Nurses' workload during the COVID-19 pandemic: potential for experiences of moral distress.

Abstract

to understand nurses' experiences of moral distress related to work overload during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. qualitative research, whose data collection occurred through individual interviews with 19 nurses who worked on the front line of COVID-19 in health services in southeastern Brazil. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. work overload proved to be a powerful source of experiences of moral distress due to excessive working hours during vaccination, double working hours, a troubled relationship due to pressure from managers and the population and physical and mental exhaustion, which prevented nurses from act according to their judgment. nurses' work overload reflects on quality patient care and prevents nurses from acting in accordance with their moral principles, generating moral distress in nurses.