Investigating Nurses’ and Nurse Managers’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study

Year 2024, Volume: 17 Issue: 3, 385 - 400, 15.07.2024

Handan Alan , Feride Eşkin Bacaksız , Arzu K Harmancı , Serkan Güngör , Osman Bilgin , Ülkü Baykal

https://doi.org/10.46483/jnef.1516060

Abstract

Background: Türkiye is ranked close to last among OECD countries in terms of the ‘number of nurses per 1,000 people’. Nurses and nurse managers already devotedly provided services under difficult conditions during normal periods before the pandemic, and this became even harder during the pandemic. Therefore, it is important to investigate the experiences of nurses and nurse managers during the pandemic to make improvement in nursing care for future possible pandemics.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses and nurse managers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: The study used the phenomenological qualitative approach. The sample consisted of 14 nurse managers and 14 nurses who were working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected via online voice and video calls using a semi-structured interview form. The findings were reported in accordance with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research.

Results: Following analysis of the data, the attitudes of nurse managers and nurses in Türkiye related to the COVID-19 pandemic challenges and experiences divided into three themes: “Communication”, “Training”, and “Working Conditions/Environment”.

Conclusion: In the study, nurses emphasized that their work environments were negatively impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it was concluded that nurse managers exerted significant efforts to facilitate communication, to meet nurses’ needs for training, and to improve staff nurses’ working conditions. Some nurses noted that hospital administrators and nursing service managers provided social and psychological support. The study also revealed that the sensitivity and genuine approach of nurse managers enhanced nurses’ resilience. Nurse managers’ management skills and nurses’ experiences during the pandemic provide valuable insights and evidence for effectively managing future pandemics and similar disasters.

Keywords

Covid-19, Nurses, Nurse Managers, Pandemic, Phenomenology

Hemşirelerin ve Hemşire Yöneticilerin COVID-19 Salgını Sırasındaki Deneyimlerinin İncelenmesi: Fenomenolojik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Giriş: Türkiye, ‹1.000 kişiye düşen hemşire sayısı› açısından OECD ülkeleri arasında sonuncuya yakın sırada yer almaktadır. Hemşireler ve hemşire yöneticiler zaten pandemi öncesi normal dönemlerde zor şartlar altında özveriyle hizmet veriyorlardı ve bu pandemi döneminde daha da zorlaştı. Bu nedenle hemşirelerin ve hemşire yöneticilerin pandemi sürecindeki deneyimlerinin araştırılması gelecekteki olası pandemilere karşı hemşirelik bakımında iyileştirme yapılması açısından önemlidir.

Amaç: Bu çalışma, hemşirelerin ve hemşire yöneticilerin COVID-19 pandemisi sırasındaki deneyimlerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır.

Yöntem: Araştırmada fenomenolojik nitel yaklaşım kullanılmıştır. Örneklemi, COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında çalışan 14 yönetici hemşire ve 14 hemşire oluşturmuştur. Veriler, yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılarak sesli ve görüntülü görüşme yapılarak çevrimiçi olarak toplanmıştır. Bulgular, nitel araştırmaları raporlamak için birleştirilmiş kriterlere dayalı olarak rapor edilmiştir.

Bulgular: Verilerin analizinin ardından, Türkiye’deki hemşire yönetici ve hemşirelerin COVID-19 zorluklarına ve deneyimlerine yönelik tutumları üç temaya ayrılmıştır: “İletişim ve İş birliği”, “Eğitim/Gelişim” ve “Çalışma Koşulları/Çevre”.

Sonuç: Araştırma, hemşire yöneticilerin iletişimi kolaylaştırmak, hemşirelerin eğitim ve gelişim ihtiyaçlarını karşılamak ve personel hemşirelerin çalışma koşullarını iyileştirmek için büyük çaba sarf ettiği sonucuna varmıştır. Araştırma ayrıca, hemşire yöneticilerin hassas ve samimi yaklaşımlarının hemşirelerin dayanıklılığını artırdığını buldu. Hemşire yöneticilerin yönetim becerileri ve hemşirelerin pandemi sürecindeki deneyimleri, gelecekte ortaya çıkabilecek pandemi ve benzeri afetler in etkili bir şekilde yönetilmesi için değerli bilgiler ve kanıtlar sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Covid-19, Hemşire, Yönetici Hemşire, Pandemi, Fenomenoloji

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