Reflections on volunteer nurses' work and caring experiences during COVID-19: a phenomenological study

Background With epidemics emerging at a hastened pace, a phenomenological study allows researchers to cast aside their perceptions to understand nurses’ lived experiences, and from there to discover previously unavailable insights at the epicentre of a pandemic. Aims To understand volunteer nurses’ lived experiences in Wuhan. Methods A descriptive phenomenological study with a purposive sampling strategy was used to describe volunteer nurses’ experiences in Wuhan. Interviews continued until data saturation. Ten semi-structured interviews of 30 to 60 minutes duration were conducted from 27 to 30 March 2020. The narrative data were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using Colaizzi’s method. Results Four themes emerged: mission and challenges denoted the participants’ realisation of the grim challenges ahead; challenges called for actions that described the concerted actions through partnerships and familial bonds; caring acts from all around revealed an external support system; and actions that made a difference portrayed the interplay of actions with feelings, thoughts and further actions to accomplish the mission. Conclusions This phenomenological study showed the interplay of nurses’ intentions and actions, and ‘actions speak louder than words’ when nurses were motivated by workmates’ actions to change their feelings, thoughts and actions. The concerted efforts can be used to develop educational programmes, management strategies and institutional policy on structure, system and resource utilisation, as well as dissemination of scientific knowledge to global healthcare workers and the public.