Pre COVID-19 emergency department nurses’ perspectives of the preparedness to safely manage influenza pandemics: A descriptive exploratory qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Pandemics pose significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide and emergency departments are a crucial component in any pandemic response. This study was designed to explore what New Zealand emergency nurses perceive as the major challenges to nursing care and staff safety during a pandemic, and to identify strategies nurses feel are important in mitigating these challenges. METHODS: A descriptive exploratory qualitative design using semi-structured interviews was conducted in March 2019. Participants were 16 triage nurses from two New Zealand emergency departments. Qualitative content and thematic data analysis techniques were used. RESULTS: Emergency nurses highlighted existing safety issues in their practice, and their concerns about how a pandemic might exacerbate these issues. These themes were identified as: safety of self and family, safety of patients, and safety of organisational systems. Nurses also shared their perspectives on how to mitigate these safety issues. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a detailed understanding of the concerns emergency nurses hold about working during pandemics. Similar fears for staff and patient safety have been voiced globally during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and it is crucial that emergency departments worldwide develop pandemic plans that address the safety concerns to which fear was attributed.