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Review
. 2022 Oct;29(4):e12492.
doi: 10.1111/nin.12492. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Walking a tightrope: A meta-synthesis from frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sara Fernández-Basanta  1 , Marta Castro-Rodríguez  2 , María-Jesús Movilla-Fernández  1
Affiliations
Review

Walking a tightrope: A meta-synthesis from frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sara Fernández-Basanta et al. Nurs Inq. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Nursing staff plays a key role in the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, being in the front line of care. This study sought to synthesise the qualitative literature on care experiences of frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A search was conducted on five databases in January 2021. Fifteen qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the research, being submitted to interpretive meta-synthesis according to the eMERGe guide. The final synthesis included a line of argument that shows the experiences of frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, divided into three major themes: 'Instability on the edge of a cliff: unpredictable and unknown context,' 'The price of walking the tightrope: the uncertainty surrounding care,' and 'Finding the balance to reach the other side: dealing with the emotional demands of care.' Although essential in the health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses experienced an emotional impact arising from the hampered care provision. Our results point to need for strengthening the training of nurses and future nurses, creating and promoting measures that contribute to their psycho-emotional well-being, ensuring a safe environment for their clinical practice, and promoting their participation in decision-making processes.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health Services Administration; nursing care; qualitative research.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The Walking the tightrope lines‐of‐argument synthesis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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