Exploring the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of Black and Latinx nurses in California

Our study explores the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Black and Latinx nurses in California. Black and Latinx nurses are disparately impacted by COVID-19 due to their vulnerability as Black and Latinx Californians, as well as their role in care provision in primary and emergent care settings. Nurses, overwhelmingly women, have borne the brunt of the pandemic in California, and nationally. Due to the layered vulnerabilities based on race, gender, and profession, they are at heightened risk of negative mental health outcomes.

This study seeks to systematically and comprehensively measure stress, burnout, as well as their coping and resilience strategies. Specifically, we will provide missing data to quantify the experiences of nurses and identify intervention, policy needs, and support for key resiliency and coping strategies. Addressing these needs is of paramount importance both for preparedness for future pandemics and to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and aging population. Black and Latinx nurses are central to providing culturally competent and racially concordant care—all known factors to positively impact care outcomes for this community.