On Being a Nurse Scientist During the COVID-19 Pandemic
DailyNurse is inviting nurses in every branch of the profession to share their pandemic experiences and reflections with their peers. Was there a particular experience that you will carry with you for life? Have you been inspired by specific colleagues or a group of nurses? Has Covid significantly changed the way you work, teach, or learn? Did it affect your goals, your role, life? Are you rethinking your ideas about what it means to be a nurse, or has Covid reinforced them? To share your story, submit a 400-800 word post to [email protected].
It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the profession of nursing. Thankfully, there are still nurses who want to be nurses, but many are leaving the profession due to the stress of the pandemic. What’s concerning to me as a nurse scientist is the decrease in nurses who are learning more about, and engaging in, research and evidence-based practice.
When taking care of patients became the one and only priority,I definitely began to question the importance of my role and wondered how, as a nurse scientist, I would be able to contribute during the pandemic.
Understandably, nurse participation in research and evidence-based practice projects declined with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a nurse scientist, it is my goal to assist nurses in conducting research and implementing best evidence to improve practice and patient outcomes. Nurse scientists provide education and opportunities to foster a spirit of clinical inquiry in nurses. But as of early 2020, the level of interest and engagement among nurses in research and evidence-based practice declined significantly. Especially when taking care of patients became the one and only priority, I definitely began to question the importance of my role and wondered how, as a nurse scientist, I would be able to contribute during the pandemic.
Contributing as a nurse scientist in the wake of Covid-19
When engaging nurses in research or evidence-based practice projects declined, my focus shifted to identifying best practices for nursing during a pandemic and contributing to COVID-19 nursing science. This led to the development of team nursing and emergency charting in my facility as well as my involvement in publishing an article about the development and implementation of a COVID-19 nursing literature repository, assisting in the co-coordination of a clinical trial examining the effects of remdesivir for treating COVID-19, a qualitative study on new graduate nurses’ lived experiences transitioning to practice during a pandemic, another qualitative study on using Mask-EdTM simulation with nursing students (also available on the Nurse Educator podcast), and a study on examining health disparities as predictors of death in COVID-19 infection. In addition, as I’m sure is true with many, a lot of the education I provide has gone to an online format including an introductory evidence-based practice course for nurses and nursing journal club.
None of these amazing contributions to the profession of nursing would have been possible without the leadership and colleague support I received in my department. Our work truly made a difference. We proactively identified best practices for working in nursing during a pandemic, rapidly implemented evidence-based education to assist nurses who were caring for COVID-19 patients, contributed to nursing science, and stayed on-call to join in caring for patients if needed. I do miss my team, though. While working remotely is not new to me, the amount of being at home versus being in the office these past two years has been eye-opening. But that’s a different conversation! Especially since this isn’t an option for many nurses.
I am so grateful for the nurses who have been working the front lines during this pandemic. I know you are burnt out. I know you want to leave. Hang in there because this will pass! We need the knowledge and experience you gained from this.