A phenomenological study of the lived experience of nurses in the battle of COVID-19

•Nurses are considered as a source of viral transmission, thus rejected in community.•Pawns in a chess game: how nurses perceived themselves.•Nurses wish that their identities should be kept confidential.•Changeable regulations offer hope and fatigue at the same time.•Nurses are isolated from their families for long periods. Roles and responsibilities of nurses are crucial in the battle of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but nursing duties also put them at risk for infections. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of nurses in combatting COVID-19 in Belitung, Indonesia. This study employed a phenomenological study design. Online interviews and chatting were conducted among 17 clinical nurses who were purposively selected from March to June 2020. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and validated among researchers. The thematic approach was used for data analysis. Seven themes emerged (1) feeling “nano-nano”, (2) lack of N95 masks, (3) we are just pawns, (4) being rejected, (5) please do not spread our identity, (6) we miss home, and (7) feeling betrayed by regulation. Findings of this study should be used by government agencies, nurses, and the general population in combatting COVID-19.