The psychosocial support needed by nurses caring for patients diagnosed with Covid-19 infection in the North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

Nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection are exposed to many psychosocial challenges. Exploring and describing the psychosocial  support needed for the nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is significant to determine what type of support is needed by the nurses. The  objective of this study was to describe the psychosocial support needed by the nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in the North  West Province of South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological, contextual design was used to collect data. The study used a non-probability  sampling approach and purposive sampling technique to select four focus group discussions (FGDs) from the four hospitalsselected for this study. Data  were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysis was done using descriptive phenomenological data analysis to develop themes and  categories. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were considered throughout the study. The finding indicated that it is difficult for nurses to care for  COVID-19 patients because it is a novel disease. There is no specific treatment for COVID-19 and most patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 were  demised. Shortages of human and material resources to care for COVID-19 patients were also reported. Nurses caring for COVID-19 patients are at risk of  being infected and they are physically and psychologically affected. The study shows that nurses caring for COVID-19 patients are physically,  psychologically and socially affected by the disease. Therefore, they need the support of their managers through the appreciation of their work, provision  of adequate Personal protective equipment (PPE) and human capital to provide quality patient care. Nurses caring for COVID-19 patients need  psychological support when they are depressed. They also need colleagues from other wards to encourage them and not see them as the carriers of the  disease. Also, the community needs to understand the risks that nurses caring for COVID-19 patients take and support them.