The problem with the superhero narrative during COVID-19

McAllister, Margaret; Brien, Donna Lee; Dean, Sue

doi:10.1080/10376178.2020.1827964

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Caution has been advised against exaggeration and over‐enthusiasm in describing nurses as heroes since this can overshadow acute problems within the profession that are not being adequately addressed. These include inadequate working conditions and a lack of nurses (McAllister et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practices and experiences of European frontline nurses under the shadow of COVID‐19

Melnikov

Kagan

Felizardo

et al. 2022

Nursing & Health Sciences

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The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused health professionals to deal with new situations they have not encountered before. Nurses were forced to cope with increased workloads, seriously ill patients, numerous patient deaths, and unresolved ethical dilemmas. This study aimed to examine the lived experiences of nurses across Europe during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This was a qualitative narrative research study. Eighteen nurses from eight European countries (four each from the UK and Israel, three from Portugal, two each from the Netherlands and Ireland, and one each from Belgium, Italy, and Sweden) submitted narratives about their professional experiences during May–June 2020. The narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis. Seven categories across the narratives were condensed and interpreted into three themes: opportunities and growth, care management, and emotional and ethical challenges. The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected nurses emotionally and provided an opportunity to actively develop systems and skills needed to minimize harm and maximize benefits to patients and nurses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practices and experiences of European frontline nurses under the shadow of COVID‐19

Melnikov

Kagan

Felizardo

et al. 2022

Nursing & Health Sciences

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“…30 Moreover, according to McAllister et al and Huang et al, people have come to appreciate the difficulties of healthcare professionals’ jobs more than before and admire them for their sacrifices. 31 , 32 These findings indicate a rise in public respect for healthcare workers, but also an acknowledgement of the public’s responsibility to the families of healthcare providers. The self-sacrifice of healthcare providers in saving the lives of COVID-19 patients filled their families with pride in the society, a fact not mentioned in any other studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Healthcare professionals’ families’ perception of life during COVID-19 in Iran: a qualitative study

et al. 2022

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Background The families of healthcare professionals are one of the most vulnerable groups whose lives have been severely damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, the experiences and perceptions of these individuals have not been explored. The present study aims to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the family members of the healthcare professionals during COVID-19. Methods The present study is a qualitative research with a phenomenological design. The participants were 25 family members of healthcare professionals which were selected from the medical centres in Iran via purposeful sampling from August 2021 to October 2021. The sampling was kept on until the data became saturated. To collect data, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted online. The Colaizzi approach was used to analyse the data collected. Results The findings of the study emerged as two main themes: psychological tension with five categories (indescribable fear and worry, longing to see their loved ones, patient stone, bitter farewell, fear of the future) and dignity with four categories (acclamation, appreciation, feeling proud, spiritual growth). Conclusion During the COVID-19 pandemic, the family members of healthcare professionals have experienced dignity combined with the degrees of psychological tension which were beyond the experiences of the majority of people in the society, but similar to the psychological tension experienced by the families of COVID-19 victims. The families of healthcare workers are continuously anxious about the safety of their loved ones who are responsible to obtain the treatment of COVID-19 patients, which potentially jeopardizes their physical and psychological well-being. Therefore, the appreciation and support of people in the community of the family members of healthcare professionals have increased their tolerance. Healthcare providers can successfully promote the health of healthcare professionals’ families by providing comprehensive assistance to healthcare personnel and their families.

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“…The hero narrative is global and has been discussed as problematic internationally (McAllister et al, 2020). Cox (2020) discuss the hero narrative and describe how it might seem fitting on the surface but when looking at the limitations, question its usefulness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

We are not heroes—The flipside of the hero narrative amidst the COVID19‐pandemic: A Danish hospital ethnography

Halberg

Jensen

Larsen

2021

Journal of Advanced Nursing

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Aim To explore how the media and socially established hero narrative, affected the nursing staff who worked in the frontline during the first round of the COVID19‐pandemic. Background During the COVID19‐pandemic, both media, politicians and the public have supported and cheered on the frontline healthcare workers around the world. We have found the hero narrative to be potentially problematic for both nurses and other healthcare workers. This paper presents an analysis and discussion of the consequences of being proclaimed a hero. Design Hospital ethnography including fieldwork and focus groups. Method Empirical data was collected in a newly opened COVID19‐ward in a university hospital in the urban site of Copenhagen, Denmark. Fieldwork was performed from April until the ward closed in the end of May 2020. Succeeding focus group interviews with nursing staff who worked in the COVID19‐ward were conducted in June 2020. The data were abductively analysed. Results The nursing staff rejected the hero narrative in ways that show how the hero narrative leads to predefined characteristics, ideas of being invincible and self‐sacrificing, knowingly and willingly working in risk, transcending duties and imbodying a boundless identity. Being proclaimed as a hero inhibits important discussions of rights and boundaries. Conclusion The hero narrative strips the responsibility of the politicians and imposes it onto the hospitals and the individual heroic health care worker . Impact It is our agenda to show how the hero narrative detaches the connection between the politicians, society and healthcare system despite being a political apparatus. When reassessing contingency plans, it is important to incorporate the experiences from the health care workers and include their rights and boundaries. Finally, we urge the media to cover a long‐lasting pandemic without having the hero narrative as the reigning filter.

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The problem with the superhero narrative during COVID-19

Abstract: The problem with the superhero narrative during COVID-19.

Cited by 17 publications

References 10 publications

Practices and experiences of European frontline nurses under the shadow of COVID‐19

Practices and experiences of European frontline nurses under the shadow of COVID‐19

Healthcare professionals’ families’ perception of life during COVID-19 in Iran: a qualitative study

We are not heroes—The flipside of the hero narrative amidst the COVID19‐pandemic: A Danish hospital ethnography

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