Experiences Of Critical Care Nurses Research Articles

Experiences and Challenges for Critical Care Nurses in Work Related to Medical Device Alarms: A Qualitative Study.

Critical care nurses, who are at the frontline of recognizing and answering alarms, face various challenges while undertaking this task. The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain more insight into the experiences of critical care nurses working with medical equipment alarms. A qualitative, descriptive design was used to explore this area. Fifteen critical care nurses, recruited using purposive sampling, participated in semistructured interviews. These were recorded and coded, and data were analyzed using content analysis. Four themes and fifteen related subthemes emerged, including: (1) emotional experience (sub: anxiety/dysphoria, helplessness, worry, ambivalence); (2) physical symptoms (sub: hearing disorder, sleep disturbances, exhaustion, inattention); (3) new challenges (sub: multiple nursing roles, inconsistent practice guidelines, unsatisfactory human-machine interaction, nurse attribute); and (4) coping strategies (sub: positive alarm culture, effective teamwork, development of technology). Healthcare administrators should focus not only on the nurses themselves, but also on objective factors such as organization and technology, which contribute to the empowerment of ICU nurses and can encourage them to participate in clinical alarm management.

Leading with AI in critical care nursing: challenges, opportunities, and the human factor

IntroductionThe integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in intensive care units (ICUs) presents both opportunities and challenges for critical care nurses. This study delves into the human factor, exploring how nurses with leadership roles perceive the impact of AI on their professional practice.ObjectiveTo investigate how nurses perceive the impact of AI on their professional identity, ethical considerations surrounding its use, and the shared meanings they attribute to trust, collaboration, and communication when working with AI systems.MethodsAn interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to capture the lived experiences of critical care nurses leading with AI. Ten nurses with leadership roles in various ICU specializations were interviewed through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews explored nurses’ experiences with AI, challenges, and opportunities. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes related to the human factor in leading with AI.FindingsThematic analysis revealed two key themes which are leading with AI: making sense of challenges and opportunities and the human factor in leading with AI. The two main themes have six subthemes which revealed that AI offered benefits like task automation, but concerns existed about overreliance and the need for ongoing training. New challenges emerged, including adapting to new workflows and managing potential bias. Clear communication and collaboration were crucial for successful AI integration. Building trust in AI hinged on transparency, and collaboration allowed nurses to focus on human-centered care while AI supported data analysis. Ethical considerations included maintaining patient autonomy and ensuring accountability in AI-driven decisions.ConclusionWhile AI presents opportunities for automation and data analysis, successful integration hinges on addressing concerns about overreliance, workflow adaptation, and potential bias. Building trust and fostering collaboration are fundamentals for AI integration. Transparency in AI systems allows nurses to confidently delegate tasks, while collaboration empowers them to focus on human-centered care with AI support. Ultimately, dealing with the ethical concerns of AI in ICU care requires prioritizing patient autonomy and ensuring accountability in AI-driven decisions.

Lessons from the COVID-19-Pandemic : Experiences of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: aqualitative explorative study

When the workload for critical care nurses becomes too high, this can have consequences for both personal health as well as patient care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, critical care nurses were confronted with new and dynamic changes. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of critical care nurses regarding the ad hoc measures taken and the perceived physical and psychological burden experienced during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This was across-sectional study conducted at two hospitals using an online survey. The open questions addressing the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic were subjected to content analysis according to Mayring. Atotal of 179critical care nurses participated in the online survey. From the results, the following four categories were developed: "not meeting one's own quality of care requirements," "uncertainties in everyday professional and private life," "increased responsibility with lack of relief," and "insufficient coping strategies for physical and psychological burden." Critical care nurses require structures and processes which support them in situations of high workload. The focus should be on the self-imposed requirements of quality of care as well as potentially relieving measures.

Lived experience of critical care nurses serving in awar zone: A phenomenological study.

