Using blogs to describe Intensive Care nurses’ experiences of caring for patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Using blogs to describe Intensive Care nurses’ experiences of caring for patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.Background: In 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out worldwide, causing a pandemic. Research shows that patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units (ICUs) require more nursing care than other patients in ICU. The ICU nurses who care for these patients have shown signs of psychological and physical strain and experienced a lower sense of work satisfaction and feelings of helplessness. Analysis of blog posts has been conducted, to illuminate ICU nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19.Method: To acquire a deeper understanding of ICU nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic, analyzing text from ICU nurses’ blog posts was suitable.Seventy blog posts from 13 bloggers in the United States, Great Britain, Finland, and Sweden were analyzed using a manifest qualitative content analysis.Results: The results revealed an overall theme: “An overturned existence under extreme conditions.” Furthermore, three categories – “The virus caused changes in work and private life,” “Unreasonable demands,” and “To hold on to caring ideals thanks to the support of others”, were identified.Conclusion: Collecting data through blogs makes it possible to obtain information from a wide geographic area at almost no cost. Based on the overwhelming situation at ICUs, during the pandemic, analyzing blogposts was suitable to catch ICU nurses experiences without taking any time or focus from the participants during their work.Caring for patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic was demanding, and support from colleagues and teamwork were important.

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Care Sciences

vårdvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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