Professional and psychological perceptions of emergency nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

To explore the changing roles and responsibilities, difficulties, feelings, and coping strategies of emergency nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study was conducted as a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach. A total of 12 emergency nurses were recruited using purposive sampling from a COVID-19-designated hospital in Konya, Turkey for qualitative study. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews in January 2021. The data were analyzed using the content analysis method with the MAXQDA 2020 software program. The study conforms to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist.

Four theme categories emerged from the data analysis: (a) "Increasing roles and responsibilities as an emergency nurse"; (b) "Difficulties of working in pandemic conditions"; (c) "Emotional responses in the pandemic"; and (d) "Strategies for coping with the effects of the pandemic". In this study, it was determined that emergency nurses had increased roles and responsibilities due to physicians being in the background, fulfilled their roles and responsibilities in a chaotic working environment, experienced many positive and negative feelings together or gradually, and applied individual coping strategies.

This study indicated that emergency nurses fulfilled their increasing roles and responsibilities on the frontlines in a chaotic working environment during the pandemic. Despite many negative feelings, it was determined that they tried to show psychological adjustment and resilience with a strong professional commitment and social support.