The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Nurses in Canada

Mental health stress and conditions have become key health issues, particularly for nurses working in Canada. Nurses for years have experienced psychological distress from their work environments, which have worsened since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The consequences nurses are facing are dire and have placed them in vulnerable positions within the Canadian healthcare system. The vulnerability of nurses in society is associated with systemic factors including power relations within the political economy that undervalues this healthcare profession. This political and stereotypical view of nurses is problematic in promoting nurses’ wellness and mental health even in crises like Covid-19. Moreover, there is a lack of focus given by health organizations and the Canadian government on mental health and its associated symptoms on a long-term basis. This paper utilizes a feminist political economic and an intersectional framework to examine policymaking to understand how systematic factors influence the mental health state of nurses in Canada. Analyzing their experiences and the effects of the system at multiple dimensions offers insights on the need for more services and supports for nurses’ mental health for a robust health workforce now and under crises like the Covid-19 pandemic.