Exploring Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Research Study

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses faced numerous demands and adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic that markedly affected their well-being. Developing strategies to promote resilience was crucial for ICU nurses to overcome these workplace adversities.

To explore the strategies used by ICU nurses to promote their resilience and cope with the additional stressors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A focused ethnographical approach provided the overarching framework for this research project. Nurses working in adult ICUs who had cared for patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic were recruited using a purposive sampling technique, and semistructured interviews were conducted individually using an online videoconference application. A systematic approach as proposed by Roper and Shapira was used to analyze the interviews.

The exploration of strategies used to cope with stressors and to promote resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the identification of 3 categories: (1) changes in coping strategies to enhance resilience; (2) individual resilience strategies; and (3) workplace strategies. The individual resilience strategies were classified into subcategories: physical health-focused strategies and mental health-focused strategies.

Understanding the strategies used by ICU nurses to promote their resilience and cope with stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic can help organizations and policymakers develop effective interventions to support health care workers' mental health and well-being during future public health emergencies.