Being a professional nurse at a south african rural-based hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors and all individuals. However, the people most severely affected by the pandemic are the health care workers including professional nurses who are on the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19. Aim: The aim of this study was to gain in-depth understanding of being professional nurse at a South African rural-based hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting: The study was conducted at a rural-based district hospital in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: The research followed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) design. Data were collected telephonically from nine purposively sampled professional nurses using in-depth individual interviews. Verbatim transcribed data were analysed thematically guided by an interpretative phenomenological analysis framework. Results: The results indicate that professional nurses are confronted with death on a continuous basis, and the effects of witnessing a COVID-19-related death are visible in professional nurses’ behaviour. Recommendations: The results reflected the trauma experienced by professional nurses during the provision of care to the patients with Covid 19 which requires the services related to debriefing, psychological and emotional support from the hospitals. Conclusion: The experiences of professional nurses warrant urgent support in order to ensure that they remain emotionally and socially stable and able to provide care to the patients. The finding has implications on the nursing profession, policy and provision of care to patients.