Experiences of the nursing professional in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals of Chihuahua, Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursing professional faced the most difficult challenge in their professional exercise due to the risk of infection, insufficient resources for their protection, the prompt diagnosis and treatment of people with the disease, higher demands and modifications in the way of relating to patients, pairs and relatives, all of which caused emotional changes, as well as fatigue and emotional exhaustion.

Objective: To characterize the lived experiences by the nursing professionals from hospitals of Chihuahua, Mexico, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: Qualitative and phenomenological study in which 14 nurses were interviewed in-depth, in a virtual way, prior informed consent. The data analysis was realized through discovery, codification and relativization. 8 categories emerged.

Results: The experience in the pandemic for health institutions and health personnel was a great challenge. It prevailed the lack of human and material resources, as well as of information, generating in the nursing professional uncertainty, emotional exhaustion and stress. The categories that emerged were work overload, stress and chaotic situations, tiredness and emotional exhaustion, threat to family, lessons from the pandemic, shocking outcome (death), empathy with the relatives of the ill, and adaptation to personal protective equipment.

Conclusion: It is necessary to take actions for psychological support before, during and after the stressing and traumatizing events, in order to prevent, prepare and train nurses for acting in uncertain and high-risk situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.