The experience of moral distress by chief nurse officers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A descriptive phenomenological study.

AIM: The aim of this study is to explore the moral distress experiences of nurse officers during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: Moral distress has emerged as a challenge for nurses ad nurse leaders, revealing the need for health professionals and health care managers to examine, understand and deal with moral distress un Nurse leaders. METHODS: It is a descriptive phenomenological study that used content analysis. RESULTS: Thirteen chief/assistant nurse officers were interviewed, and four themes were identified: being a manager in the pandemic, situations that cause moral distress, effects of moral distress and factors that reduce moral distress. CONCLUSION: Faced with various expectations, such as the management of unusual and uncertain processes, and the management of the psychological responses of both employees and themselves, chief nurse officers struggled significantly to maintain their moral integrity and experienced moral distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Extraordinary situations such as pandemics have factors that led to moral distress for a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). Health care systems in which nurse managers are excluded from decision-making processes have a traditional hierarchical structure that ignores CNOs professional autonomy, contributing to the development of moral distress. Therefore, CNOs should engage in self-reflection to recognize their own moral distress experiences, examine the existing health system to identify the factors that cause moral distress and take actions to implement changes to eliminate these factors. To cope with moral distress, CNOs should also improve their communication skills, team collaboration skills and the use of scientific knowledge and take responsibility in their managerial role.

Experience and views of nurses on nursing services and personal protective equipment in Covid-19 pandemic the case of Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were difficulties in planning the nursing workforce and personal protective equipment. AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify the experiences and views of nurses on personal protective equipment use and nursing workforce planning in Turkey. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between 23 December 2020 and 3 May 2021, among 362 nurses who agreed to participate in this study voluntarily. RESULTS: The findings showed that the satisfaction scores were significantly higher for those nurses who worked in 8-h shifts, were not assigned to different clinics, were notified by an official letter and 1 week or month in advance before assignment compared with nurses in other categories. CONCLUSIONS: The problems that have arisen in the COVID-19 pandemic process have made it clear that there is a need for a nursing services management model in the event of an epidemic. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study reveals the need for the 'Nursing Services Management Model in the Event of an Epidemic' by discussing the problems of nurse workforce planning and protective personal equipment management from the perspective of nurses who experienced these problems at first hand.

'Young saplings on fire' newly graduated nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experiences of newly graduated nurses during the pandemic. BACKGROUND: Newly graduated nurses were employed during the pandemic by several countries to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study with thematic analysis. The study was conducted with 14 newly graduated nurses. RESULTS: Themes were systematized into four variables of the system research organization model, and a total of 12 themes were identified. Nurses, who started to work in the beginning months of the pandemic, faced several difficulties in their transition period, including the difficulties of starting employment and the effects of the pandemic on both society and health systems. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, newly graduated nurses faced various difficulties in transition processes, difficulties in starting the employment process and the effects of the pandemic on both society and health systems. In order to reduce these effects, regulations are needed at all stages of the health system. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: It is the responsibility of health system policymakers, hospital managers, nurse managers and senior nurses to ensure that newly graduated nurses endure these pandemic conditions, which are quite challenging even for senior nurses, without any damage, and continue in the profession.