Nursing and Maternity in the Pandemic: A Qualitative Study from Turkey

ObjectivesThis study was conducted to examine the experiences and perceived challenges of nurses who are also mothers having a child during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.MethodsA descriptive phenomenological design. The study was conducted with 18 nurse mothers working at COVID-19 clinics in Turkey.ResultsNurse mothers missed their children and are worried about infecting their children. Based on content analysis, the themes of the study were determined as follows: (1) Nursing Care Process, (2) Disruption of Family Processes, (3) Nurse Mother's Perspective: Being a Child in a Pandemic, and (4) Coping with Challenges-"Searching for a solution."ConclusionsNecessary conditions should be provided for nurses with children or family members in need of care and protocols should be made with relevant institutions. SignificanceWhat is already known on the subject? Nurses working in COVID-19 units wear protective equipment and work for a long time under difficult conditions. In addition, nurses who have children are separated from their children because of the fear of transmitting COVID-19.What does this study add? Therefore, nurses caring for COVID-19 patients should alternately be replaced by nurses working in other services. They should be given the opportunity to rest and spend time with their loved ones if they are not carriers of COVID-19.