Intensive Care Nurses' Experience of Caring in Greece; A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Critical Care
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Intensive care nurses face complex ethical and clinical decisions under high pressure.
• These challenges in critical care nursing predate the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The study explores the lived experiences of intensive care nurses in Greece.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the caring experiences of intensive care nurses in Greece.
• To understand the narratives of nurses working in high-pressure critical care environments.
• To provide insights into the realities of critical care nursing.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
• Nineteen intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in Athens participated.
• Thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts using Atlas.ti v8 QDA software.

Main Results:

• Nurses described being proximal, co-present, and empathetic in their care.
• Key themes included responsibility, negotiation with doctors, and managing technology.
• Disappointment arose from not being kept informed about patient care.

Conclusions:

• Intensive care nurses in Greece deliver patient-centered and compassionate care.
• Nurse leaders must implement policies for adequate staffing, education, and support.
• Failure to address these issues risks poor care quality and adverse patient outcomes.