War has always been a part of human life, and nurses are among the first people to attend to the battlefield alongside the soldiers. Nurses' experiences of being in war zones have long been of interest to researchers. In the conflicts in Syria, Iranian nurses have played a crucial role in saving the lives of many people. This qualitative study aims to explore the lived experience of Iranian critical care nurses deployed to battlefields in Syria between 2014 and 2020. This qualitative study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenology approach using Van Manen's methodology. The data was obtained through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 nurses who experienced war zones. Purposive sampling was used and interviews with the participants were conducted at the agreed place. Interviews were recorded, wrote verbatim and analysed with MAXQDA10 software. COREQ, a 32-item checklist, guided method selection, data analysis and the findings' presentation. The four main themes that emerged include 'blossoming of talents on the battlefield', 'capable nurses at war', 'nursing jihad' and 'mental preoccupations'. These themes include 12 subthemes and 32 primary subthemes that explain the meaning of Iranian nurses being in war zones in Syria. Nurses in the war zones of Syria gained valuable experiences of the blossoming of talents in themselves and others. The lived experiences of the nurses revealed that working in the war zones of Syria is a concept of nurses' capabilities. They considered being in the war zones of Syria as a form of nursing jihad. In spite of the many positive aspects of their experience, the nurses expressed their mental preoccupations during their deployment. Nursing care in a war zone for the critically wounded is a unique experience. The experience and ongoing impact of those experiences offer invaluable information for nursing and health policy stakeholders who are planning future deployments.

Compassionate Nursing Care for COVID-19 Patients in the ICU in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia: A Lived Experience Study.

The rapid spread and the severity of symptoms of COVID-19 led to an increasing number of critical cases that need to be admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Compassion is a principle of nursing practice and indicates the meaning of providing high-quality care in all units, especially in the ICU. It means that nurses knowwhat is important to patients and when they should be there for them when it is needed. There is a paucity of literature from Saudi Arabia that explores how critical care nurses perceive compassionate care during COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of critical care nurses providing compassionate care to COVID-19 patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive phenomenological approach was utilized in this study. Data were collected from 13 ICUnurses through interviews. Collected data were transcribed and analyzed using Colaizzi's data analysis method. Eleven out of the 13 ICU nurses hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and have more than five years of experience. Despite all the challenges surrounding the care for critically ill COVID-19 patients, nurses provide compassion in different ways to show personal interest to the patients. Data analysis revealed five themes: (1) contemporary meaning and competencies for compassionate nursing care, including communication and the inability to freely use touch; (2) physical symptoms, including discomfort, body aches and headaches, and sleep disturbances; (3) emotional turmoil, where three sub-themes emerged, including fear and anxiety, uncertainty, and isolation and loneliness; (4) role changing, including frequent guidelines change, additional roles and responsibilities, and altruism; (5) professionalism, including cultural facets of care,teamwork, and support. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major changes in nurses' working environment and so their experience. The results of this study indicated that nurses working in the ICU experienced remarkable and massive physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nurses extended the relationships to the patients' families as they are at high risk of stress, anxiety, and depression. In addition, they were able to support them in dealing with the fear associated with the uncertainty of COVID-19. Also, results revealed that remote therapeutic relationships and psychotherapy can be credible and trustworthy alternatives to in-person care. The results of this study indicated that ICU nurses provide compassionate care despite experiencing unprecedented and immense physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further study is recommended using other research methodologies. It is also recommended to conduct the same study in different cities for better generalization.

"Like fighting a fire with a water pistol": A qualitative study of the work experiences of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To understand the experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the application of the Job-Demand-Resource model of occupational stress. Qualitative interview study. Twenty-eight critical care nurses (CCN) working in ICU in the UK NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic took part in semi-structured interviews between May 2021 and May 2022. Interviews were guided by the constructs of the Job-Demand Resource model. Data were analysed using framework analysis. The most difficult job demands were the pace and amount, complexity, physical and emotional effort of their work. Prolonged high demands led to CCN experiencing emotional and physical exhaustion, burnout, post-traumatic stress symptoms and impaired sleep. Support from colleagues and supervisors was a core job resource. Sustained demands and impaired physical and psychological well-being had negative organizational consequences with CCN expressing increased intention to leave their role. The combination of high demands and reduced resources had negative impacts on the psychological well-being of nurses which is translating into increased consideration of leaving their profession. The full impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of CCN are unlikely to resolve without appropriate interventions. Managers of healthcare systems should use these findings to inform: (i) the structure and organization of critical care workplaces so that they support staff to be well, and (ii) supportive interventions for staff who are carrying significant psychological distress as a result of working during and after the pandemic. These changes are required to improve staff recruitment and retention. We used the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative studies. Six CCN provided input to survey content and interview schedule. Two authors and members of the study team (T.S. and S.C.) worked in critical care during the pandemic.

