The Experience of Primary Healthcare Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lebanon

Abstract

The 2019 coronavirus outbreak was a worldwide event, and nurses had little time to prepare before being flooded with high-acuity patients and navigating new care plans. Nurses working in primary care at Tyre Hospitals and Medical Centers were invited to take part in an extremely cross-sectional online survey via social media and professional organizations. The survey tool was composed of demographic, and questions on the nurses’ employment and work roles. A total of 196 participated in the study. Nearly half of respondents (n = 88; 44.9%) reported either increased hours of employment, threatened termination, or actual termination of employment. Just over half of respondents (59.7%) feel well supported in their clinical role by their employer. While most respondents felt that they had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19, they expressed worry about work-related risks to themselves and their family members. 65.8% of respondents perceived that the support provided in their workplace was better than before the pandemic. The present paper represents the first study of primary healthcare nurses’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon. The study findings revealed a concerning level of support for primary healthcare nursing employment based on the number of participants.