Psychiatrists help with a good night's rest

"It is still too early to determine the effectiveness of the therapy during this fight, but none of the patients showed discomfort during the sessions and they said they were willing to continue the treatment on a daily basis," Chen said.

While struggling with their own stress, many doctors and nurses have been making every effort to help patients overcome their fear and anxiety.

In some cases, anxiety among patients has resulted in low levels of cooperation with treatment, especially when loved ones have been lost.

Jiang Jinhua, a 25-year-old nurse working at Wuhan City No 3 Hospital, said one elderly patient frequently refused to cooperate, even with eating and drinking.

"So, I often offered him words of encouragement, such as 'the more you eat, the sooner you'll recover and reunite with your family' and 'how about you finish the food first, and I'll make a phone call to your daughter?'. Then, I make the call as promised," said Jiang, who arrived in Wuhan from Shanghai No 4 People's Hospital.

Feng, the psychologist, painted a colorful tree on a white wall at his hospital, where patients are encouraged to write down their wishes and blessings. He and his colleagues also set up a reading corner.

"Staying in such a closed environment, and being confronted by doctors and nurses dressed like 'aliens', patients can easily draw a line between themselves and medical workers. They feel isolated, insecure and frightened. We are trying to help them alleviate such feelings," he said.