病院において新型コロナウイルス感染症患者を受け入れた部署の看護師長が直面した困難—感染流行期第1波から第3波に焦点を当てて

Difficulties Experienced by Nurse Managers in Hospital Wards With COVID-19 Patients: Focus on the First Waves to Third Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

要旨

　目的：病院において新型コロナウイルス感染症（以下，COVID-19）流行期第1波から第3波に，COVID-19患者を受け入れた部署の看護師長が直面した困難を明らかにすることである．

　方法：九州地方にある病院でCOVID-19患者を受け入れた部署に所属する看護師長7名に半構成的面接を実施し，得られたデータを質的帰納的に分析した．

　結果：看護師長が直面した困難として，【情報不足の中で臨機応変の対応を求められる】【過酷な状況で部下の心身の負担が増す】【疲弊する部下への支援が不十分である】【他患者の治療にリスクが及ぶ】の4カテゴリーに集約された．

　結論：今後の新興感染症流行時の医療提供体制のあり方と看護管理者への支援に関する示唆を得た．

　Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the difficulties experienced by nurse managers of hospital wards with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients from the first wave to third wave of the pandemic.

　Methods: This qualitative inductive study was conducted with seven nurse managers of wards with COVID-19 patients in the Kyushu region. Data were obtained through individual semistructured interviews and then subjected to inductive analysis.

　Results: Difficulties experienced by nurse managers were categorized into the following four categories: 1) the need for flexibility in dealing with a lack of information; 2) increase of the burden on subordinates in a severe situation; 3) inadequate support for subordinates who become fatigued; and 4) risks to treatment of patients with conditions other than COVID-19.

　Conclusion: The results of the present study could help to facilitate the development of medical care provision systems and support for nurse managers in similar situations of emerging infectious diseases in the future.