Preparedness of Our Emergency Department During the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak from the Nurses’ Perspectives: A Qualitative Research Study

Abstract

Introduction This study explores the preparedness of our emergency department during the COVID-19 outbreak from the nurses’ perspectives, providing a reference and basis for our emergency department’s response to public health emergencies. Methods Using qualitative research methods, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 emergency nurses who met the inclusion criteria, and Colaizzi analysis was used for data analysis, summary, and induction. Results A cluster of 4 themes that involved preparedness of the emergency department during the COVID-19 outbreak was extracted: organizational preparedness, personal preparedness, patient and family preparedness, and deficiencies and challenges. Discussion Organizations, individuals, patients, and family members were actively prepared to respond to novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in the emergency department. The emergency nurses said that the trusted organization guaranteed personal preparedness, and the active cooperation from patients and families was a motivator for personal preparedness. In addition, our study showed that there were deficiencies in both multidisciplinary collaboration efforts and efforts to rapidly diagnose and treat patients with fever in critical condition.

Nurses’ barriers to caring for patients with COVID‐19: a qualitative systematic review

“…What were the sources of nurses' depression and stress? Studies such as Kackin et al (2020) reported that nurses felt depressed because they were socially isolated. Sheng et al (2020) reported that it was the working environment.…”

Environmental hygiene, knowledge and cleaning practice: a phenomenological study of nurses and midwives during COVID-19

“…Hospitals and healthcare facilities should factor in sufficient space to allow for safe social distancing between staff, patients and visitors 19 , 24 , 25 , and be designed with a view to facilitating easier cleaning (for example, avoiding tight corners and rough surfaces where debris can lodge), handwashing 26 , and preventing infection (for example, sensor-activated automatic doors and curtains, and copper-infused surfaces for frequent touch-points such as handrails) 23 . Healthcare facilities should also have clear protocols for dealing with infectious outbreaks 4 , 25 , 27 , 28 .…”

“…Healthcare facilities should also have clear protocols for dealing with infectious outbreaks 4,25,27,28 .…”

Infection Control and Vaccine Hesitancy in the Emergency Department

“…2 This JEN issue also includes 7 COVID-19-specific manuscripts. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] As the state of knowledge and evidence-based practice have been rapidly evolving in the pandemic, the manuscripts reflect updated knowledge at the time of submission. These manuscripts provide crucial evidence and practice application for both the ongoing pandemic response as well as reference material for future infectious disease prevention and response stages.…”

“…COVID-19 clinical review and overview of the nursing care essentials are provided by Deitrick et al, 6 whereas Hu et al 4 enable an international perspective on the nursing care essentials for patients in isolation while suspected of, but not yet confirmed with, a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Still situated in time at the early pandemic response, Hou et al 5 analyze the perceptions of pandemic preparedness among nurses in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China. The expressions of trust that the emergency nurses relayed in the hospital's policy and operational response are striking, particularly when the reader contrasts the findings with the experiences of nurses in settings where the pandemic was a stressor that exacerbated pre-existing limitations in the PPE supply, highlighted a previous lack of investment in sufficient emergency nursing workforce numbers and training, or revealed misaligned incentives that fail to adequately prioritize the health and wellbeing of the nursing staff or patient over short-term financial profits.…”