The experience of frontline nurses four months after COVID-19 rescue task in China: A qualitative study

Highlights

• Explore the experience of frontline nurses post the COVID-19 epidemic

• Understand the mental health status of frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue

• Improve current relief work and program training for future infectious diseases

• Health workers should take measure to reconstruct the psychology of frontline nurses.

Abstract

Aims

The study was to explore the experience of frontline nurses four months after COVID-19 rescue task.

Background

Frontline medical staff are prone to follow-up mental health problems and different feeling after COVID-19 rescue task. However, the experience of frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task has not been well described.

Methods

The study used a qualitative study design with semi-structured interview guide. Individual semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 frontline nurses who were involved COVID-19 rescue task from two tertiary-A hospitals in Hefei, China from July 10, to August 28, 2020. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist.

Results

Four main themes emerged from the interviews: recurring involuntary memories about the experience, feeling guilty and depressed, cultivation of occupational ability, increased professional pride and happiness.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that frontline nurses had both positive and negative experiences four months after COVID-19 rescue task. It is necessary to long-term follow up and attention to the experience of the frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task. These insights provide a specific direction for the psychological reconstruction of frontline nurses and the construction of nursing team.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nursing managers should formulate psychological reconstruction plan according to the experience of frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task, so as to relieve the psychological stress and promote the mental health of nurses. At the same time, we should strengthen the disaster rescue ability training of nurses should be strengthened to better respond to future rescue task.