Examining the Stories of Nurses Working in Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Abstract

Aim: In this study, it is aimed to examine the subjective experiences of nurses who worked voluntarily in COVID-19 services at the beginning of the pandemic. It is known the most psychologically affected group among healthcare professionals working with COVID-19 patients is nurses. Materials and Methods: The research was carried out using the narrative technique, the descriptive qualitative research methods. The data were collected with the "Nurse Introductory Information Form" and "Semi-structured Questionnaire for the Story of Being a Nurse in Fighting the Pandemic". Data were analyzed using the Story Evaluation Scale. Results: Seven nurses between the ages of 23-36, working in 3 different hospitals, participated in the study. Nurses stated they voluntarily care for patients between 2 weeks-17 months with the ethical values of benefit, respect for the individual, equality-justice, feelings of love, compassion, mercy. Emotional expressions in nurses' stories were determined as 'sadness (n=3), remorse, gratitude, pride (n=2), fear (n=4), anxiety (n=2), panic, worry, uneasiness, satisfaction, inadequacy’. Nurses used the metaphors of 'Motherhood, Heroism, Life Risk, Bomb Squad, Being a Trench on the Front, Warrior, Going to Fire' for their fight against COVID-19. Nurses reported that they experienced problems such as sweating, shortness of breath, limitation of communication, difficulty in care, decreased water intake while working with protective equipment. It has been reported family and peer support, team solidarity, belief in fulfilling sacred duty, suggestion, patience facilitate coping. Conclusions: It is necessary to increase the psychological resilience of nurses and to defend their rights in the political arena.