Experiences of nurses providing care to patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the experiences of nurses providing care to intensive care unit patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Turkey. Methods: The research employed the descriptive phenomenological approach. The interviews were analyzed with Colaizzi's seven-step method. Results: The experiences of nurses providing care to COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit can be summarized under three themes. It was determined that all nurses experience physical, psychological, and social difficulties along with negative emotions during the care process for COVID-19 patients, for which nurses use coping processes. Conclusion: This study shows the difficulties faced by nurses who provide intensive care to patients with COVID-19. It is important to identify these challenges early to protect and improve the health of nurses.