The Impact of COVID‐19 on nurses working in a University Health System in Singapore: A qualitative descriptive study

Given Singapore’s high population density and extensive geographical interconnections, it is unsurprising that the country reported one of the highest numbers of COVID‐19 cases in Asia. Past pandemic studies have suggested that nurses working in such crises might experience a deterioration of mental health, which could persist for years beyond the initial outbreak. This study used a qualitative descriptive design to explore nurses’ experiences of working in tertiary hospitals during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 17 registered nurses who had worked for at least one year prior to the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic were recruited from a University Health System in Singapore from March to June 2020. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews lasting at least an hour conducted over an online platform by the principal investigator. The data were analysed through Braun and Clarke’s six‐step thematic analysis independently by two researchers. Three main themes emerged: (i) challenging moments of COVID‐19, during which the participants reported physical and psychological challenges relating to working conditions of the hospital in the initial months of the pandemic; (ii) the professional role as nurses, in where the participants dispelled their worries and demonstrated commitment to their role as nurses; and (iii) support for nurses, which originated from their family, friends and leaders from their organizations for them to persevere and overcome the unprecedented challenges of COVID‐19. The nurses in this study demonstrated resilience and professionalism despite the challenges of COVID‐19. The findings highlighted the importance of a robust support system for healthcare professionals.