Exploring the Experiences of Nurses in Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Study in Iran

AIM: This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses in providing care to COVID-19 patients. METHOD: This qualitative study was conducted with the content analysis approach between June and Agust 2020 in Iran. Fourteen nurses working in COVID-19 wards were selected via purposive sampling. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and the Graneheim and Lundman content analysis method was adopted for the data analysis. RESULTS: The experiences of nurses in providing care to COVID-19 patients were divided into four categories “a scarcity of knowledge about COVID-19 patient care,” “changes in daily life,” “patient care challenges,” and “occupational burnout.” CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used by managers when facing crises similar to COVID-19 so that by paying attention to the challenges of caring for patients identified in this study, they can make the necessary preparations for caring for patients during other pandemic crises and plan the necessary measures accordingly. Also, to maintain and promote the quality of nursing care, it is crucial to ensure the adequate provision of resources for patient care, such as utilizing personal protective equipment and mechanisms that offer financial and emotional support to nurses.