Qualitative study on the psychological experience of nursing officers caring COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus spreads very rapidly and nursing staff is fighting like warrior. They are facing so many psychological issues. During the pandemic, positive and negative emotions of frontline nurses interlace and exist. Objectives: To explore the psychological experience of nursing officers caring coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Materials and Methods: Phenomenological research approach was adopted. Twelve nursing officers were enrolled with nonprobability purposive sampling technique who provided care for COVID-19 patients. The interviews were conducted face-to-face and were analyzed by the Colaizzi's 7-step method. Results: The data were obtained from 12 nursing officers caring for patients with COVID-19. The mean age of the participants was 28 ± 1.87 years, with a mean work experience of 3.75 ± 1.05. Three themes were extracted from the detailed interview. First theme: the expression of negative emotions in the initial stage consisting of fear and anxiety regarding infection and family member, fatigue and discomfort related to high work intensity, and protective gear and anxiety regarding changing of ward and long duty hours. Second theme: the use of coping strategies and self-care styles consisting of communication with family members and friends and adjustment to the new era of life. Third theme: expressing positive emotions as adjusted with duty comprised of motivation and support from senior authority, feeling happy to be a part of humanity service, and satisfied with my duty and postduty quarantine facilities. Conclusions: The results of this study show that nursing officers caring COVID-19 patients are experiencing mental and emotional distress at initial stage of duty. As days passed participants used coping strategies and understand the new era of situation. Gradually, they expressed positive emotions and they were happy and satisfied with work.