Introduction. The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was spreading at the end of 2019, beginning in Wuhan, China. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced a COVID-19 virus pandemic. Healthcare workers who had direct contact with the infected became a particularly vulnerable group. There were negative phenomena such as stigmatization, reluctance and suspicion, especially towards medical workers. The COVID-19 pandemic posed a threat to the physical and mental health of the global population. Aim. The aim of the study is to evaluate the mental health and health behavior of nurses during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Material and methods. The study included 140 nurses who looked after patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The surveyed nursing staff ranged in age from 22 to 75 years of age. The tools used in the study are the DASS 21 scale (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales) and the self-study questionnaire. Microsoft Office Excel was used to present statistical data. Results. The overwhelming majority of respondents are women, who accounted for as much as 95% (n = 133). The dominant group of respondents are people aged 22 to 32, 41% (n = 58). Nurses struggled with the difficulty of stigmatization, and the research showed that as many as 45% (n = 63) of people encountered such a problem. Conclusions. A significant part of the nursing staff working with patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus encountered the phenomenon of stigmatization and discrimination in connection with their profession. Working with people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus adversely affected the mental health and health behavior of nursing staff.

Key words: coronavirus, nurse, pandemic, mental health, health behaviour.