Working Experience of Nurses at a COVID-19 Dedicated Hospital

Purpose: The study was conducted to explore nurses’ working experiences during the pandemic at a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) dedicated hospital in Korea. Methods: Twenty registered nurses who provided care for the COVID-19 affected patients participated in this study. Data were collected using three focus groups with 19 participants, and in-depth interviews with 11. Data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results: Seven categories and 18 subcategories were extracted. The seven categories were ‘Hesitating to move forward’, ‘Standing up with the name of nurse’, ‘Experiencing unfamiliarity and confusion’, ‘Walking on thin ice every day’, ‘Getting used to working’, ‘Growing one step further’ and ‘Being left with an unsolved issue’. The experiences of participants changed over time. In the preparation phase the participants experienced fear of the unknown, but eventually they decided to enter the COVID-19 battlefield. After the opening of the COVID-19 wards, participants were confused and felt nervous because everything was unfamiliar and undefined. While they gradually adapted to work and they felt that they grew as nurses through these experiences. They were also concerned about several unresolved issues, including ethical dilemmas about patient care, optimal working environment and compensation for work. Conclusion: This study provides an understanding of nurses’ working experiences at a COVID-19 dedicated hospital over a time interval. These findings suggest multidimensional implications for future studies and policy making on nursing management issues and on patients care in the pandemic era. © 2021 Korean Society of Adult Nursing. All Rights Reserved.