Lessons from Italian front-line nurses' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Aim: To explore nursing management issues within COVID-19 narratives of Italian front-line nurses.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected health systems and professionals worldwide. Italian nurses have key messages for nursing leaders following their acute experiences in the pandemic.

Method: A descriptive qualitative study with thematic analysis.

Results: Twenty-three testimonies from clinical nurses were analysed. Six macrothemes were identified as follows: organisational and logistic change; leadership models adopted to manage the emergency; changes in nursing approaches; personal protective equipment issues; physical and psychological impact on nurses; and team value/spirit.

Conclusions: Our testimonies highlighted the huge impact of COVID-19 on the Italian nursing workforce, especially in terms of the high risks associated with caring for COVID-19 patients, exacerbated by the shortage of appropriate personal protective equipment. Nurses had to care for their colleagues and live separately from their families to avoid infecting them, revealing nurses' resilience and the important role of effective and sensitive management.

Implications for nursing management: Nurse managers must be prepared for the impact of pandemics on staff and need to ensure availability and replacement of quality personal protective equipment, rehearse strategies for communicating with patients while wearing personal protective equipment and establish protocols for communicating with relatives.

Keywords: COVID-19; experience; management; nursing; qualitative.