Psychosocial problems of nurses working in pandemic clinics and their coping methods

Contagious diseases are a prominent cause of death and the greatest obstacle to human functioning. This descriptive study was designed to determine the psychosocial problems experienced by nurses working in COVID-19 pandemic clinics and their coping methods using the "in-depth interview" method. The population of the study consisted of 871 nurses working in the pandemic clinics of the Balıkesir Atatürk City Hospital between September 2021 and October 2021, while the sample included 21 nurses from this population. A "Personal Information Form" and a "Form for Assessment of Psychosocial Health in Nurses" were used as the data collection instruments. The data were analyzed using the content analysis method. The mean age of the participants was 31.85 years, 76.20% of them were women. The rate of the participants who were working in COVID-19 intensive care units was 57.14%. As a result of the analysis of the data, five themes, in addition to sub-themes under these themes, were determined. The "Emotional Problems" theme covered the sub-themes of "Waiting Anxiously", "Living with Stress, Intense Sadness and Feelings of Burnout" and "Stigma", the "Behavioral Problems" theme covered the sub-themes of "Changes in Hygiene Habits", "Expression of Feelings" and "Physical Symptoms", the "Coping Strategies" theme covered the sub-themes of "Changing the Focus of Attention", "Spiritual Practices", "Trying to Accept Negative Thoughts", "Receiving Professional Support" and "Reinterpreting Life", the "Occupational Changes" theme covered the sub-themes of "Changes/Difficulties in the Workplace" and "Drifting apart from One's Profession", and the final theme was "an Isolated Life". Based on the results of this study, it is highly important to take the necessary precautions and plant preventive psychosocial interventions to reduce and prevent the psychosocial problems of nurses who are in contact with high-risk patients in the COVID-19 pandemic period.