“If I Can’t Do It, Who Will?” Lived Experiences of Australian Emergency Nurses During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

IntroductionThe World Health Organization estimates that approximately 180,000 health care workers have died in the fight against COVID-19. Emergency nurses have experienced relentless pressure in maintaining the health and well-being of their patients, often to their detriment. MethodsThis research aimed to gain an understanding of lived experiences of Australian emergency nurses working on the frontline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research design was used, guided by an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach. A total of 10 Victorian emergency nurses from both regional and metropolitan hospitals were interviewed between September and November 2020. Analysis was undertaken using a thematic analysis method. ResultsA total of 4 major themes were produced from the data. The 4 overarching themes included mixed messages, changes to practice, living through a pandemic, and 2021: here we come. DiscussionEmergency nurses have been exposed to extreme physical, mental, and emotional conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A greater emphasis on the mental and emotional well-being of frontline workers is paramount to the success of maintaining a strong and resilient health care workforce.