A reflective account on delivering psychological first-aid by phone to critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: COVID-19 presented critical care nurses with significant challenges. Due to the volume of patients requiring intensive care, bed capacity was quadrupled virtually overnight, with non-critical care trained staff re-deployed into intensive care units (ICUs) to support existing teams. This increased workload, acuity of patients, increased death, lack of visiting due to infection prevention measures, and the need to support re-deployed staff, had a significant impact on staff wellbeing and psychological health. Aim: The aim of this paper is to reflect upon the author's experiences as a nurse consultant in supporting critical care nurses delivering care in ICUs to critically ill patients with COVID-19. Sources: The experiences of critical care nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were gathered from conversations via the semi-structured psychological first aid (PFA) process. Discussion: Advanced practitioner ‘four pillar thinking’ is a critical in-service development that can be used to bring about a responsive, robust and vigorous service in and outside of any future pandemics. Summary and implications: Critical care nurses' psychological health and wellbeing was, and still has been, significantly impacted by providing treatment during COVID-19. To ensure the wellbeing of the staff group, healthcare professionals need to identify support mechanisms that will continue to ensure their mental health and wellbeing remain intact. Such measures will enable them to deliver expert care at times of increased demand, as well as support recruitment and retention strategies. This experience highlighted the importance of providing psychological first aid within support services to critical care staff.

Improving Nurse Self-Efficacy in Caring for Critical Care Obstetric Patients.

Few studies have examined the experiences of critical care nurses in caring for critically ill obstetric patients; however, preliminary evidence indicates low self-efficacy among nurses. This quasi-experimental pre-/posttest study explored changes in self-efficacy after the provision of real-time education to critical care nurses. There was an increase in self-reported scores after participation in the professional development program, showing that a single education session has an impact on nursing perceived self-efficacy in the care of this patient population. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(5):208-215.].

Nurses' common experiences of old age and intensive care: A qualitative study

Nurses' common experiences of old age and intensive care: A qualitative study Abstract. Background: Increasingly more people in the 80+ age group are receiving treatment in the ICU-setting. The related critical care nurses' experience has been the subject of very few studies. Aim: To better understand the everyday nursing practice in the care of old patients in the ICU setting, the knowledge of critical care nurses that guides their actions will be examined and presented in terms of their orientations and typologies. Method: Within the interpretative paradigm, three guideline-based group discussions were conducted with a total of 14 critical care nurses from an Austrian clinic. Data was analyzed using the documentary method according to Bohnsack. Results: Five orientations characterize the knowledge and the actions of critical care nurses relating to old patients: the respect for the patients' will, the search for ethical justification, the beauty of the job, the own reflection of professional actions as well as the perception of a partly misguided health care system. The superior action-guiding typology is advocacy in the representation of the very old patients' interests. Conclusions: The multi-faceted experiences of critical care nurses are characterized by personal, interpersonal, and structural challenges, but also by positive experiences. The findings offer approaches to improve the care situation for nurses as well as for old people in intensive care units.

Self-described Nursing Responses Experienced During Care of Dying Patients and Their Families: A Phenomenological Study.

