Caring through barriers—Newly graduated registered nurses' lived experiences in emergency departments during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

Aim: To illuminate the meaning of newly graduated registered nurses' experiences of caring for patients in emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design:A phenomenological hermeneutical study guided by Lindseth and Norberg. Methods:In-depth one-on-one interviews with 14 nurses from five hospitals were conducted from March to November 2020 and analysed using thematic analysis. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were used as the reporting guideline. Results:The findings comprise one main theme Caring through barriers and three themes with sub-themes. In the first theme, having intention to care, participants revealed their dedication to care for patients during the pandemic despite extensive stress, little experience and skills. The second theme, with tied hands in human suffering, illuminates experiences of being disconnected from the patient, overwhelmed by responsibility and unable to relieve suffering. The third theme, feeling inadequate, reveals experiences of lack of support and doubts meaning less space to develop into the nurse one wants to be. Conclusion: Findings reveal a new understanding of new nurses' experiences during times of crisis. The essence of caring in the emergency department during the pandemic can be explained as mediated through spatial, temporal and emotional barriers preventing new nurses from providing holistic care. Impact: The results may be used as anticipatory guidance for new nurses and inform targeted support interventions to support new nurses entering the profession in crisis conditions.

Professional Accountability of Caring for Patients with COVID-19: A Phenomenographic Study

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Symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder in early career nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A longitudinal survey study

“…Such an environment may cause nurses to experience moral distress and can lead to outcomes such as burnout, dissatisfaction and intention to leave (Aiken et al, 2012). During the pandemic, ECNs were faced with moral dilemmas associated with their inability to be the nurses they wanted to be—a consequence of an overwhelming workload and the requirement to ‘ration’ care (Cai Wah See et al, 2023; Carnesten et al, 2023). Our findings reiterate that this moral distress, together with exhaustion and a perceived lack of support, may have influenced the development and persistence of symptoms of PTSD.…”