nursing professional issues essays

Top Nursing Argumentative Essay Topics: Engage in Thought-Provoking Debates

This article was written in collaboration with Christine T. and ChatGPT, our little helper developed by OpenAI.

Nursing is a diverse and evolving field, constantly presenting new challenges and debates. As a nursing student or professional, engaging in these discussions allows you to develop critical thinking and writing skills while expanding your field knowledge. This blog post will explore various nursing argumentative essay topics to help you find inspiration for your next paper.

Patient Care and Ethics

• The ethics of administering experimental treatments to terminally ill patients
• Balancing patient autonomy and nurse responsibility in care decisions
• Addressing cultural and religious beliefs in end-of-life care
• The role of informed consent in patient care and treatment decisions
• Ethical considerations in the allocation of scarce medical resources
• The ethics of withholding information from patients for their benefit
• Patient privacy and confidentiality in the age of electronic health records
• Comparing faith practices in healthcare: Sikhism, Judaism, Bahaism, and Christianity
• The ethics of using restraints in patient care
• The ethical implications of non-compliance with prescribed treatments
• The role of nursing in advocating for patients’ rights
• Ethical considerations in caring for patients with mental health disorders
• The ethics of mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers
• Addressing moral distress among nurses in patient care situations
• The ethics of caring for patients who refuse life-saving treatments
• The role of advance directives in ethical decision-making for patient care
• Ethical considerations in the care of patients with substance use disorders
• The ethics of healthcare rationing in times of crisis
• The ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies
• Addressing ethical dilemmas in neonatal and pediatric nursing
• The ethics of pain management in nursing practice
• Pediatric oncology: working towards better treatment through evidence-based research
• Ethical considerations in the care of patients with dementia and cognitive decline
• The ethics of genetic testing and personalized medicine in patient care
• The ethical implications of clinical trials and research involving human subjects
• The role of nursing in addressing ethical issues related to organ transplantation
• Ethical considerations in the care of prisoners and detainees
• The ethics of involuntary treatment and psychiatric care
• Euthanasia: an analysis of utilitarian approach
• Addressing ethical challenges in the care of patients with disabilities
• The ethical implications of medical tourism and cross-border healthcare
• The role of nursing in addressing ethical issues related to global health
• Ethical considerations in the care of military veterans and their families
• The ethics of surrogate decision-making in patient care
• Addressing ethical challenges in the care of patients with chronic and terminal illnesses
• The role of nursing in promoting patient advocacy and self-determination
• Ethical considerations in the care of patients with rare diseases and conditions
• The ethics of care rationing in the context of an aging population
• The role of nursing in addressing ethical issues related to access to healthcare
• Ethical considerations in the care of patients during public health emergencies
• The ethics of triage and prioritization of care in emergencies
• The role of nursing in promoting environmental sustainability and addressing ethical issues related to climate change
• Ethical challenges in the care of patients at the end of life

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Technological Advancements in Nursing

• The impact of electronic health records on nursing practice and patient care
• The role of telemedicine in expanding access to healthcare services
• How wearables and remote monitoring devices are changing nursing care
• The integration of artificial intelligence in nursing practice and decision-making
• The use of virtual reality in nursing education and training
• Ethical considerations in the use of advanced technologies in nursing practice
• The role of robotics in patient care and nursing support
• The impact of mobile health apps on nursing practice and patient engagement
• The use of big data and analytics in improving patient outcomes and nursing practice
• The role of 3D printing in medical device innovation and patient care
• The integration of telehealth in the management of chronic conditions
• The use of social media and online platforms for professional development and networking in nursing
• Usability, integration, and interoperability of healthcare technology
• The impact of advanced diagnostics and imaging technologies on nursing practice
• The role of blockchain technology in improving healthcare data security and management
• The use of gamification in nursing education and patient engagement
• The impact of technology on nursing workflow and time management
• The role of virtual assistants and chatbots in patient care and nursing support
• Clinical laboratory IT security: challenges, implications, and solutions
• The use of augmented reality in nursing education and practice
• The integration of telepsychiatry and mental health services in nursing care
• The impact of technology on nurse-patient communication and relationship-building
• The role of electronic prescribing and medication management systems in reducing medication errors
• The use of telemonitoring and remote care in the management of high-risk pregnancies
• The impact of technology on infection control and prevention in healthcare settings
• The role of smart home technologies in supporting aging-in-place and home-based care
• The use of technology in promoting self-care and patient empowerment
• Safeguarding patient information: nursing informatics best practices for privacy and security in healthcare
• The integration of genomics and personalized medicine in nursing practice
• The role of technology in addressing healthcare disparities and promoting health equity
• The impact of technology on nursing workforce planning and resource allocation
• The use of predictive analytics in identifying high-risk patients and improving care coordination
• The role of technology in promoting interprofessional collaboration and communication in healthcare
• The impact of technology on nursing education and the development of future nursing competencies
• The role of technology in supporting disaster response and emergency preparedness in nursing
• The use of technology in promoting patient safety and reducing medical errors
• The impact of technology on nursing leadership and management
• The role of technology in addressing the social determinants of health and promoting community health
• The integration of technology in palliative and end-of-life care
• The use of technology in enhancing patient engagement and satisfaction in nursing care
• The role of technology in promoting evidence-based practice and research in nursing
• The impact of technology on nursing ethics and professional boundaries
• The role of technology in addressing the global nursing shortage and promoting workforce sustainability