Critical care nurses care for dying patients and their families. Little is known about the feelings and experiences of critical care nurses and how they are affected when they provide end-of-life care. Study purpose was to understand lived experiences, responses, and feelings of critical care nurses providing end-of-life care. A descriptive phenomenological design with purposive sampling was used to recruit 19 critical care nurses who cared for dying patients and their families. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Nurses were asked open-ended questions about experiences and responses while providing end-of-life care. Coliazzi's method of data analysis was used to inductively determine themes, clusters, and categories. Data saturation was achieved, and methodological rigor was established. Responses included personalizing the experience, sadness, ageism, anger, frustration, relief, and stress. Factors contributing to clinicians' lived experience included previous experiences with death affecting how the experience was personalized among others. Critical care nurses may be unprepared for feelings and responses encountered during end-of-life care. Preparation for feelings and responses encountered during end-of-life care in nursing education and critical care orientation classes is essential. Future research should study optimal mentoring, teaching, and preparation for providing optimal end-of-life care. Study results have implications for practice, education, and research.

"Unaware and Unprepared": Experiences of Critical Care Nurses Providing End-of-Life Care; A Qualitative Study.

Modern health care delivery incorporates technology to prolong life for those with serious illnesses. As technology continues to advance, the critical care nurses' role particularly at the end of life (EOL) continues to evolve, requiring higher levels of care. This contributes to an already complex environment for nurses to practice. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of critical care nurses in providing care for patients at EOL. This qualitative descriptive study describes the experience of 216 critical care nurses across the United States. Content analysis illuminated 5 themes: We Can't Fix Everyone, Task-Oriented Nursing, A Profession of Broken Individuals, Unaware and Unprepared, and A Hand to Hold. Study findings provide a unique perspective of critical care nurses and the health care delivery for patients and families at EOL. This study supports the imperative of creating and sustaining healthy work environments and palliative care education as essentials for critical care nurses who care for patients at EOL.

Communicating with mechanically ventilated patients who are awake. A qualitative study on the experience of critical care nurses in Cyprus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modern protocols for light sedation in combination with the increased number of COVID-19 infected patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have increased the number of patients who are mechanically ventilated and awake. Nurses require specific skills to care for this vulnerable group of patients. At the same time, nurses report feeling inadequate and frustrated when they attempt to establish communication with mechanically ventilated, conscious patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies nurses use when taking care of conscious, intubated patients in the intensive care unit and the barriers they encounter in their effort to communicate. For this study, a qualitative design was employed. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 intensive care nurses working at ICUs in four different hospitals of Cyprus. The data were analyzed by applying thematic analysis. We identified several strategies of unaided (movements-lips, hands, legs-facial expressions, gestures, touching) and aided forms of communication (pen and paper, boards, tablets, mobiles) used by nurses to communicate with patients. However, barriers to communication were reported by the participating nurses mainly pertaining to patients and nurses' characteristics as well as the ICU environment. The health protocols imposed by the pandemic added more obstacles to the communication between nurses and patients mostly related to the use of protective health equipment. The results of this study point to the difficulties nurses in Cyprus face when trying to communicate with conscious patients during mechanical ventilation. It appears that the lack of nurses' training and of appropriate equipment to facilitate augmentative and alternative communication leave the complex communication needs of critically ill patients unaddressed. However, further research including patients' opinions, after they recover, would bring more clarity on this topic. Our study adds evidence to the communication crisis created by the protective health protocols imposed by the pandemic. As such, it highlights the need to educate nurses in augmentative and alternative ways of communication to address communication with mechanically ventilated, conscious patients during their ICU stay.

A qualitative analysis of intravenous smart pump usability

AimTo understand the experience of critical care nurses when performing common, yet error‐prone, programming tasks on two unfamiliar intravenous smart pumps.DesignA qualitative descriptive study using data collected during a previous quantitative pilot study.MethodsFollowing completion of common intravenous programming tasks each participant was interviewed using a semi‐structured interview guide. All interview data were coded line‐by‐line and thematic analysis revealed themes across all participants' interviews.ResultsThe following four themes were identified: appreciation for attractive design features, the need for efficiency, the importance of intuitive use and concern for patient outcomes. Overall, these themes provide evidence that nurses strongly prefer a more usable intravenous smart pump interface that integrates safeguards to efficiently improve patient outcomes. Findings support the need for intravenous smart pump technology to be developed with an intuitive interface that decreases the level of cognitive demand and will lead to improved patient safety.

