The uncertain trajectory of COVID‐19 has led to significant psychosocial impacts on nurses and other healthcare providers. Given the critical role of these providers in pandemic response, this study sought to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by healthcare providers caring for adult patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A descriptive, qualitative study was conducted via semi‐structured interviews. A purposeful sample of healthcare providers (n = 23) caring for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic was recruited to participate in interviews via snowball sampling and an information systems‐supported recruiting process (e‐recruiting). Thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Managing isolation, fear, and increased anxiety; (2) adapting to changes in healthcare practice and policy; (3) addressing emotional and physical needs of patients and their families; and (4) navigating evolving workplace safety. New evidence was introduced about nurses practicing outside their usual role. Nurses and other healthcare providers consistently reported increased anxiety during the pandemic. Hospital administrations can proactively support healthcare providers during this and future pandemics by ensuring access to mental health programs, standardizing communication, and developing plans that address equipment and supply availability.
Aim
To understand the impact of professional stressors on nurses' and other health care providers' professional quality of life and moral distress as they cared for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Background
Health care providers caring for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic are at increased risk of decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress.
Methods
A convergent mixed‐methods design and snowball sampling was used to collect survey data (
n
= 171) and semi‐structured interviews (
n
= 23) among health care providers working in the inpatient setting.
Results
Perceived lack of support from executive leadership, access to personal protective equipment and constantly changing guidelines led to decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress among health care providers.
Conclusion
Findings from this study indicate that shared governance, disaster management training and enhanced communication may assist executive leadership to reduce the likelihood of decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress in front line health care providers.
Implications for Nursing Management
Following the principles of shared governance may assist executive leadership to promote and acknowledge the significance of the role of health care providers at the bedside. Additionally, disaster management training and open communication are crucial to ensure that health care providers are adequately informed and supported at the bedside.
This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study measured self-efficacy, attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration, and interprofessional competencies as outcomes of a palliative care simulation. Based on experience level, teams of participants, 1 consisting of nursing/medical students and the other of nursing/medical health care professionals, completed a palliative care simulation as part of their education. Self-efficacy and attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration were measured before and after simulation. Interprofessional competency was measured during the simulation. The results revealed a significant improvement in the previously mentioned measures, and interprofessional competency scores varied by profession and evaluator.
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