The Lived Experience of Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19 in Iran: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in Iran.

Methods

This study was a descriptive phenomenology. Sampling was purposefully performed, and participants were selected in terms of the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using the WhatsApp mobile messaging application. Colaizzi’s method was used to analyse the data. The criteria introduced by Lincoln and Guba were used for the study rigour.

Results

The data were obtained from 12 nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. The mean age of the participants was 29.41 years (SD = 2.72) with a mean work experience of 6.75 years (SD = 2.52). Three main themes and six subthemes were identified: mental condition (subthemes included “anxiety and stress” and “fear”), emotional condition (subthemes included “suffering and affliction” and “waiting for death”), and care context (subthemes included “turmoil” and “lack of support and equipment”).

Conclusion

The results of this study show that nurses working in the wards and care centres designated for patients with COVID-19 are experiencing mental and emotional distress and are working in inadequate professional conditions.

Keywords:

• nurse experience
• nursing care
• COVID-19
• phenomenology

Acknowledgment

We thank all the nurses who helped us conduct this research. The authors appreciate Professor Fariba Taleghani for the assistance with this research and Dr Hossein Mari Oryad, Deputy of the Research Center of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, for financial and spiritual support.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.