"Goodbye … Through a Glass Door": Emotional Experiences of Working in COVID-19 Acute Care Hospital Environments. Issue 1 (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lapum, Jennifer; Nguyen, Megan; Fredericks, Suzanne; Lai, Sannie; McShane, Julie
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of nursing research =. Volume 53:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 5
• Page End: 15
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- nursing -- emotions -- pandemic -- Qualitative approaches -- Narrative; Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Canada -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Research -- Periodicals; Nursing Research; Canada; Nursing; Nursing -- Research; Canada; Periodicals; 610.73097105
• DOI: 10.1177/0844562120982420
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0844-5621

Abstract

Background: The severity of the COVID-19 health crisis has placed acute care nurses in dire work environments in which they have had to deal with uncertainty, loss, and death on a constant basis. It is necessary to gain a better understanding of nurses' experiences to develop interventions supportive of their emotional well-being. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how nurses are emotionally affected working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments. The research question is: What is the emotional experience of nurses working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments? Methods: We employed a narrative methodology that focused on participants' stories. Twenty registered nurses, who worked in six hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada, participated in interviews. A narrative analysis was conducted with a focus on content and form of stories. Results: We identified three themes about working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments: the emotional experience, the agency of emotions, and how emotions shape nursing and practice. Conclusion: In moving forth with pandemic preparations, healthcare leaders and governments need to make sure that a nurse's sacrifice is not all-encompassing. Supporting nurses' emotional well-being and resilience is necessary to counterbalance the loss and trauma nurses go through.