, students, and alumni for their many contributions in fighting COVID-19 and protecting communities, saying “I’ve been incredibly impressed with everyone in the College each of whom has stepped up to make sure we deliver on our academic mission and one that includes practice and community service.”

Leading by example, the Dean has also been active in the University’s response to COVID-19 – from helping develop Mason’s randomized surveillance testing plans to administering vaccines for the community at the Mason and Partner Clinics. Louis can clearly see how her early career as a nurse and then as an epidemiologist led to this moment.

“I used to tell my nursing colleagues that being a nurse made me a better epidemiologist. What I’d learned in a hospital setting really helped me design better study protocols when focusing on clinical populations. I could think about what it meant to implement a research protocol in a hospital setting for busy nurses and physicians or patients under varying stages of duress. And I really do think that my experience as a nurse was formidable in the success that I experienced with clinical studies (e.g., Buffalo Women’s Health Study, ENDO Study, and NICHD Fetal Growth Study). What I didn’t expect at the time was that I would be using some nurse skills as an epidemiologist in responding to a pandemic,” says Louis.

She reports that prior to volunteering at the MAP Clinic vaccination events, after years of not administering an intramuscular (IM) injection, she was required to refresh her injection skills and have her competency checked. “All of a sudden, I was very anxious about vaccinating after years of not doing so as some technical guidance had changed. Mason’s student nurses were a great source of reassurance, and they shared tips with me. I have found that early training really never leaves you, and it kicked in when I needed it most. It does remind me of the importance of lifelong learning.

Louis shares a story about an opportunity to also bring her training in reproductive epidemiology to bear while vaccinating a group of early childhood workers. A young female worker asked if Louis had a few moments to talk with her after her vaccination. She wanted advice on when to safely begin trying for pregnancy following her vaccination. “And I thought, 'Now that is something I know about,’” said Louis.

Dr. Germaine Louis began her career in nursing before becoming an epidemiologist.

After 30 years as a reproductive epidemiologist and working with couples trying for pregnancy, she was reminded how desperate people are for reliable information about pregnancy-related exposures and lingering data gaps. “My advice to her was that healthy pregnancies and babies start with healthy women and mothers. And, first and foremost, unless there is a contraindication from her physician, the woman was doing the right thing to ensure her own health by being vaccinated. I could see the woman’s smile behind her mask and knew there was a good chance she would take that message back to sisters, friends, and coworkers who may have similar questions about the vaccine.”

“It is rewarding to think about taking nursing skills to epi and now epi skills back to nursing,” says Louis.

When asked for advice she would share with future generations of men and women about empowering women who wish to make history in science, health, and leadership - Louis’ response is simple and clear: mentorship.

“I know what made a difference it made in my life – and that was having a mentor (who happened to be a man) who believed in me. When I was worried about finishing my dissertation, he was already talking about my first faculty appointment—before I was even thinking about a position. When I was in my first faculty position and worried about tenure, he was already talking about my next career move. Having someone believe in you or to see something in you that you may not see in yourself is impactful - you need to pay attention to that.”

Louis believes that academicians have an obligation to seek out students who may have natural leadership abilities or who otherwise have a skillset or narrative that sets them apart and to talk with them ... encourage them for even more. “We should support everyone, but we will always need leaders,” she says. “We also need to do a better job of cultivating hunger in our graduates. By that, I mean helping students really think about and become excited about pursuing a career beyond having a job.

Louis closed the conversation by sharing a story about Ruth Kirschstein (former director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, deputy director of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the 1990s, and acting director of the NIH in 1993 and 2000-2002) who during a presentation to female leaders at NIH once said that women sometimes need to ‘remind people to think of you.’ “Her advice has always resonated with me,” said Louis. “It’s ok to self-nominate or to apply for positions even if not invited to do so, as long as you have the qualifications.” Louis also says that women can help others by nominating them for awards and special recognitions. “Most nominations take time and effort to do well," cautions Louis, “But, if we don't create a culture of recognition for women and for future women leaders then we will never have the same recognition as others.”

Topics

Epidemiology

Public health leadership

Public Health

CHHS News

MAP Clinics Recognized by Prince William County Chamber of Commerce for Innovative Partnership to Battle COVID-19

John Brandon Cantrell — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:05:42 +0000

MAP Clinics Recognized by Prince William County Chamber of Commerce for Innovative Partnership to Battle COVID-19 John Brandon C… Wed, 03/02/2022 - 09:05

Topics

MAP Clinic

Mason and Partners (MAP)

School of Nursing

CHHS

Awards

Mason and Partners Clinics and Prince William Health District Partner to Deliver Vaccine and Testing to Underserved Residents

Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics received the Innovative Practice or Partnership of the Year award from the Prince William County (VA) Chamber of Commerce 2022 Business Awards for its trailblazing work with the City of Manassas Park Public Health Department and Prince William County Health Department (PWHCD).

