Psychiatric nurses’ perceptions and experiences working in a psychiatric institution during the COVID-19 pandemic in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Background: Despite evidence of COVID-19’s impact on healthcare workers, there is limited documentation on psychiatric nurses’ perceptions and experiences working in psychiatric institutions in Gauteng Province during the pandemic. The study aimed to explore and describe psychiatric nurses’ perceptions and experiences working in a psychiatric institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design was employed to explore psychiatric nurses’ perceptions and experiences working in a psychiatric institution during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilising in-depth individual interviews. Data were collected from a specialised tertiary academic psychiatric hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa, between 23 March and 12 September 2023. Ten participants were interviewed. Colaizzi’s seven-step method was used to analyse the transcribed interviews. Results: Four themes and various sub-themes emerged from the interviews: confronting the reality and fear of COVID-19; the psychiatric nurses were not adequately prepared to care for individuals with COVID-19; COVID-19 increased their workload and experienced that it impacted their health negatively; and based on their experiences, psychiatric nurses offered valuable insights that can inform better management strategies for future pandemics in similar environments. Conclusion: This study reveals that South Africa’s psychiatric nurses faced the COVID-19 crisis from a position of vulnerability. The findings highlight how pre-existing burdens, such as poor infrastructure, a lack of equipment, and staff shortages in the South African healthcare system, were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, placing pressure on psychiatric nurses.