My discussion with the tutor was successful since it helped me get a clear understanding of the intended topic. The effort made it easier for me to consider all the key requirements of the essay question. We settled on this topic for the research: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Mental Health Nurses in the United Kingdom (UK). The tutor also guided me to identify a number of possible high-quality sources to complete the essay. Some of the outlined ones included journals and reports by leading government agencies. Such sources would make it easier for me to develop a high-quality paper and shed more light on the topic of study.
| Activity | Reasons | Time Period |
| Brainstorming | This activity will allow me to analyze the topic and examine whether it meets the outlined demands or not. I will also make sure the identified topic can be researched and deliver insightful ideas or observations. | Week One |
| Sources gathering | Prior to writing the essay, I will gather adequate sources that will provide additional information. I will consider a number of attributes during the exercise. Some of them would include timeliness of the source (published not more than 5 years ago), accuracy of the materials, direct focus on the topic, and peer-reviewed. | Week two |
| Specific sources | Six academic sources, with two of them providing statistical information, will be considered. These articles are outlined below (see completed paper’s References section):
The outlined sources are timely, focus directly on the topic, and are capable of providing the much needed evidence to support the paper. |
Week three |
| Composing/Writing Essay | The last activity would be to compose the essay based on the provided instructions. I will begin with a draft and edit it to reflect the final essay | Week 4 |
Task Three
| Source | Main Points | Key Quotes |
| De Kock (2021). | Medical workers encounters negative experiences and outcomes due to the issues associated with COVID-19. | “Health and social care workers (HSCWs) have carried a heavy burden during the COVID-19 crisis and, in the challenge to control the virus, have directly faced its consequences”. |
| Annual Statistics. (2021). | Mental health nurses suffered negative consequences due to COVID-19. Such challenges included anxiety, depression, and work-related stress. |
“822,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2020/21”. “In the recent years prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety had shown signs of increasing. In 2020/21 the rate was higher than the 2018/19 pre-coronavirus levels”. |
| Gilleen et al. (2021). | COVID-19 triggered numerous health challenges among medical professionals. Frontline workers were at a higher risk of additional challenges. Workplace stresses need to inform better ideas and programs in the future. |
“Nearly a third of HCWs reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety and depression, and the number reporting very high symptoms was more than quadruple that pre-COVID-19.” |
| British Medical Association. (2020). | COVID-19 led to negative experiences among health workers. Mental health workers were affected by the pandemic. Cases common during the time identified these symptoms: stress, mental health problems, and depression. |
“Around 45% of doctors are suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, burnout or other mental health conditions relating to, or made worse by, the COVID-19 crisis”. |
| Altungy et al. (2022). | COVID-19 led to distressing experiences to mental health workers in community centers. Some of the individuals were able to adapt to the recorded challenges. |
“results showed that, overall, workers displayed good levels of psychological adaptation to their workplace during the two months and a half that the emergency centre was running”. |