Neither angels nor heroes: nurse speeches during the COVID-19 pandemic from a Foucauldian perspective

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the processes of meaning production, based on the speeches of nursing professionals, about how they feel about the titles of “angels and heroes” given by society during the pandemic of COVID-19. Methods: a qualitative, documentary research. Data was collected in October and November 2020 and analyzed from the perspective of the Discourse Analysis proposed by Michel Foucault. Results: they were organized into two thematic categories: “Angels and heroes? The (not) heroic reality of nursing during the pandemic” and “The search for recognition of the professional work of nursing: between what is said and what is not said”. Final considerations: the nurses’ speeches enunciate the search for decent conditions for the execution of care, fair wages, and recognition of the professional work by society.

Experiences of nurses providing care for patients with COVID‐19 in acute care settings in the early stages of the pandemic: A thematic meta‐synthesis study

“…“Making it very clear: we are neither angels nor heroes. Just nursing professionals ready to serve Brazilian society.” (Mendes et al, 2022)…”

“…“This pandemic has changed a lot for us who are nursing profes‐sionals and have the essence of care. We are adapting ourselves to do this care.” (Mendes et al, 2022)…”

“…[…]The investigations in the institutions, in the hospitals, giving that support to the professional, so that he has a dignified working condition. We are also together with the population, orienting them in some details” (Mendes et al, 2022)…”

“…Just nursing professionals ready to serve Brazilian society." (Mendes et al, 2022) "I just thought we who are engaged in this profession need to do it" (Yin et al, 2022) "I cannot be afraid; I have to be brave … because I chose to be a nurse. … it is as sense of duty … a duty of care towards my patients" (Goh et al, 2021) Feeling the team spirit "After arriving in Wuhan, we started the busy handover and training.…”

Experiences of redeployed healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19 in China: A qualitative study

“…Participants in our study appreciated the appraisal of their efforts by the society, however, there is an increasing concern about the increasing visibility in social media, and terms such as “heroes” that were used to describe healthcare workers can have potentially negative consequences [ 76 , 77 ]. The overuse of the concept of heroism in the media could have a negative psychological impact, through the expectation that all healthcare workers must act in a heroic manner [ 78 ].…”