Nursing Education and Professional Development

• The role of simulation-based learning in nursing education
• The impact of online learning on nursing education outcomes
• Integrating cultural competence in nursing curricula
• Strategies for promoting lifelong learning in nursing practice
• The role of mentorship in nursing professional development
• Addressing the transition from student nurse to professional nurse
• The impact of interprofessional education on nursing practice and patient outcomes
• The role of nursing preceptorship in clinical education
• Strategies for reducing nursing student attrition and promoting retention
• The integration of evidence-based practice in nursing education
• The role of reflective practice in nursing professional development
• Addressing the nursing faculty shortage: Challenges and solutions
• The impact of standardized testing on nursing education and practice
• The role of nursing leadership development in healthcare transformation
• Strategies for enhancing critical thinking skills in nursing education
• Global health learning in nursing and health care disparities
• The impact of clinical experience on nursing students’ confidence and competence
• The role of continuing education in maintaining nursing competency and licensure
• Addressing the needs of diverse learners in nursing education
• The impact of technology on nursing education and the development of digital literacy skills
• Digital healthcare and organizational learning: enhancing patient care through technology and knowledge management
• The role of nursing education in promoting health literacy and patient education
• Strategies for promoting resilience and self-care in nursing education
• The impact of global health experiences on nursing students’ cultural competence and professional development
• The role of nurse educators in shaping the future of nursing practice
• Addressing the challenges of teaching nursing ethics and professional values
• The impact of accreditation standards on nursing education and program quality
• The role of professional nursing organizations in supporting continuing education and development
• Strategies for fostering a culture of learning and professional growth in nursing practice
• The impact of nursing education on patient outcomes and quality of care
• The role of nursing education in addressing healthcare disparities and promoting health equity
• The integral role of nurses in healthcare systems: the importance of education and experience
• Addressing the challenges of teaching and assessing clinical judgment in nursing education
• The impact of nursing education on workforce development and nursing shortages
• The role of nursing education in promoting environmental sustainability and planetary health
• Strategies for promoting effective communication and teamwork in nursing education
• The impact of nursing education on patient safety and error prevention
• The role of nursing education in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare
• Addressing the needs of adult learners and nontraditional students in nursing education
• The impact of nursing education on interprofessional collaboration and healthcare team dynamics
• The role of nursing education in promoting ethical decision-making and moral courage in practice
• Strategies for enhancing nursing students’ clinical reasoning and decision-making skills
• The impact of nursing education on the development of professional identity and role socialization

Healthcare Policies and Nursing Practice

• The role of nurses in shaping healthcare policy and advocating for reform
• The impact of the Affordable Care Act on nursing practice and patient care
• Addressing the nursing shortage: policy initiatives and workforce strategies
• Understanding the impact of the American Healthcare System Regulatory Acts
• The role of nursing scope of practice regulations on healthcare delivery and outcomes
• The impact of healthcare reimbursement policies on nursing practice and patient care
• The role of nursing in addressing the opioid crisis: policy and practice implications
• The impact of public health policies on nursing practice and community health
• The role of nursing in promoting healthcare access and reducing disparities
• The impact of healthcare quality and safety regulations on nursing practice
• The role of nursing in implementing evidence-based practice guidelines and policies
• The impact of health information technology policies on nursing practice and patient care
• The role of nursing in addressing social determinants of health through policy and practice interventions
• The impact of nurse staffing regulations on patient outcomes and workforce planning
• The role of nursing in promoting health literacy and patient-centered care through policy and practice initiatives
• Healthcare management: career paths and requirements
• The impact of healthcare privacy and confidentiality policies on nursing practice and patient trust
• The role of nursing in promoting environmental sustainability and climate change policies in healthcare
• The impact of healthcare workforce diversity policies on nursing practice and cultural competence
• The role of nursing in promoting global health and addressing international healthcare challenges
• The impact of mental health policies on nursing practice and the care of patients with mental health disorders
• The role of nursing in promoting value-based care and payment models in healthcare
• The impact of healthcare cost containment policies on nursing practice and resource allocation
• The role of nursing in promoting patient safety and quality improvement through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare reform on nursing education and workforce development
• Understanding the US health care reform: necessity, challenges, and implementation
• The role of nursing in promoting health equity and addressing healthcare disparities through policy and practice interventions
• The impact of healthcare policies on nursing leadership and management roles
• The role of nursing in promoting interprofessional collaboration and teamwork through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on the integration of technology in nursing practice and patient care
• The role of nursing in promoting ethical decision-making and moral courage through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in rural and underserved communities
• The role of nursing in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare through policy and practice initiatives
• Combating health care-associated infections: a community-based approach
• The impact of healthcare policies on advanced practice nursing roles and scope of practice
• The role of nursing in promoting palliative and end-of-life care through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on infection control and prevention in nursing practice and patient care
• The role of nursing in addressing the challenges of an aging population through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in the care of patients with chronic and complex conditions
• The role of nursing in promoting patient advocacy and self-determination through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in disaster response and emergency preparedness
• The role of nursing in promoting evidence-based practice and research through policy and practice initiatives
• The impact of healthcare policies on nursing practice in the care of vulnerable and high-risk populations
• The role of nursing in addressing the global nursing shortage and promoting workforce sustainability through policy and practice initiatives

