David Sanabria-Delgado, Sergio Barrientos-Trigo, Ana María Porcel-Gálvez
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Aim: To explore emotional exhaustion in frontline nurse managers after 3 years of COVID-19, considering their essential role in healthcare systems and the prolonged impact of the pandemic on staff well-being and organizational effectiveness.
Design: A qualitative phenomenological study was used. This approach attempts to uncover the essence of the experiences that nurse managers may have had.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 frontline nurse managers at a tertiary-level university hospital in Spain during May 2023. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. A thematic framework was developed, and coding was guided by a well-established methodological approach.
Results: Five categories were established after the analysis: general difficulties related to fear and uncertainty, and continuous changes in protocols, availability of human resources, accessibility to material resources, management carried out with relatives of patients, and emotional management.
Results: Following the analysis, five key categories were identified that reflect the main challenges faced by nurse managers: (1) general difficulties related to fear and uncertainty, aggravated by frequent changes in protocols and the work environment; (2) availability of human resources, marked by high absenteeism and work overload; (3) accessibility to material resources, where the shortage of protective equipment and medical supplies generated ethical dilemmas and operational tensions; (4) management with patients’ relatives, a significant emotional component that required balancing empathy and safety measures in high-conflict contexts; and (5) emotional management of managers, which evidenced a significant emotional impact, highlighting the need for clear strategies to prevent burnout and foster resilience in these critical roles.
Conclusions: Nursing managers experienced emotional exhaustion during the pandemic, not only due to the health consequences of the virus but also due to the complex management of material, human, and family resources. They faced difficult situations with families justifiably separated from their vulnerable loved ones. This highlights the need for specific interventions, such as psychological support, leadership training, and better allocation of resources, to reduce the risk of burnout and strengthen a more resilient healthcare system.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Nursing Management is an international forum which informs and advances the discipline of nursing management and leadership. The Journal encourages scholarly debate and critical analysis resulting in a rich source of evidence which underpins and illuminates the practice of management, innovation and leadership in nursing and health care. It publishes current issues and developments in practice in the form of research papers, in-depth commentaries and analyses.
The complex and rapidly changing nature of global health care is constantly generating new challenges and questions. The Journal of Nursing Management welcomes papers from researchers, academics, practitioners, managers, and policy makers from a range of countries and backgrounds which examine these issues and contribute to the body of knowledge in international nursing management and leadership worldwide.
The Journal of Nursing Management aims to:
-Inform practitioners and researchers in nursing management and leadership
-Explore and debate current issues in nursing management and leadership
-Assess the evidence for current practice
-Develop best practice in nursing management and leadership
-Examine the impact of policy developments
-Address issues in governance, quality and safety