Nurse Executive Experiences With COVID-19

Now We Know—We Are Not Going Back

Abstract

We conducted semistructured telephone interviews with 2 hospital-based nurse leaders who supervised nurses during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in northeastern region of the United States. These interviews are a subset of a larger study with 11 nurse executives who supervised nurses during both natural and human-made disasters in different regions of the United States. Qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach, followed by a content analysis of emerging themes. Participants shared several key concepts: deep commitment of nurses in an extensive range of roles and responsibilities during tragic events; an emphasis on educational needs to best prepare nurses for disaster response; the importance of organizational strategies and definitive policies for supporting nurses' response and recovery; and mental/emotional health support as essential for nurses to cope with the events. The nurse executive participants reported many opportunities to enhance nurses' knowledge and skill set to augment care in the hospital. A team-based approach that leverages the expertise of team members to strengthen the health care team is implemented and demonstrates positive patient outcomes.