Experiences of nurses during COVID-19 pandemic: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the experiences of intensive care nurses who cared for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Material and Methods: The research was carried out with nurses. Data collection included in-depth interviews conducted between June-August 2020. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Results: Three main themes emerged: (a) nurses' compliance with the process; (b) factors affecting motivation; and (c) emotional responses observed in patients. While challenging situations, increase in workload, and situations that cause anxiety were the factors that negatively affected nurses' motivation to work, awareness/empathic behavior and flexible working hours were the factors that positively affected the motivation to work. Conclusion: Intensive care nurses make great efforts to prevent transmission from patients with COVID-19. It is thought that nurses should be supported in terms of the factors that negatively affect their motivation to work. It is considered that nurses' awareness/empathic behaviors affected their perceptions of the patients' fear of death and feeling of helplessness.