Nurses’ Feelings and Perspectives of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in a Developing Country

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nurses’ duties and responsibilities related to the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Studies that explore nurses’ feelings and perspectives in providing health services at COVID-19 referral hospitals, especially in developing countries like Indonesia, are limited. AIM: This study aims to explore nurses’ feelings, perceptions, and expectations of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This qualitative study applied the qualitative descriptive design that involved 17 nurses from different hospitals in Indonesia. The semi-structured interview gathered their views of COVID-19, and the comparative analysis for interviews technique was chosen to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the data analysis. The themes were nurses’ express psychological responses in facing the COVID-19 pandemic such as fear, surrender, panic, and calmness. Other two themes included the COVID 19 pandemic enhances nurses’ health awareness and behavior, and the government protect nurses from the COVID-19 transmission and social stigma. CONCLUSION: The feelings reported dominantly by the nurse, in addition to information about health awareness, behavior, the government’s actions, and their expectations. Mental health assistance would be useful to prevent depression in nurses, and the government’s comprehensive approaches in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic would increase the protection and productivity of health workers, including nurses.