The Caring Process in Patients with Covid-19: A Grounded Theory Study

Background: The care process involves essential tasks of assisting, supporting, and facilitating nursing activities to meet the comprehensive needs of patients. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global infectious disease that has caused a pandemic. Nurses play a crucial role in caring for and treating patients with COVID-19. This study aims to explain the care process in patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study using the grounded theory method was conducted from 2021 to 2022. Eleven nurses providing care to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were purposively selected from the COVID wards of Shariati Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews and observation. Data analysis was conducted using the approach developed by Corbin and Strauss (2008). Results: The data analysis phase identified a main theme of "protection and support in the shadow of uncertainty" along with five main categories and ten subcategories. The main categories included "encountering life-threatening crisis", "maintaining safety", "improving the patient's physical health", "encouraging", and "feeling satisfied despite the burden of care". Conclusions: Nurses aimed to improve the physical and psychological conditions of patients with COVID-19 by implementing a comprehensive care plan. The five main categories identified can be considered the primary approach to nursing care in the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, the nurses' experiences can help establish the necessary infrastructure for care and education during other potential health crises.