The COVID-19 Pandemic Challenged Nurse Managers’ Daily Leadership Work: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Aim. To explore and describe nurse managers’ experiences of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their leadership work. Background. As frontline leaders in healthcare, the work of nurse managers was dominated by the global COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. Method. Semistructured interviews were carried out during autumn 2021 at a Finnish university hospital. Twelve nurse managers participated in video call interviews, and the data were analysed by inductive content analysis. Results. Four main categories of COVID-19 effect on the nurse managers’ leadership work were identified: increased work requirements; changes in work content; crisis communication; and human resources. The main categories included a total of 14 subcategories. Conclusion. The complexity and range of nurse managers’ leadership work during the pandemic were emphasized. Nurse managers performed several important tasks that ensured ongoing delivery of healthcare services. Flexibility, ability to solve problems, capacity to tolerate uncertainty, pressure and rapidly evolving situations, excellent crisis communicational skills, and an ability to address the diverse needs of their staff were key competencies that nurse managers relied on during this period. Implications for Nursing Management. Nurse managers’ experiences of COVID-19 can inform practice, policies, nursing, and nursing leadership education in relation to future crises.