One-year follow-up of hospital nurses' work experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

AIM: To follow up on the experiences of Registered Nurses (RNs) working after 1 year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canadian and American hospitals. DESIGN: Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and transcripts were analysed through a reflexive thematic analysis (RTA). METHODS: RNs (n = 19) first interviewed in the spring of 2020 were re-interviewed 1 year after their original interviews (May 25, 2021-June 25, 2021). Participants consisted of nurses residing in Canada and working in Ontario (n = 12) or American hospitals (n = 7), i.e., both local and cross-border nurses. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: (1) "You call us heroes, but you forgot us": Nurses described experiences of disrespect and stigma from their communities, their government, and their workplaces. (2) "A whole new level of busy": Nurses reported stressors both at home and at work that had increased exponentially throughout the pandemic. (3) "Running on empty": Nurses described burnout and mental health struggles including depression, irritation, and suicidal ideation; they coped using both adaptive and maladaptive strategies. (4) "The job of nursing is painful": Ongoing pandemic issues led nurses to re-evaluate their commitments to their units, their hospitals and the profession itself. (5) "Surviving an un-survivable day": Nurses shared positive moments at work and home that helped give them the strength to carry on. CONCLUSION: Significant investments will be required from hospital organizations and governments to ensure that healthcare systems continue to function safely for patients, their families and nurses. IMPACT: The purpose of this study was to understand and describe nurses' experiences after 1 year of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses reported feeling disrespected, overwhelmed, and burned out; many were looking to leave the profession. These findings will be of interest to nurses working on the frontline of the pandemic as well as hospital managers and policy makers. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: In this investigation, nurses were the participants.

"I Called us the Sacrificial Lambs": Experiences of Nurses Working in Border City Hospitals During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the personal and professional lives of frontline nurses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of Canadian Registered Nurses (RNs) working in Ontario or United States hospitals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 RNs living in Ontario and employed either at an Ontario or United States hospital. Three main themes were identified across both healthcare contexts. RESULTS: 1) The Initial Response to the pandemic included a rapid onset of chaos and confusion, with significant changes in structure and patient care, often exacerbated by hospital management. Ethical concerns arose (e.g., redeployment, allocation of resources) and participants described negative emotional reactions. 2) Nurses described Managing the Pandemic by finding new ways to nurse and enhanced teamwork/camaraderie; they reported both struggle and resiliency while trying to maintain work and home life balance. Community responses were met with both appreciation and stigma. 3) Participants said they were Looking Forward to a "new normal", taking pride in patient improvements, accomplishments, and silver linings, with tempered optimism about the future. Many expressed a reaffirmation of their identities as nurses. Differences between participants working in the US and those working in Ontario were noted in several areas (e.g., initial levels of chaos, ethical concerns, community stigma). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has been very difficult for nursing as a profession. Close attention to post-pandemic issues is warranted.