קרבה מרחוק: תובנות מחוויותיהם של אחיות ואחים במחלקות הקורונה: [מאמר מחקר]

Back ground: Studies conducted during the first two waves of COVID-19, in 2020, before development of the vaccine, were mainly quantitative. Primarily, they highlighted difficulties faced by nurses caring for patients and their families. The current study explored resilience components in nurses׳ work using a qualitative approach informed by the phenomenological tradition.Aims: The aim of this study was to examine, in-depth, nurses׳ experiences of caring for patients and their families on COVID-19 isolation wards. The research question was: How do nurses experience caring for patients under the unique COVID-19 ward conditions?Methods: A qualitative study. Participants were 15 nurses (11 women and 4 men) who worked on COVID-19 wards during the first two waves of the pandemic. Data were collected viain-depth, semi-structured interviews, using an interview guide comprising several content areas related to the experiences of nurses working on COVID-19 isolation wards. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Findings: Four themes emerged from data analysis: (1) The scene of the events: shared space with the patients; (2) A tangible presence; (3) A rich, rapid, growth-promoting experience, and(4) A sense of solidarity and fraternity.Discussion: Working in a closed, isolated space gave nurses a unique opportunity to reflect on the ׳family׳ role they had undertaken and its impact on their professional identity during the pandemic. Particularly salient was their sense of satisfaction from nursing care.Paradoxically, even in the face of anxiety, frustration, and helplessness, nurses experienced empowerment through their closeness to the patients and their significant role in alleviating patients׳ loneliness. The study clearly indicates that the soft skill elements of nursing, as well as nurses׳ tangible presence at the patient׳s bedside, are key to the creation of meaning and to the formation of nurses׳ professional identities. The question of how to maintain this kind of presence during normal times is raised.