Occupational safety and health of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the missing part of quality care: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objective

This study explored the consequences of COVID-19 on the occupational safety and health of nurses.

Design

Qualitative conventional content analysis.

Participants

14 nurses selected by purposeful sampling method.

Setting

Five educational and non-educational hospitals in the Northwest of Iran.

Data collection and analysis

Semistructured interviews were used for data collection and analysed using conventional content analysis.

Results

Two main categories have emerged from the data: reduced quality of professional life and post-traumatic growth. Reduced quality of professional life, which has two subcategories including job dissatisfaction and burnout, has a negative nature, and has had many negative effects on the physical, mental and well-being of nursing personnel during the coronavirus era. On the other hand, post-traumatic growth, with two subcategories that include promoting safe behaviour and gaining a positive self-concept, has a positive nature.

Conclusions

Maintaining the occupational health and safety of nurses plays an important role in providing quality services to patients. Therefore, it is necessary for managers and policymakers to use the experiences related to the COVID-19 crisis, to prevent negative factors and strengthen positive factors, to maintain the safety and occupational health of nurses, and increase the quality of care.