# Identity work of public hospital nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

## TL;DR

This study explores how public hospital nurses in South Africa managed their professional identity during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Contribution

The paper introduces new insights into the identity work strategies employed by nurses during the pandemic to maintain their sense of self.

## Key findings

- Nurses experienced identity tensions due to the demands of the pandemic.
- Strategies like family support and spiritual upliftment helped manage these tensions.
- Recognition and support were crucial for maintaining their professional identity.

## Abstract

Nurses play a remarkable role in our healthcare system and contribute to the wellbeing of communities at large. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nurses faced various challenges to provide adequate patient healthcare.

This study aimed to explore the identity work of public hospital nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study followed a phenomenological qualitative approach with an interpretive view, employing two sampling methods: purposive and snowball sampling. The sample comprised 11 nurses from a public hospital in the Gauteng province. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

The findings revealed that the nurses faced identity demands, which resulted in them experiencing identity tensions. There was also a need for recognition and support; their work served a greater purpose and was meaningful to them. The nurses used different identity work strategies, such as family support, spiritual upliftment and meaningful work to deal with the identity tensions and demands they experienced.

Strategies such as counselling and wellbeing programmes should be implemented to assist nurses in dealing with the physical and psychological effects of working in the health sector during pandemics and epidemics. Hospitals and governments should create healthier working environments by conducting workshops, training and upskilling initiatives, encouraging nurses’ inclusion in policymaking and implementation.

The study provided insight into the challenges nurses encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic, how these challenges affected their nursing identity and roles, and the strategies they used to maintain their sense of self in their work.