Exploring Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Research Study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses faced numerous demands and adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic that markedly affected their well-being. Developing strategies to promote resilience was crucial for ICU nurses to overcome these workplace adversities. OBJECTIVES: To explore the strategies used by ICU nurses to promote their resilience and cope with the additional stressors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A focused ethnographical approach provided the overarching framework for this research project. Nurses working in adult ICUs who had cared for patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic were recruited using a purposive sampling technique, and semistructured interviews were conducted individually using an online videoconference application. A systematic approach as proposed by Roper and Shapira was used to analyze the interviews. RESULTS: The exploration of strategies used to cope with stressors and to promote resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the identification of 3 categories: (1) changes in coping strategies to enhance resilience; (2) individual resilience strategies; and (3) workplace strategies. The individual resilience strategies were classified into subcategories: physical health-focused strategies and mental health-focused strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the strategies used by ICU nurses to promote their resilience and cope with stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic can help organizations and policymakers develop effective interventions to support health care workers' mental health and well-being during future public health emergencies.