Negative and positive psychological experience of frontline nurses in combatting COVID-19: A qualitative study

To qualitatively explore potential experience among frontline nurses who had been fighting against the COVID-19 infection since the outbreak.

Disasters are often sudden and uncertain. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan city, local frontline nurses had been responsible for treatment of COVID-19 for several months. Qualitative study was required to assess complex multi-component psychological experiences among frontline nurses.

Twenty local frontline nurses were recruited from a designated hospital of COVID-19 treatment. We conducted semi-structured interview using phenomenological method. Descriptive phenomenological method was applied for thematic analysis.

Twenty female frontline nurses (aged 24 to 43 years old) were interviewed. Two broader themes, negative and positive, were identified. Negative experience included refusal and helpless (refusal to work at frontline, shortage of confidence in working and helpless), fear and anxiety, excessive miss, and other health issues. Positive experience included improved interpersonal relationship, sublimation of personal faith and strength, changes in understanding meaning of life and new possibility.

Both positive and negative psychological response were observed, which can provide evidence based clues for making essential strategies and policy.

Understand subjective experience of frontline nurses can establish evidence for development of effective psychological intervention. Nursing administrator should consider the nurses' psychological experience comprehensively to promote psychological growth and lower post-traumatic psychological burden.