Visualizing Stress and Coping Measures of Sari Nurses in Ozamiz City During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis resulted in abrupt changes in SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections) nurses' life in healthcare systems, leading to stressful and overwhelming challenges in their daily battle against the virus. SARI Nurses are constantly faced with stressful situations that cause emotional exhaustion while managing complex care and treatment processes for multiple COVID-19 patients in a given time frame. Given the knowledge gap between the nurses' coping measures on job stress during the pandemic, it is relevant to understand the stress and coping measures of the SARI ward nurses in depth. This study was underpinned by the Roy Adaptation Model (RAM) to see the person as a bio-psychosocial being that interacts with the changing environment. Furthermore, this study utilized the qualitative narrative approach to explore the SARI nurses' stress and coping measures. The participants were selected through purposive sampling for the interview, and the gathered data were analyzed using narrative, thematic analysis by Michelle Butina. The themes generated reveal that the SARI nurses experienced situational uncertainties and struggles fitting in. However, along the course of their work, they were able to support each other by sharing concerns that made them adapt to the changing environment. As a result, the SARI nurses achieved continuity in carrying out their job effectively. Learning from their adaptive coping mechanism may help the health providers' community face fewer difficulties in another similar situation. Keywords : bio-psychosocial, challenges, healthcare systems, Roy Adaptation Model, Severe Acute Respiratory Infections