ABSTRACT
Objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is seen not only as a disease, but it is also defined by a series of met- aphors: mysterious, evil, an invisible enemy, an insidious danger, and a democratic virus. This study was conducted to analyze the nurses' perceptions of COVID-19 through metaphors.Methods: This qualitative research was planned as a descriptive phenomenological approach. Twenty-eight nurses working in the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) participated in the study. The metaphor-based data collection pro- cess was carried out with five open-ended questions. The data were analyzed through a thematic analysis. The Consol- idated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist was used to analyze this study.Results: Most military and fatigue related to the time nurses work in intensive care;Hero and nightmare of patient care with COVID-19;distance and restlessness in family relationships;their mental health darkroom and fatigue;COVID-19 as an insidious enemy and infinity. A total of 128 metaphors were produced.Conclusion: Working during the COVID-19 epidemic, COVID-19 ICU nurses exhibit unfavorable approaches toward their jobs, family relationships, and mental health. Improving the working conditions of ICU nurses and considering their desires will help contribute to a favorable direction.
ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a predicted (and emerging) increase in experiences of mental illness. This phenomenon has been described as "the next pandemic", suggesting that the concepts used to understand and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are being transferred to conceptualize mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic was, and continues to be, framed in public media using military metaphors, which can potentially migrate to conceptualizations of mental illness along with pandemic rhetoric. Given that metaphors shape what is considered justifiable action, and how we understand justice, I argue we have a moral responsibility to interrogate who benefits and who is harmed by the language and underlying conceptualizations this rhetoric legitimates. By exploring how military metaphors have been used in the context of COVID-19, I argue that this rhetoric has been used to justify ongoing harm to marginalized groups while further entrenching established systems of power. Given this history, I present what it may look like were military metaphors used to conceptualize a "mental illness pandemic", what actions this might legitimate and render inconceivable, and who is likely to benefit and be harmed by such rhetorically justified actions.