Labor Nurses' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe labor and delivery nurses' experiences in caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We used a descriptive phenomenological design and purposeful sampling to recruit experienced labor and delivery nurses for flexible semi-structured face-to-face audiotaped interviews. Constant comparison was used to analyze data.

RESULTS

Ten nurses employed in a labor and delivery unit in two acute care hospitals in southern Texas participated and were interviewed from June through August 2022. The mean age of nurse participants was 36.5 years. Seven had over 5 years' experience as a labor and delivery nurse before the pandemic. Five distinct themes were identified: Psychological stress during COVID-19; Feelings of satisfaction and gratitude; Resilience and readiness for positive change; Patient-centered care; and Interprofessional collaboration.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings build on our understanding of key determinants contributing to labor and delivery nurses' ability to adjust to the unprecedented and chaotic working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted several factors that could influence nurses' resilience and job satisfaction.