Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Literature Review from a Nursing Perspective

INTRODUCTION: As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the world, nursing resources, and capacities play an essential role in disease management. This literature review focuses on the central issues related to the nursing care of patients affected by COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This literature review was conducted with an extensive search of databases, including PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and Scopus, using the keywords “COVID19”, “2019-nCoV disease”, “2019 novel coronavirus infection”, “Nurse”, “NursingCare”, and” Nursing management.” The span of the literature search was between December 01, 2020, and January 12, 2021. A total of 28 original and English-language articles were selected for inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Nursing interventions such as monitoring, oxygen therapy, and the use of Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in the care of COVID-19 patients, caring for ICU patients with COVID-19, rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients, nurses’ experiences and barriers in the care of patients with COVID-19, and also the ethical challenges in the care of patients with COVID-19, were found to be valuable in managing COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION: Nurses have a pivotal role to play in the care of patients with COVID-19. Therefore, providing comprehensive and quality nursing care supported by experience and research is necessary to successfully reduce the length of hospital stay and decrease the morbidity and mortality rates of COVID-19.