“Our collaboration with the MAP Clinics has enabled the Prince William Health District to expand its vaccination and testing programs, and to reach individuals who may be hesitant to be tested for COVID or receive the vaccine,” said Prince William Health District Director Alison Ansher.

The Clinics have innovated their services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to provide health services to underserved populations in Northern Virginia. In 2021, MAP Clinics supported the PWCHD with its vaccination efforts and provided free COVID-19 testing to uninsured and low-income community members. From July 2020 through June 2021, the Clinics provided more than 41,300 vaccinations at Clinics and 3,7000 mobile vaccinations. As another example of innovating to meet the need of the community, the health district and the MAP Clinics vaccinated thousands of early childhood educators. Then-Virginia First Lady Pamela Northam praised the MAP Clinics for their work as frontline workers supporting other frontline educators.

"I am so proud of all of the MAP Clinic and Health District staff who work together to find new ways to provide excellent care each day to members of our community. We are grateful to the City of Manassas and Prince William County Health District for their partnership, helping us achieve our goals to support and uplift the community,” said, Rebecca Sutter, DNP, APRN, BC-FNP, Director, MAP Clinics, and Associate Professor of Nursing.

The MAP Clinics, operated by the School of Nursing, provide opportunities for Mason students to receive firsthand, guided experience in giving interprofessional care to patients and responding to community-based needs.

“Through the work of these partnerships, our students truly understand the social determinants of health,” said Cheryl Oetjen, interim Chair of the Department of Nursing. “The magic in student learning is visible when what may have been stigma becomes empathy.”

Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics are a network of no-cost bridge health care clinics supported by the School of Nursing and the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University. These academic-community partnered interprofessional clinics serve the underinsured and uninsured communities within Prince William and Fairfax counties by providing low barrier access to acute and chronic health care services, school physicals and childhood immunizations, screenings, and mental health services for vulnerable populations. The ambulatory clinics address the social determinant needs for the community and help navigate individuals through community referrals, resources, and case management for medical home placement; wellness and integrated care; and nurse-led follow up for chronic disease management and education.

The Innovative Practice or Partnership of the Year award is awarded to a member business, not-for-profit organization, or government entity that has demonstrated outstanding vision and groundbreaking solutions in the last year. The Prince William Chamber Business Awards are held annually to honor the best of local businesses to recognize excellence in business, innovative practices, outstanding contributions to the community, and organizations that stand out among their peers.

Reach MD: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on the mental health status of nurses during the pandemic.

Emma Therese Anderson — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:34:37 +0000

Reach MD: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on the mental health status of nurses during the pandemic. Emma Therese A… Thu, 11/18/2021 - 10:34

In This Story

‘They See Us as the Enemy’: School Nurses Battle COVID-19, and Angry Parents.

Topics

Nursing

Nursing Faculty

CHHS in the Media

School of Nursing

Daily Magazine: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe.

Emma Therese Anderson — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:14:13 +0000

Daily Magazine: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe. Emma Therese A… Mon, 11/15/2021 - 13:14

In This Story

'They See Us as the Enemy': School Nurses Battle COVID-19 and Angry Parents.

Topics

Covid-19

College of Health and Human Services School of Nursing

Yahoo News: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe.

Emma Therese Anderson — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:10:14 +0000

Yahoo News: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe. Emma Therese A… Mon, 11/15/2021 - 13:10

In This Story

'They See Us as the Enemy': School Nurses Battle COVID-19 and Angry Parents.

Topics

Covid-19

College of Health and Human Services School of Nursing

New York Times: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe.

Emma Therese Anderson — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:06:26 +0000

New York Times: Dr. Erin Maughan comments on school nurses who are on the front lines battling COVID and playing a critical role in keeping schools open and students safe. Emma Therese A… Mon, 11/15/2021 - 13:06

In This Story

'They See Us as the Enemy': School Nurses Battle COVID-19 and Angry Parents.

Topics

Covid-19

College of Health and Human Services School of Nursing

DCist: Mason nursing student Josue Reyes-Larios helps vaccinate unsheltered community members in Fairfax County.

Emma Therese Anderson — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 17:13:52 +0000

DCist: Mason nursing student Josue Reyes-Larios helps vaccinate unsheltered community members in Fairfax County. Emma Therese A… Thu, 10/14/2021 - 13:13

‘Trying To Chase A Train’: Fairfax’s Effort To Vaccinate Unhoused Residents.

Topics

vaccinations

coronavirus

Nursing

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:07:57 +0000

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll John Brandon C… Tue, 06/01/2021 - 14:07

Topics

Mason Alumni

CHHS Alumni

Nursing Alumni