The value of human resources: Experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis. Pressure on the National Health System has created unique demand particularly in certain services and care units like the critical care units. ObjectiveTo learn about the experience of nurses in caring for people with coronavirus in critical care units. MethodA qualitative phenomenological study that constitutes the second phase of a mixed methodology project. We conducted interviews with 17 nurses caring for patients affected by COVID-19 in critical care units. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic discourse analysis. ResultsThis article shows the findings around the theme “the value of human resources” which is nuanced through sub-themes “it's not the beds, it’s the expert staff”, “shouldering the patient's burden”, and suffering because “they have not cared well”. DiscussionExpert nurses have emerged as leading professionals in the care of the critical patient during the COVID-19 pandemic. This leadership is executed from a profile framed in an inclusive philosophy where wisdom, agility and intuition are the key elements underpinning problem identification and solving in a creative way, while adapting to the needs of the patient and healthcare team as they emerge. ConclusionsExpert nurses have played an advanced role in the management of care and human resources by exercising effective leadership in the clinical setting. Care has been hampered due to the crisis, which causes nurses moral distress because they have been unable to meet standards of quality and excellence in care.

Critical care nurses' moral sensitivity during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: Qualitative perspectives.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is one of the areas in which moral issues are of great significance, especially with respect to the nursing profession, because CPR requires quick decision-making and prompt action and is associated with special complications due to the patients' unconsciousness. In such circumstances, nurses' ability in terms of moral sensitivity can be determinative in the success of the procedure. Identifying the components of moral sensitivity in nurses in this context can promote moral awareness and improve moral performance. This study was conducted to explore and identify the experiences of critical care nurses about moral sensitivity components in CPR. This study was implemented with a qualitative approach. Data were collected via 22 in-depth semi-structured interviews held with 20 eligible participants with maximum variation. The data were then analyzed using the grounded theory approach. In total, thirteen clinical nurses, three head nurses, two educational supervisors, and two faculty members from different universities of Iran were interviewed. This study was conducted with the ethical approval (IR.UMSU.REC.1399.337) of the Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Four themes and 12 sub-themes were extracted from the analysis of the data, including "Consciously and compassionate attention to resuscitate the patient," "Awareness of families' anxiety," "Understanding the teamwork and interactive guidance of the CPR process," and "Compulsory violation of moral principles." It is anticipated that this discussion will prompt further debate, raise awareness and help clarify the dimensions of moral sensitivity in unconscious patients especially during CPR, so that it can be more clearly named and defended as a moral authority in CPR. identifying the components of moral sensitivity in nurses, facilitates their encounter with moral issues and can improve their moral performance and encourage right decisions.

Experiences of critical care nurses during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Critical care nurses have risked their lives and in some cases their families through hazardous duty during the COVID-19 pandemic and have faced multiple ethical challenges. The purpose of our study was to examine how critical care nurses coped with the sustained multi-faceted pressures of the critical care environment during the unchartered waters of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was anticipated that our study might reveal numerous ethical challenges and decision points. A qualitative descriptive study, utilizing an interpretivist paradigm. Critical care nurses, working in either intensive care units or emergency departments (N = 11) who were primarily from Northern California hospitals. Individual in-depth ZOOM® session interviews, guided by semi-structured questions, were used to collect data. Interviews lasted between 18 and 59 min, with an average length of 33 min. Session interviews were transcribed and analyzed. This study was approved by the researchers' university Institutional Review Board. Five main themes emerged: Fear of the Unknown, Adapting to Practice Changes and Challenges, Patient Advocacy and Moral Distress, Isolation and the Depersonalization of Care, and Professionalism and a Call to Duty. Fear of becoming ill or bringing COVID-19 home to their families was a constant source of anxiety for nurses. There were numerous changes in policy and challenges to standard practice protocols, including most notably shortages in personal protective equipment, which nurses navigated resourcefully. Most nurses interviewed were motivated by a sense of professional duty. The nurses experienced some moral distress in their inability to advocate as they might like for their patients, especially at end of life. Infection control requirements for isolation.

