This communication has been published in the middle of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and is available via expedited publication to assist patients and healthcare providers.
Aim
To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID‐19 ward with high‐risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic.
Design
A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach.
Methods
Semi‐structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June–July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID‐19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID‐19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion.
Results
During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.
Research indicates that active involvement of patients' relatives generally has a positive impact on patients' hospitalisation, including patient safety. Campaigns urge relatives to ask questions in relation to nursing care and treatment to enhance patient safety and to increase involvement of both patient and relatives. The question is how nurses experience relatives who ask questions. The aim of this study was to explore how nurses experienced contact with patients' relatives during admissions to a somatic emergency ward including nurses' experience of relatives asking questions related to nursing care and treatment. Six nurses were interviewed. The participants gave written consent to participate after receiving both oral and written information about the study. Data were analysed using combined theory and data-driven qualitative content analysis. The findings formed three main themes: (i) relatives' involvement as a means to efficiency during hospitalisation, (ii) relatives welcomed on the terms of the system and (iii) tension between high ideals and frustrating realities. The six interviews answered the research questions. However, more interviews could have broadened the study and contributed with further details. The nurses experienced relatives as an important resource - 'an ace up the sleeve', while reality seemed to challenge the relationship between nurses and relatives. The study contributes to discussions before development and implementation of specific initiatives aiming at increasing involvement of relatives of patients in a somatic emergency ward.
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