Frontline nurses’ sensemaking during the initial phase of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020 Aotearoa New Zealand 

Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on nurses’ sensemaking and explore resilience and mitigation strategies nurses adopted to sustain their wellbeing. Frontline clinical nurses are an essential population within the health workforce. Although they are educated to deal with the many challenges working in health presents, this pandemic has created new stressors and vulnerabilities, placing strain on their wellbeing. This article reports on the qualitative data from a national mixed methodology study undertaken between October and December 2020. Twenty-nine interviews were conducted remotely using Zoom and telephone with nurses in a wide range of clinical front-line roles. Data were analysed thematically drawing from the theoretical lens of sensemaking, and related concept of liminality. Findings identified that early in the pandemic, participants who were frontline nurses prioritised patient care while negotiating shifting uncertainties, fear, under-resourcing, and variable leadership. They watched the unfolding international crisis and anticipated that we, in Aotearoa New Zealand, faced a similar disaster. Amidst significant stressors, they endured separation from their families while acting as substitute family for patients and residents isolated from whānau. Six themes were identified: liminality; teamwork and leadership; relational dynamics; health and safety precarity; care ethics; and heroes and pariahs. The study highlights that organisational culture, communication, and clinical leadership either fractured or strengthened nurses’ professional commitment. 

Te Reo Māori translation

Ngā ariā matua
Ko te whāinga ia o tēnei mātainga tūāhua he tautuhi i te pānga o te urutā o COVID-19 ki te mātainga āhuatanga a ngā tapuhi, he tūhura hoki i ngā rautaki tū pakari, whakangāwari hoki a ngā tapuhi kia mau tonu tō rātou hauora. He taupori taketake ngā tapuhi i te aroākapa o ngā mahi āwhina tūroro i roto i te kāhui kaimahi hauora. Ahakoa kua ākona rātou mō ngā tini wero ka tūponotia e te hunga mahi i te ao hauora, i tēnei o ngā urutā kua puta ake ētahi atu pēhitanga, whakaraeraetanga hoki, ā, hei whakataumaha ēnei āhua i tō rātou hauora. Tā tēnei tuhinga he tuku pūrongo mō ngā raraunga inekounga mai i tētahi rangahau tikanga-maha i kawea i waenga i ngā marama o Whiringa ā nuku/Oketopa me Hakihea/Tīhema 2020. Rua tekau mā iwa ngā tapuhi i kawea mā te whakamahi i Zoom me te waea hei kōrero ki ngā tapuhi i ngā tūnga āwhina tūroro i te aroākapa o ngā mahi. I āta tātaritia ngā raraunga i runga i ngā kaupapa, me te whakamahi i te arotahi ariā o te mātai āhuatanga, me te ariā tūtata o te panonitanga taumata tangata. I tautuhitia i roto i ngā kitenga ko te hunga whai wāhi mai i ngā marama tuatahi o te urutā ko te tapuhi whai wāhi ki te uiuinga i whakaraupapa i te tiaki tūroro hei whāinga matua, me te kawe i ngā whakaaro rangirua, i te mataku, i te kore rauemi, me te mahi hautū tāpokopoko i ētahi wā. I mātaki rātou ki ngā raruraru nui i te ao katoa, me te whakaaro tērā pea ka pā he aituā nui pērā ki a tātou i Aotearoa. I roto i ngā āhuatanga whakataimaha nui, i kawea e rātou te taumaha o te noho wehe i te whānau, me te noho hei whānau kairīwhi mō ngā tūroro me te hunga noho taratahi i ō rātou whānau. E ono ngā kaupapa i tautohutia: ko te panonitangata o te āhua tangata; te mahi ā-tira me te mahi arataki; ngā pananga hononga; te uaua o te hauora me te haumaru; ngā tikanga tiaki matatika; ko ngā tuahangata me ngā tāngata hē.    Kei tēnei rangahau ka kitea nā te ahurea o te whakahaere, te whakawhiti kōrero, me ngā arataki mō te mahi āwhina tūroro, ka heke rawa rānei, ka piki rānei te whakamaunga ngaio o ngā tapuhi. 

Keywords / Ngā kupu matua
altruism / te whakaaro atawhai i ētahi atu; COVID-19; frontline nurses / ngā tapuhi i te aroākapa o ngā mahi; leadership / te mahi arataki; liminality / panonitanga o te āhua tangata; sensemaking / te mātai āhuatanga; wellbeing / hauora