Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for nurses, including confronting end-of-life decisions, witnessing patient suffering, and burnout. Nevertheless, many nurses demonstrated resilience and personal growth despite adversities. Notable gaps in the literature include limited exploration of the long-term impacts of the pandemic on nurses, variations in experiences based on geographic, gender, and cultural factors, as well as the role of leadership and organizational response. Likewise, how nurses adapted to innovations such as new technologies and the impact of their pandemic experiences on patient outcomes and care quality remain underexplored. This study employed a phenomenological descriptive approach to capture nurses’ lived experiences practicing in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in 2023 through follow-up email interviews with 20 nurses who had participated in two surveys administered in Fall 2020 and Spring 2022. Participants represented diverse roles and settings, including education, hospital, and outpatient/community health, taking care of patients across the lifespan. Interviews focused on nurses’ professional experiences during the pandemic. Qualitative data were analyzed using Sundler et al.'s (2019) thematic analysis framework for descriptive phenomenology. Participants described nursing during COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Six major themes emerged from the analysis of their experiences: Poor Leadership; Poor Working Conditions; Inhumanity and Poor Treatment; Distress and Emotional Strain; Support and Coping; and Learning, Growth, and Innovation. The findings reflect a continuum of experience, from inhumanity and distress to growth and innovation, that shaped participants’ professional journeys during the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights confirm existing systemic challenges in nursing, including the need for stronger emotional, ethical, and professional support. Importantly, the study also highlights areas for future research, such as the leader’s role in addressing nurses’ concerns, long-term recovery post-pandemic, and best practices for supporting nurses during crises. Comprehensive strategies are needed to reduce burnout, foster resilience, and strengthen the nursing workforce in both routine and crisis contexts.
Sigma Membership
Omicron Upsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Stress and Coping, Workforce, Policy and Advocacy, COVID-19, Lived Experiences, Pandemic Long-term Impacts
Recommended Citation
Mayer, Kala; Bennett, Jo Anne; Reifsnider, Elizabeth; Skibiski, Jeanie; and Jo, Soojung, "Nurses’ Lived Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 117.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/117
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Nurses’ Lived Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study
Seattle, Washington, USA
The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for nurses, including confronting end-of-life decisions, witnessing patient suffering, and burnout. Nevertheless, many nurses demonstrated resilience and personal growth despite adversities. Notable gaps in the literature include limited exploration of the long-term impacts of the pandemic on nurses, variations in experiences based on geographic, gender, and cultural factors, as well as the role of leadership and organizational response. Likewise, how nurses adapted to innovations such as new technologies and the impact of their pandemic experiences on patient outcomes and care quality remain underexplored. This study employed a phenomenological descriptive approach to capture nurses’ lived experiences practicing in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in 2023 through follow-up email interviews with 20 nurses who had participated in two surveys administered in Fall 2020 and Spring 2022. Participants represented diverse roles and settings, including education, hospital, and outpatient/community health, taking care of patients across the lifespan. Interviews focused on nurses’ professional experiences during the pandemic. Qualitative data were analyzed using Sundler et al.'s (2019) thematic analysis framework for descriptive phenomenology. Participants described nursing during COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Six major themes emerged from the analysis of their experiences: Poor Leadership; Poor Working Conditions; Inhumanity and Poor Treatment; Distress and Emotional Strain; Support and Coping; and Learning, Growth, and Innovation. The findings reflect a continuum of experience, from inhumanity and distress to growth and innovation, that shaped participants’ professional journeys during the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights confirm existing systemic challenges in nursing, including the need for stronger emotional, ethical, and professional support. Importantly, the study also highlights areas for future research, such as the leader’s role in addressing nurses’ concerns, long-term recovery post-pandemic, and best practices for supporting nurses during crises. Comprehensive strategies are needed to reduce burnout, foster resilience, and strengthen the nursing workforce in both routine and crisis contexts.
Description
This study employed a phenomenological descriptive approach to capture nurses’ lived experiences practicing in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Six major themes emerged from the analysis of their experiences: Poor Leadership; Poor Working Conditions; Inhumanity and Poor Treatment; Distress and Emotional Strain; Support and Coping; and Learning, Growth, and Innovation.