Women Nurses’ Lived Experiences with Covid-19 Patients. A Challenging Situation

Abstract

Aim of the Study: Corona virus (covid-19) has seriously affected health care systems across the countries. In some countries, including Pakistan, the consequences of the pandemic reached to the collapse of the health care systems. Women staff nurses as an essential part of the health care system also faced challenges while caring covid-19 patients. This study, is thus, explored women nurses’ lived experiences while dealing with the covid-19 patients in the government hospitals of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Methodology: Data for the study come from 19 interviews conducted with women nurses working in government hospitals in district Mardan, KP. Feminist epistemology guided the methodological procedure of the study. Smith’s theory of women’s standpoint is used to explore women nurses’ lived experiences with the covid-19 patients. Qualitative thematic analysis technique helped in the analysis of data.

Findings and Conclusion: The study found that dealing with the covid-19 patients was a challenging job for women staff nurses. Women staff nurses faced the situation of lack of knowledge about covid-19, non-availability of covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) KIT, and stress and fear was common among women nurses while dealing with the covid-19 patients. The study recommends proper training of women nurses along with ensuring health safety measurements for health emergency services, including covid-19.