Experiences, Challenges, and Coping Strategies of Frontline Healthcare Providers in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract

IntroductionIn the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline healthcare providers who are engaged in the direct diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients face a high risk of infection and inadequate protection from contamination, overwork, frustration, and exhaustion. These impose significant psychological and mental health concerns for frontline healthcare providers.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the experiences and challenges faced and coping strategies adopted by frontline healthcare providers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kelantan, Malaysia.MethodologyThis phenomenological approach to qualitative study used a telephone-based in-depth interview that followed a semistructured interview guide. The number of frontline healthcare providers was based on saturation theory. All the participants recruited fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria from May to July 2020 in Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic data analysis using NVIVO version 10 was performed.ResultThe 10 respondents involved in this study consisted of doctors, medical assistants, and nurses. The findings were divided into four main themes: invaluable experiences during the pandemic, challenges, coping strategies, and future expectations. The providers responded well in facing the disease even though they felt psychologically disturbed at the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionHealthcare providers perceived themselves as being more resilient and less vulnerable to psychological impacts than they were before the pandemic.

Resilience of first‐line nurses during adaptation to the COVID‐19 pandemic: A grounded theory study

“…Consistent with the findings of other studies (Che Yusof et al, 2022; Sun et al, 2020), in the present study, getting awareness about the disease was considered an important strategy to deal with the pandemic. One of the important factors in the unpreparedness of nurses to deal with the pandemic was the lack of knowledge about the nature of the disease and its prevention methods.…”

“…Most nurses considered caring for COVID‐19 patients as a constructive experience that could be used as a tool for coping with future pandemics. This finding was also reported in previous studies (Che Yusof et al, 2022; Hosseini Moghaddam et al, 2022; Huang et al, 2021; Liu et al, 2020; Rathnayake et al, 2021). In another study, the nurses during adapting to the stress caused by caring for COVID‐19 patients, transitioned negative mental experiences and changed them to positive thinking and emotions.…”

“…Consistent with the findings of previous studies (Che Yusof et al, 2022; Sun et al, 2020; Tan et al, 2020), in the current study, despite fear, physical and emotional fatigue, frontline nurses considered it their duty to care for COVID‐19 patients and compared it to the time of war. Professional commitment was the most important factor affecting the participants' decision to continue working in any situation.…”

“…Facing the pandemic leads to personal development for a better future and preparation to adapt to the new situation (Kim & Chang, 2022). In a previous study, the higher resilience of nurses led to continuing to work in the unsafe and dangerous conditions of COVID‐19 and finding creative and innovative solutions to overcome problems such as the lack of personal protective equipment (Che Yusof et al, 2022).…”

“…Understanding the experiences and effects of the pandemic on nurses can help identify stressors and useful coping strategies (Fernandez et al, 2020). The experiences, challenges and adaptation strategies of nurses in response to COVID‐19 may be different according to personal experiences, available resources and support systems provided to them (Che Yusof et al, 2022). The understanding of resilience should be examined according to the cultural differences of nurses in different countries (Kim & Chang, 2022); According to our knowledge, despite the qualitative studies conducted around the world to evaluate the experiences and challenges of nurses related to COVID‐19, no study has been conducted in Iran to explain the resilience process of nurses in a critical situation with a grounded theory approach.…”