Resilience of frontline nurses during the COVID pandemic in China: A qualitative study

The aim of this study was to describe the resilience of nurses who cared for patients with a confirmed COVID‐19 diagnosis, as well as factors that potentially contributed to that resilience. A total of 23 frontline nurses who cared for patients with COVID‐19 were recruited from a COVID‐19–designated facility in Shanghai, China, using purposive sampling strategies. In‐depth interviews were conducted from March to May 2020. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and content analysis was used. Nurses exhibited psychological resilience while caring for patients with COVID‐19. They displayed an ability to bounce back from negative mental experiences and transform to a positive mindset to cope with the stress they faced. Factors that enhanced the nurses' resilience during the pandemic were their becoming familiar with infectious disease protocols, having a sense of professional achievement, receiving social support, having trust in the infection‐control response team in the hospital, and using self‐regulation strategies. This study could guide the design of future resilience‐enhancing interventions that provide positive coping strategies for nurses caring for individuals with infectious diseases during a pandemic.