Dataset Information

Intensive care nurses' lived experience of altruism and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of altruism and sacrifices among Swedish nurses working in intensive care units (ICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

This was a descriptive phenomenological study.

Methods

The study was conducted between June 2020 and March 2021 and included 20 nurses who were directly involved in the ICU care of COVID-19 patients in Sweden during the pandemic. The text transcripts were analysed using Malterud's Systematic Text Condensation.

Findings

The analysis revealed four themes. The work situation changed from 1 day to another-the nurses were brutally confronted with a new and highly demanding situation. Adapting to the chaotic situation-despite fear, anguish and exhaustion, the nurses adapted to the new premises. They shouldered the moral responsibility and responded to the needs of the patients and the health care system since they had the competence. Being confronted with ethical and moral challenges-the nurses were overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and inadequacy because despite how hard they worked, they were still unable to provide care with dignity and of acceptable quality. The importance of supporting each other-collegiality was fundamental to the nurses' ability to cope with the situation.

Conclusions

Taken together, being exposed to a constantly changing situation, facing the anguish and misery of patients, families, and colleagues, and being confronted with a conflict between the moral obligation to provide care of high quality and the possibility to fulfil this commitment resulted in suffering among the nurses. Collegial back-up and a supportive culture within the caring team were important for the nurses' endurance.

Impact

The study contributes an understanding of nurses' lived experience of working during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the importance of protecting and preparing nurses and nursing organisation for potential future crises.

SUBMITTER: Slettmyr A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9874568 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Intensive care nurses' lived experience of altruism and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study.

Slettmyr Anna A Arman Maria M Andermo Susanne S Malmberg Chris C Hällström Åsa Å Hugelius Karin K Schandl Anna A

Journal of advanced nursing 20221017 1

<h4>Aim</h4>The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of altruism and sacrifices among Swedish nurses working in intensive care units (ICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Design</h4>This was a descriptive phenomenological study.<h4>Methods</h4>The study was conducted between June 2020 and March 2021 and included 20 nurses who were directly involved in the ICU care of COVID-19 patients in Sweden during the pandemic. The text transcripts were analysed using Malterud's Systemat ...[more]

PMID: 36253939

Similar Datasets

Project description:AimsTo explore lived experiences of patients recovering from COVID-19-associated intensive care unit acquired weakness and to provide phenomenological descriptions of their recovery.DesignA qualitative study following hermeneutic phenomenology.MethodsThrough purposeful sampling, 13 participants with COVID-19-associated intensive care unit acquired weakness were recruited with diversity in age, sex, duration of hospitalization and severity of muscle weakness. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted from 4 to 8 months after hospital discharge, between July 2020 and January 2021. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis.ResultsThe analysis yielded five themes: 'waking up in alienation', 'valuing human contact in isolation', 'making progress by being challenged', 'coming home but still recovering' and 'finding a new balance'. The phenomenological descriptions reflect a recovery process that does not follow a linear build-up, but comes with moments of success, setbacks, trying new steps and breakthrough moments of achieving mobilizing milestones.ConclusionRecovery from COVID-19-associated intensive care unit acquired weakness starts from a situation of alienation. Patients long for familiarity, for security and for recognition. Patients want to return to the familiar situation, back to the old, balanced, bodily self. It seems possible for patients to feel homelike again, not only by changing their outer circumstances but also by changing the understanding of themselves and finding a new balance in the altered situation.ImpactMuscle weakness impacts many different aspects of ICU recovery in critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated intensive care unit acquired weakness. Their narratives can help nurses and other healthcare professionals, both inside and outside of the intensive care unit, to empathize with patient experiences. When healthcare professionals connect to the lifeworld of patients, they will start to act and communicate differently. These insights could lead to optimized care delivery and meeting patients' needs in this pandemic or a possible next.

Dataset Information

Intensive care nurses' lived experience of altruism and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study.

Aim

Design

Methods

Findings

Conclusions

Impact

Publications

Intensive care nurses' lived experience of altruism and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study.

Similar Datasets

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