Resources, stressors and coping strategies of nurses caring for patients with coronavirus from the perspective of Conservation of Resources Theory: A qualitative study

Objectives: To explore the resources, stress factors and coping strategies of nurses, who provide direct care to patients with coronavirus disease. Methods: In this qualitative study, 20 registered nurses were interviewed, who have been working in the pandemic hospitals located in different parts of Turkey for at least two weeks. In-depth interviews were carried out individually and online. Interview data were analyzed with thematic analysis from the perspective of the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR). Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis of the data according to the COR theory. First theme, resources are required to adapt to changing processes and to be motivated to maintain service. Nurses' personal resources were helping patients, professional responsibility, spirituality, hope and conscience. Money, knowledge, and experience were energy resources while being in a well-functioning working team, having a similar fate, and social support were condition resources and the personal protective equipment formed object resources. Second theme, perceived threats to their resources are the main stressors. The final theme is that strategies for coping with identified stressors are reactive rather than proactive. Conclusion: This study contributed to the resources being noticed that nurses had and used during the pandemic, as well as into understanding which resources were under threat and a critical component of the stress process. The findings of the study can be used by psychiatric consultation-liaison nurses to strengthen their resources and support clinical nurses to effectively cope with the negative effects and consequences of the pandemic.