Nurses Navigating Mental Health During Uncharted Times: Self, Others, Systems (S.O.S)!

Abstract

The nursing profession is facing a multiplicity of stressors that have both predated and been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The emotional and physical demands entailed in nursing predispose nurses to suboptimal mental health and burnout. This paper draws upon the narrative interviews of 53 Canadian nurses as part of a larger pan-Canadian, cross disciplinary study that examined the gendered experiences of mental health, leaves of absence, and return to work of 7 professions. Thorne's interpretive descriptive guided Iterative and thematic analysis which identified three predominant themes within the nursing dataset, this paper focuses on the substantive theme of 'Navigating it Alone,'. Nurses expressed a profound sense of isolation at 3 particular levels: at home, at work, and in systems - while simultaneously balancing uniquely gendered familial responsibilities and workplace demands. These results illuminate instrumental pathways for stakeholders to attenuate the personal and professional pressures that continue to be disproportionately carried by nurses as they navigate these particularly challenging times.