“HeRoEs WoRk HeRe”: An Exploration of the Impact of Pandemic Virtue Signaling on Nursing Culture

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare systems and increased risks of moral distress and burnout among nurses and other healthcare workers. Past research indicates organizational culture can also contribute to burnout. During the pandemic, the term “healthcare heroes” was frequently used to express gratitude towards nurses and other healthcare workers. However, we argue that this phenomenon can be classified as a “virtue signal”, where a low-effort expression of moral support is used to justify or excuse a lack of real support through improved working conditions or fair compensation. This study explores how the usage of the label “hero” grew to signify frustration over nurses’ working conditions by examining social media posts on the r/nursing subreddit within the Reddit community. Data from 2018-2022 was analyzed to record the monthly usage of keywords related to nurses' experiences within pre, early, and late pandemic periods. Results indicate that the usage of and relationships between our keywords changed significantly over the course of the pandemic. The frequency of usage of the word “hero” spiked at the very start of the pandemic, but was later eclipsed by usage of the words “union” in the late pandemic period. “Netnographic” observations revealed how terms like “hero” and “pizza party” were frequently used in nurses’ posts to call out organizational virtue signaling and lack of appreciation. Our findings suggest that while the term “hero” was sometimes perceived as a virtue signal even before the pandemic, the usage of “hero” by nurses in r/nursing grew to signify an overall perception of a lack of support from healthcare organizations and the general public which may have led to increased motivation to unionize.