Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Education

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

First Advisor

Holly Madison

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2024

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2024

Abstract

Background: Nurses faced multiple systemic challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to moral distress and leading some to leave or consider leaving the profession. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of nurses in the United States who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subjective factors related to attrition among those who left or planned to leave the bedside or the profession. Theoretical Framework: The theory of moral reckoning detailed four phases of moral distress in a nurse’s career: fulfillment, a situation that threatens their morals, deciding to stay or leave, and reflection. Methods: This study used the phenomenology methodology to learn about the experiences of nurses who left or intended to leave the bedside or profession during the pandemic. Findings: Six themes emerged from this study: pre-pandemic job satisfaction and fulfillment, psychological and emotional impact, organizational and workplace challenges, social and societal factors, motivations for change, and coping and support. Conclusions: The findings revealed an underlying sense of powerlessness among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic as they faced inadequate resources, psychological trauma, moral distress, overwhelming loss and grief, and societal challenges. As a result, some nurses chose to leave the bedside or the profession altogether, while others planned to. The study uncovered narratives of post-traumatic growth, professional camaraderie, and resilience in the face of coexisting hardships, highlighting how intricate and varied nurses’ experiences were. Structural changes and policies are needed to empower nurses, improve organizational challenges, and prioritize mental health support.

Disciplines

Nursing

Keywords

attrition nursing; COVID-19; moral distress; pandemic nursing; phenomenology; psychological impact

Download

Download Full Text (1.6 MB)

Download
To access this thesis/dissertation you must have a valid nova.edu OR mynsu.nova.edu email address and create an account for NSUWorks.

Free My Thesis

If you are the author of this work and would like to grant permission to make it openly accessible to all, please click the Free My Thesis button.

  Contact Author

Share

 
COinS