Nurses' Perspectives on Caring for Critically Ill Children During a Measles Outbreak: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care nursing
• Infectious disease outbreaks
• Public health

Background:

• Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness.
• Vaccines have been available since the 1960s, and measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
• A 2025 measles outbreak presented a unique challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the experiences of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses during a measles outbreak.
• To identify strengths and stressors encountered by nurses caring for critically ill children with measles.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with 3 PICU nurses.
• Analysis of nurses' perspectives on patient care during the outbreak.

Main Results:

• Nurses demonstrated resilience and adaptation, leveraging organizational support, teamwork, and COVID-19 pandemic lessons.
• Strengths included preparedness, responsiveness, and infection control.
• Stressors involved media influence, community trust issues, and communication barriers.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare institutions need to enhance media literacy and disaster preparedness.
• Addressing vaccine hesitancy is crucial for future outbreak management.
• Promoting effective communication and trust-building is essential for nurses.