Research Information System
Lokman Hekim Health Sciences, vol.3, no.1, pp.45-54, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Introduction: Coronavirus pandemic showed that the number of nurses and the management of personal protective
equipment (PPE) posed challenges in meeting the increased demand worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the experiences and views of the nurses on the management of the nurse workforce and materials/equipment
in providing nursing care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Methods: Qualitative design was used in this study. A phenomenological approach was followed to collect data by
administering focus group interviews in February 2021. The views of 37 nurses working in hospitals in seven geographic regions of Türkiye were obtained. Interview data were analyzed using content analysis.
Results: The views and experiences of the participants were grouped under five themes, summarizing seven subthemes
and 22 open codes. The results of the study indicated that “not having/accessing PPE to protect nurses and patients from
infection contamination” and “working with protective equipment for long hours” were the most frequently witnessed
problems. In addition, participants reported that they were not understood by health care managers and felt lonely.
Discussion and Conclusion: Nurses have been fighting at the forefront of this disaster. However, in recognition of
how sacred and valuable life is, nurses fighting against coronavirus should not be left alone and must be supported
by health care managers and decision-makers.