Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital Conversion to Support a COVID-19 Pandemic Surge: Nurses' Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to understand the novel experience of a rehabilitation specialty hospital conversion to acute medical/COVID-19 patient care from the perspective of rehabilitation nurses.

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted.

Thirty-six nurses employed by the rehabilitation specialty hospital were invited to participate. Narrative data were collected via an online survey and were analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach.

Fifteen (42%) of those eligible participated. The overarching descriptor of the rehabilitation nurses' experiences was "we did what we had to do." Three primary descriptors emerged: challenged, conflicted, and compromised. Communication from leadership prominently informed the conversion experience.

Expecting rehabilitation specialty nurses to care for a different patient population is an important consideration and requires leadership to understand the distinctive characteristics of the specialty and its approach to care.

Addressing the impact on nursing staff in any disaster requires listening and communicating to provide needed support. Recognizing the characteristics of nursing specialties, the need for self-care among nursing staff and the salience of effective communication are essential during specialty hospital conversions.