Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19

Temeng, Eunice 2024. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

Preview	PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (5MB) | Preview
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (959kB)

Abstract

Background: Work-related stress remains a significant organisational issue facing all healthcare groups including the nursing profession. Widely acknowledged as one of the most stressful professions, nursing is marked by challenges such as understaffing, excessive workloads, increased complexity of healthcare, emotional labour, unfavourable working conditions, shift work, quality of leadership and management and constantly changing patient care demands. While some of these stressors are inherent to nursing, they can further be exacerbated during health threats such as the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As such, prolonged exposure to these stressors can immensely affect staff well-being, patient care, and organisational outcomes and potentially compromise the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. While there is a growing body of literature on work-related stress and coping among registered nurses during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic around the globe, there is a dearth of research specifically addressing registered nurses’ (adult/mental health fields) experiences of working in hospital inpatient settings during the pandemic in Wales and England. Aim: To explore the work-related stress experienced by registered nurses (adult/mental health fields) who cared for severely ill patients with COVID-19 in hospital settings during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Wales and England. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was used. In the quantitative phase, 516 registered nurses who worked in hospitals during the pandemic completed an online bespoke survey questionnaire. The online survey questionnaire comprised the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE), and questions on personal characteristics. The subsequent qualitative phase involved one-to-one semi-structured interviews with 12 registered nurses who worked in hospitals during the pandemic. Findings: Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984) as a theoretical framework for data analysis, it was found that the majority of the participants experienced high levels of work-related stress. This stress was associated with an excessive workload, shortage of staff, the burden of using personal protective equipment (PPE), inadequate educational preparation and frequent changes in clinical guidelines. Divergent perspectives were identified among participants regarding whether the perceived work-related stress experienced during the pandemic constituted a hindrance or a challenge stressor. Predominantly, the participants adopted problem-focused coping strategies, indicating their practical approach to managing work-related stress. Conclusion and Implications: This study found that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic brought about a multitude of challenges and a variety of experiences for participants. Amidst these challenges, participants demonstrated a profound sense of responsibility toward patients, acknowledged personal and professional development opportunities and relied on professional solidarity and family support as coping mechanisms. It is crucial that healthcare organisations and policymakers use the findings of this study to implement targeted interventions aimed at supporting nurses’ mental well-being. Addressing the underlying causes of work-related stress, including staffing shortages and inadequate educational preparation, and fostering organisational environments that promote resilience and professional growth, will ensure the continued provision of high-quality care while safeguarding the well-being of the nursing workforce.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 April 2025
Last Modified:	10 Apr 2025 08:11
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177507

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item