“It was simply disturbing“ - evaluation of the stress factors of nursing staff on special COVID-19 wards during the pandemic: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed enormous challenges for healthcare systems worldwide. The strain on nursing staff working in special COVID-19 wards during the pandemic increased dramatically. To support nursing staff more effectively in similar situations in the future, it is important to identify specific stress factors to design effective support measures.

Objective

To collect the experiences and lessons learned from nursing staff who have been affected by COVID-19 pandemic on a special COVID-19 ward that were perceived as stressful. The findings should contribute to the development of specific support measures for healthcare professionals.

Design

Qualitative interview study.

Setting

We interviewed 14 members of nursing staff who worked on COVID-19 wards at two University Hospitals about their working experiences during the pandemic.

Results

We were able to identify 10 key stress factors. These included an increased workload, communication deficits, a difficult personnel situation, subjective pressure, the establishment of a new ward, a shortage of material resources, inadequate hygiene conditions, a lack of opportunities to cope with the situation, the absence of relatives and decision making.

Conclusion

The identification of various stress factors highlights the urgent need for comprehensive support measures. These measures could include concepts for dealing with physical and psychosocial stress, the provision of resources and sufficient personnel support. It remains crucial to proactively take preventive and supportive measures to reduce the burden and moral distress of nursing staff and protect their health in the long term. Despite the pandemic, the implications of our findings remain relevant for the future.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-025-02773-y.