Frontline nurses' experience of working in a COVID-19 ward: a qualitative study

Kirsten Specht; Jette Primdahl; Hanne Irene Jensen; Mette Elkjær; Eva Hoffmann; Lilian Keene Guldhammer Boye; Bettina Ravnborg Thude

doi:10.1002/nop2.1013

Frontline nurses' experience of working in a COVID-19 ward: a qualitative study

Kirsten Specht
, Jette Primdahl
, Hanne Irene Jensen
, Mette Elkjær
, Eva Hoffmann
, Lilian Keene Guldhammer Boye
, Bettina Ravnborg Thude

University of Southern Denmark

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Communication

Abstract

Aim
To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID-19 ward with high-risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic.

Design
A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach.

Methods
Semi-structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June–July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID-19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID-19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion.

Results
During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.

Original language	English
Journal	Nursing Open
Volume	8
Issue number	6
Pages (from-to)	3006-3015
Number of pages	10
ISSN	2054-1058
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1013
Publication status	Published - 29 Jul 2021

Keywords

disease, health science and nursing

Access to Document

10.1002/nop2.1013

Cite this

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title = "Frontline nurses' experience of working in a COVID-19 ward: a qualitative study",

abstract = "Aim To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID-19 ward with high-risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic. Design A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Methods Semi-structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June–July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID-19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID-19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: na{\"i}ve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion. Results During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.",

keywords = "disease, health science and nursing, COVID-19",

author = "Kirsten Specht and Jette Primdahl and Jensen, \{Hanne Irene\} and Mette Elkj{\ae}r and Eva Hoffmann and \{Keene Guldhammer Boye\}, Lilian and \{Ravnborg Thude\}, Bettina",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1002/nop2.1013",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "3006--3015",

journal = "Nursing Open",

issn = "2054-1058",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Frontline nurses' experience of working in a COVID-19 ward

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Specht, Kirsten

AU - Primdahl, Jette

AU - Jensen, Hanne Irene

AU - Elkjær, Mette

AU - Hoffmann, Eva

AU - Keene Guldhammer Boye, Lilian

AU - Ravnborg Thude, Bettina

PY - 2021/7/29

Y1 - 2021/7/29

N2 - Aim To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID-19 ward with high-risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic. Design A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Methods Semi-structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June–July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID-19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID-19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion. Results During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.

AB - Aim To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID-19 ward with high-risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic. Design A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Methods Semi-structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June–July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID-19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID-19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion. Results During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.

KW - disease, health science and nursing

KW - COVID-19

U2 - 10.1002/nop2.1013

DO - 10.1002/nop2.1013

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2054-1058

VL - 8

SP - 3006

EP - 3015

JO - Nursing Open

JF - Nursing Open

IS - 6

ER -

Frontline nurses' experience of working in a COVID-19 ward: a qualitative study

Abstract

Keywords

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