The early impact of COVID-19 on intensive care nurses’ personal and professional well-being: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intensive care nurses personal and professional well-being. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: A descriptive, qualitative design was used. Two nurse researchers conducted one-on-one interviews via Zoom or TEAMS using a semi-structured interview guide. SETTING: Thirteen nurses who were working in an intensive care unit in the United States participated in the study. A convenience sample of nurses who completed a survey in the larger parent study provided an email and were contacted by the research team to participate in interviews to discuss their experiences. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An inductive approach to content analysis was used to develop categories. FINDINGS: Five major categories emerged from the interviews: (1) We are not heroes, (2) inadequate support, (3) helplessness, (4) exhaustion, and (5) Nurses the second victim. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a physical and mental health toll on intensive care nurses. The impact of the pandemic on personal and professional well-being has serious implications for retaining and expanding the nursing workforce. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: This work highlights the importance for bedside nurses to advocate for systemic change to improve the work environment. It is imperative for nurses to have effective training including evidence-based practice and clinical skills. There needs to be systems in place to monitor and support nurses’ mental health and encourage bedside nurses to use self-care methods and practices to prevent anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and burnout.