Superheroes or Super Spreaders? The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Attitudes towards Nurses: A Qualitative Study from Poland

Abstract

The social perception of the nursing profession in Poland is profoundly affected by social stereotypes that may discourage young people from entering the profession and lead to prejudice towards nurses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses gained visibility, which caused the social image of nurses to likewise grow. In this study, we explore nurses’ experiences with respect to how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the social image of nursing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen hospital nurses. Three major themes emerged: (1) social attitudes towards nurses during the pandemic, (2) nurses’ perception of the impact of the pandemic on the social image of the nursing profession and (3) the impact of the pandemic on nurses’ mental health. Although the pandemic promoted the image of nursing to the general public, nurses were disappointed that in the face of the healthcare crisis and the constant threat, they had to struggle with difficult working conditions and professional, social and economic recognition. This study therefore stresses the duty of policy makers to undertake a systemic approach to improving the organisation of health care and increase nurses’ safety by providing them with a safe working environment and prepare them better for the next health crisis.

Turkish society’s perception of nursing image during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…In a study conducted in Malaysia by Saidun and Akhmetova in 2021, it was revealed that people’s perception of nursing image which was previously negative became positive, and that today, the society perceived nursing as a noble profession [ 27 ]. The following statements reported in a qualitative study conducted with Polish nurses by Walowska and Domaradzki in 2023 on their perspectives of nursing after the COVID-19 pandemic were quite noteworthy [ 28 ]:…”

Percepción de usuarios de servicios de salud sobre la visibilidad social de los profesionales de enfermería durante la pandemia de COVID-19

“…En este estudio, los participantes relataron que la pandemia ha ayudado a difundir la imagen de los profesionales como trabajadores altamente calificados e independientes y, a su vez, ayudó a mejorar la autoestima y la identidad profesional de estos. (28) La mención a la primera línea también se asocia a la distinción de la visibilidad/invisibilidad. Un aspecto se observa en las menciones a largas jornadas laborales del personal de salud.…”