ABSTRACT
AIM: To explore experiences of frontline nurse managers during COVID-19. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated care provision and healthcare management around the world. Nurse managers have had to face the challenge of managing a crisis with precarious resources. Little research has been published about the experiences of nurse managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study of 10 frontline nurse managers at a highly specialized university hospital in Spain was carried out. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and September 2020. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used for reporting. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: constant adaptation to change, participation in decision-making, management of uncertainty, prioritization of the biopsychosocial well-being of the staff, preservation of humanized care and 'one for all'. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the experiences of nurse managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, analysing these experiences has helped identify some of the key competencies that these nurses must have to respond to a crisis and in their dual role as patient and nurse mediators. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Knowing about the experiences of frontline nurse managers during the pandemic can facilitate planning and preparing nurse managers for future health disasters, including subsequent waves of COVID-19.