The Psychological Experience of Nurses Caring for COVID-19 Patients in a Public Hospital, Padang, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Introduction: In early 2020, the world was shocked by the emergence of a disease caused by the Coronavirus, commonly called COVID-19. During this period, nurses have a higher risk of contracting the disease and developing psychological disorders because they are among the health workers with the most frequent contact with patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore and describe the psychological experience of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. Methods: This study was carried out using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, which include 8 nurses who had treated COVID-19 patients in a negative pressure room at the hospital. Information was collected using in-depth interviews and the recordings were copied into verbatim transcripts and analyzed using Colaizzi's technique. Results: The results highlighted 3 themes, namely Stress as the First Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Positive Psychological Experiences, and Changing Negative Experiences to Positive After Adapting to the Work Environment. Conclusion: This study showed that nurses need to be aware and share personal psychological experiences with colleagues to overcome similar situations. © 2022 UPM Press. All rights reserved.