Crucial knowledge and skills for caring in a pandemic situation : An interview study on the views of Swedish nurses

Abstract: Background: Lack of trained staff is the most important issue during the pandemics. In addition, nurses need adequate training sessions to act efficiently. Literature show that nurses in various parts of the world were not prepared for Covid-19 pandemic even those who had experienced other pandemics before. Pandemic management strategies like continuous training and education for health care staff can be a success factor. Nurses also need soft skills like interpersonal skills, stress management and problem solving to care for patients in an emergency like pandemic. All health care staff need to receive latest information about the new disease, and they need to have enough knowledge bout infectious diseases, personal protective equipment and infection control. Considering previous research, it is crucial to recognize knowledge and skills needed for care in a pandemic situation especially based on the perceptions of nurses who have experience of working in a pandemic. Aim: This study aimed to identify knowledge and skills that nurses with experience of working with hospitalized Covid-19 patients in Sweden perceive as crucial to be prepared for a pandemic. Method: Individual in-depth interviews were used to collect data from 7 nurses who had the experience of working with hospitalized covid-19 patients and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. Result: Data analysis led to three categories that revealed manifest content of data which represents nursing knowledge and skills that were perceived crucial by nurses with experience of working with covid-19 patients: (1) Knowledge and skills empowering nurses to lower the pressure on themselves, (2) Knowledge and skills empowering nurses to support others, and (3) Knowledge and skills needed for a safe nursing care Conclusion: Considering the huge effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the health care system and the possibility of pandemics in the future because of climate change, it is crucial to increase the preparedness for these emergencies. This preparedness can be achieved by continuous training and education about pandemics, infectious diseases, and the crucial knowledge and skills needed in confronting them.