The “nurse as hero” discourse in the COVID-19 pandemic: A poststructural discourse analysis

Mohammed, Shan; Peter, Elizabeth; Killackey, Tieghan; MacIver, Jane

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103887

Cited by 170 publications

(174 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…At the time of this study, U.S. nurses were facing high numbers of COVID‐19 patients and the world's highest death rate (Beaubien, 2020; Lopez, 2021), but they received a great deal of public support and appreciation, which could bolster resilience as well as compassion satisfaction. As their professional ethic and duty to care mentioned earlier were recognized, and their skills were lauded as irreplaceable; they became “heroes” in the public eye (Mohammed et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nurses' resilience in the face of coronavirus (COVID‐19): An international view

Kurt

Bennett³

et al. 2021

Nursing & Health Sciences

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The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to examine factors associated with nurses' resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were collected in the latter half of 2020 from 904 nurses across Japan, Republic of Korea, Republic of Turkey, and the United States. The questionnaire included the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale 10, plus demographics and 20 questions about practice environment, workplace safety concerning infection control, COVID‐related experience, and organizational support. Fear of becoming infected, intention to leave nursing, and having had a positive COVID‐19 test were inversely associated with resilience (p < 0.05). Regression analysis indicated that U.S. nurses had significantly greater resilience than nurses in the other countries examined (p < 0.001). Nurses reporting organization support and those who participated in policy and procedure development had higher resilience scores (p < 0.01). Organizational support, involving nurses in policy development, and country of practice were found to be important resilience factors in our research, which aligns with other findings. Further research is recommended to determine the optimal practice environment to support nurse resilience.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nurses' resilience in the face of coronavirus (COVID‐19): An international view

Kurt

Bennett³

et al. 2021

Nursing & Health Sciences

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“…82 83 As we approached the anniversary of the pandemic, and look to recover, displays of unity within the media and literature may have been replaced by a sense of betrayal of HCW's. [88][89][90] Powerful media and communication narrative and metaphor were employed during the pandemic, revealing tragic societal choices in relation to the relationship with paramedics and other HCW's. Militaristic, battle-like metaphors and unitedness in hardship within the media appeared to be replaced by a polarised narrative in later stages of the pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paramedic experiences of providing care in Wales (UK) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (PECC-19): a qualitative study using evolved grounded theory

et al. 2021

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ObjectiveTo explore paramedic experiences of providing care during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and develop theory in order to inform future policy and practice.DesignQualitative study using constructivist evolved grounded theory (EGT) methodology. One-to-one semistructured interviews were conducted using a general interview guide. Voice over Internet Protocol was used through Skype.SettingConducted between March 2020 and November 2020 in the Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Services Trust UK which serves a population of three million.ParticipantsParamedics were recruited through a poster circulated by email and social media. Following purposive sampling, 20 Paramedics were enrolled and interviewed.ResultsEmergent categories included: Protect me to protect you, Rapid disruption and adaptation, Trust in communication and information and United in hardship. The Basic Social Process was recognised to involve Tragic Choices, conceptualised through an EGT including Tragic personal and professional choices including concerns over personnel protective equipment (PPE), protecting themselves and their families, impact on mental health and difficult clinical decisions, Tragic organisational choices including decision making support, communication, mental health and well-being and Tragic societal choices involving public shows of support, utilisation and resourcing of health services.ConclusionsRich insights were revealed into paramedic care during the COVID-19 pandemic consistent with other research. This care was provided in the context of competing and conflicting decisions and resources, where Tragic Choices have to be made which may challenge life’s pricelessness. Well-being support, clinical decision making, appropriate PPE and healthcare resourcing are all influenced by choices made before and during the pandemic, and will continue as we recover and plan for future pandemics. The impact of COVID-19 may persist, especially if we fail to learn, if not we risk losing more lives in this and future pandemics and threatening the overwhelming collective effort which united society in hardship when responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic.Trial registration numberIRAS ID: 282 623.

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“…has been used to portray nurses are model citizens, as if being framed as 'heroes' were a reward in itself, conferring status on previously invisible groups (Appleton et al, 2020). However, this in turn places extreme pressure on this workforce (Shan et al, 2021). While the literature observes that many healthcare professionals are willing to accept the risks of their occupation in a pandemic, others perceive the risks of their work to be too high (Brooks et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Popular media depict carers, especially nurses, as dedicated and equipped with both the instinct and the motivation to serve. Further, health care workers are often imagined, and indeed expected, to be a self-sacrificing workforce that can be depended on beyond all odds (Shan et al, 2021). Many of our respondents had internalised such expectations and used them to evaluate themselves as carers and as moral persons; they could take satisfaction in having done what they thought was right, despite the increased workload that this created (see also Blanco-Donoso et al, 2021).…”

Section: Pākehā Rnmentioning

confidence: 95%

Community healthcare workers’ experiences during and after COVID-19 lockdown: a qualitative study from Aotearoa New Zealand

Holroyd

Long

Appleton

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Aotearoa New Zealand, a stringent lockdown lasting seven weeks was introduced to manage community spread of the virus. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study examining how lockdown policies impacted upon the lives of those caring for community-based patients. The study involved nationwide surveys and ethnographic interviews with 15 registered nurses (RN) employed in community settings, two community midwives, and five personal care assistants (PCAs).During the strict lockdown levels 4 and 3, RNs and PCAs in the community showed considerable courage in answering their “call to duty” by taking on heightened care responsibilities and going “the extra mile” to help others. They faced significant risks to personal and professional relationships when they were required to take on additional and complex responsibilities for community-based patients. Despite, and sometimes due to the hypervigilant monitoring of their personal protective equipment (PPE), the need to safeguard family and community members generated considerable stress and anxiety. Many also faced personal isolation and loneliness as a result of lockdown restrictions. Although ‘care’ and ‘kindness’ became social expectations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand during the lockdown, RNs and PCAs who were already doing care work in patient homes had to do more.This article makes five core service delivery and policy recommendations for supporting community-based nurses and PCAs in respiratory disease pandemics: acknowledging the crucial role played by community-based carers and the associated stress and anxiety endured, through championing respect and compassion; demystifying the “heroism” or “self-sacrifice” projected onto care workers to facilitate boundary setting; the timely provision of adequate protective equipment; improving remuneration with adequate provision for time off; and regular counselling, peer support groups, and education on work-life balance delivered by support workers in recognition of stressors arising from these complex and isolated working conditions.What is known about the topicNurses and personal care assistants play a pivotal role in community responses to pandemics.The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified many community healthcare workers’ clinical duties.Pandemics pose risks to healthcare workers’ physical and mental wellbeing.What this paper addsCommunity healthcare workers pressured themselves to be a “good carer” or “hero” during the lockdown.Caring for patients in the community also became about caring about patients, further intensifying workload.The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted community healthcare workers’ relationships, as well as their wellbeing. Impacts continued even once the virus was eliminated.Need for recognition of this workforce distinct from other care workers.

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The “nurse as hero” discourse in the COVID-19 pandemic: A poststructural discourse analysis

Cited by 170 publications

References 41 publications

Nurses' resilience in the face of coronavirus (COVID‐19): An international view

Nurses' resilience in the face of coronavirus (COVID‐19): An international view

Paramedic experiences of providing care in Wales (UK) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (PECC-19): a qualitative study using evolved grounded theory

Community healthcare workers’ experiences during and after COVID-19 lockdown: a qualitative study from Aotearoa New Zealand

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