Anxiety among nurses in caring for COVID-19 patients: a qualitative study

Abstract

This study aimed to explore anxiety among nurses in caring for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.A qualitative descriptive design was used and the number of participants was 13 nurse managers selected using the purposive sampling method. Data collection was conducted using in-depth interviews coupled with a tape recorder and camera following the consent of participants, while framework analysis was used to analyze data.The results showed that participants, comprising 12 females and one male, had work duration in the range of 1-10 years. The identified five major themes included: i) anxiety response, ii) risk factor, iii) protective factor, iv) interventions, and v) anticipated support from nurses.Nurses were found to experience anxiety when caring for COVID-19 patients, underscoring the need for mental health and psychosocial support to reduce risk factors, increase protective factors, and improve coping mechanisms, fostering resilience. The results provided data to help nurses overcome anxiety when facing cases of infection such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this study offered valuable insights for the government and hospitals in establishing policies regarding the importance of mental and psychological health support to maintain the well-being of nurses.