Beyond Frontlines: The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Coping Mechanisms among Sudanese Nurses during Military War

Abstract

Background: During times of stress, nurses often employ various coping mechanisms to manage the emotional and psychological challenges they face in their demanding roles. The study aimed to assess post-traumatic stress disorder and coping mechanisms among Sudanese nurses during the military war in Khartoum state, Sudan, 2023. Material and method: A cross-sectional design was used to conduct this study. The convenience sample was used to include 318 nurses. A questionnaire composed of three parts: socio-demographic, impact of events scale, and coping orientation to problem experience was used to collect the data. Results: Regarding the levels of post-traumatic disorders, the results showed that there were nearly one-quarter of the sample exhibited mild levels, more than one-quarters had moderate levels, and more than half had severe levels. Regarding coping mechanisms among the sample, only more than one-quarters were satisfactory. The results indicated a negative association between age, experience years, and effective use of coping strategies with the total score of post-traumatic stress. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight significant levels of post-traumatic disorders among the studied sample, with a notable proportion experiencing severe levels of trauma. A minority of participants demonstrated satisfactory coping skills. Recommendations: Implement psycho-education programs to increase awareness about post-traumatic stress and coping strategies among healthcare workers.