Critical Care Nurses' Experiences During the Illness of Family Members: A Qualitative Study.

IntroductionA loved one's hospitalization in a critical care unit is a traumatic experience for families. However, because of their status and professional competence, a family member who is also a critical care nurse has additional obstacles and often long-term consequences.ObjectivesTo describe the experiences of critical care nurse-family members when a loved one is admitted to a critical care unit at the Hotel-Dieu de France hospital.MethodsA qualitative path based on van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology combining both descriptive and interpretive models were adopted.ResultsThe lived experience of critical care nurses in providing care for their family members admitted into the same critical care were summarized in five themes. Nurses were torn between roles, consisting of confounding roles, their registered nurse status, and watchfulness. The lived experience of critical care nurses in providing care for their family members admitted into the same critical care was summarized into specialized knowledge that included a double-edged sword of seeking information and difficulty delivering the information. Critical nurses compete for expectations, including those placed on self and family members, resulting in emotional and personal sacrifice while gaining insight into the experiences.ConclusionsCritical care nurse-family members have a unique experience compared to the rest of the family, necessitating specialized care and attention. Increased awareness among healthcare providers could be a start in the right direction.

Critical Care Nurses' Experiences Caring for Patients When Relatives Were not Allowed in the ICUs due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

IntroductionHealth care workers faced new challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical contact with relatives more or less disappeared.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to describe the experiences of critical care nurses (CCNs) working in intensive care units (ICUs) under the visiting restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19.MethodThis study followed a qualitative design. The purposive sample included CCNs with at least 1 year of experience working in an ICU with a visiting policy affected by the pandemic. Data collection was carried out via semi-structured interviews and analyzed through a qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach.ResultsThe study results are presented in three categories with 10 subcategories. CCNs value the presence of patients’ relatives at the bedside and described many challenges when relatives could not be present with the patient during the pandemic.ConclusionClose relatives are able to share essential information about the patients and provide much-needed emotional support to them, the relatives’ role is of central importance and CCNs value their presence in ICUs more than any positive consequences of them not being there.

Staff shortages in critical care units: Critical care nurses experiences

IntroductionThe nursing activities in critical care units globally and in Namibia are influenced by a shortage of critical care nurses. This shortage led to hospitals resorting to a variety of staffing strategies such as a team nursing model, variable staffing, the use of agency nurses and float staff to achieve the recommended nurse to ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. AimThe purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of critical care nurses regarding staff shortages in critical care units. MethodsA descriptive qualitative design was applied. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample from a total population of 18 critical care nurses. Data saturation was reached by the 11th participant, leading to a final sample of 11. Data were collected through individual interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analysed manually using the approach described by Creswell and Creswell (2018). FindingsSix themes emerged from the data analysis, i.e., critical care work environment, quality of care, workforce planning, staffing strategies, job satisfaction and continuous professional development. Findings from the study revealed that participants worked with an increased nurse to patient ratio that consequently influenced the quality of care rendered to patients. ConclusionThe staff shortages influenced the number of patients that was assigned per nurse. Accordingly, each nurse had to care for more than two patients. The subsequent increased workload influenced the provision of quality nursing care.

COVID-19: The Lived Experience of Critical Care Nurses.

The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore in-depth, critical care nurses' (CCNs) lived experience while caring for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients during the pandemic. CCNs play an important role during pandemics characterized by highly contagious, life-threatening disease. Understanding the experience of CCNs during a pandemic is particularly important because of the high rate of burnout within this group, as well as a shortage of these caregivers across the globe. Using Heidegger's interpretive phenomenological approach, interviews were conducted with 10 CCNs caring for COVID-19 patients. The goal of the interviews was to access a deep layer of understanding regarding participants' lived experience. Themes of role frustration, emotional and physical exhaustion, and the importance of presence were revealed. Themes revealed suggest a number of actions hospital administrators could take to support CCNs as they experience the challenges of a pandemic.