Cultural Competence and Health Equity

• The role of cultural competence in reducing healthcare disparities
• Integrating cultural competence into nursing education and practice
• Addressing implicit bias in nursing practice and patient care
• The impact of cultural competence on patient satisfaction and outcomes
• The role of nursing in promoting health literacy among diverse populations
• Strategies for effective communication with patients from diverse backgrounds
• Mental health and gender inequality
• The impact of cultural competence on nurse-patient relationship-building and trust
• The role of nursing in addressing social determinants of health and promoting health equity
• Addressing the challenges of providing culturally competent care in rural and remote settings
• The impact of cultural competence on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• Bridging the gap: tackling maternal and child health disparities between developed and underdeveloped countries
• The role of nursing in promoting cultural competence in healthcare organizations
• Addressing health disparities among LGBTQ+ populations through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on the prevention and management of chronic diseases
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent mental health care
• Addressing health disparities among immigrant and refugee populations through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on patient safety and error prevention
• The role of nursing in promoting cultural competence in palliative and end-of-life care
• Addressing health disparities among indigenous populations through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on the care of patients with disabilities
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care for patients with substance use disorders
• Addressing health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on the care of patients with rare diseases and conditions
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care in global health settings
• Addressing the challenges of providing culturally competent care in disaster response and emergency preparedness
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing leadership and management
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care in the context of an aging population
• Addressing health disparities among low-income populations through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing practice in the care of patients with complex and chronic conditions
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care for military veterans and their families
• Addressing health disparities among women and girls through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing practice in the care of patients with infectious diseases
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care for incarcerated individuals and detainees
• Addressing health disparities among individuals with limited English proficiency through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing practice in the care of patients at the end of life
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care in the context of climate change and environmental health
• Addressing health disparities among individuals experiencing homelessness through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing practice in the care of patients with traumatic experiences
• The role of nursing in promoting culturally competent care in the context of medical tourism and cross-border healthcare
• Addressing health disparities among individuals with low health literacy through culturally competent nursing care
• The impact of cultural competence on nursing practice in the care of vulnerable and high-risk populations

Mental Health and Burnout in Nursing

• The prevalence of burnout among nursing professionals
• Strategies for preventing and addressing nurse burnout
• The impact of nurse burnout on patient care and outcomes
• The role of nursing leadership in addressing mental health and burnout
• Promoting self-care and resilience among nursing professionals
• The impact of nurse burnout on job satisfaction and retention
• The role of nursing education in addressing mental health and burnout
• Strategies for fostering a healthy work-life balance in nursing
• The impact of nurse burnout on interprofessional collaboration and teamwork
• The role of peer support and mentorship in addressing mental health and burnout
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing errors and patient safety
• The role of workplace wellness programs in addressing mental health and burnout
• Strategies for managing stress and anxiety in nursing practice
• The impact of nurse burnout on professional development and career progression
• The role of professional nursing organizations in addressing mental health and burnout
• The impact of nurse burnout on healthcare costs and resource allocation
• The role of nursing research in understanding and addressing mental health and burnout
• Strategies for promoting emotional intelligence and self-awareness in nursing practice
• The impact of nurse burnout on the nursing workforce and workforce planning
• The role of nursing in promoting mental health and well-being among patients and families
• The impact of nurse burnout on ethical decision-making and moral distress
• The role of nursing in addressing mental health disparities and stigma
• Strategies for promoting a culture of empathy and compassion in nursing practice
• The impact of nurse burnout on nurse-patient communication and relationship-building
• The role of nursing in addressing mental health needs in rural and underserved communities
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing advocacy and policy engagement
• The role of nursing in promoting mental health and well-being in global health settings
• Strategies for addressing mental health and burnout among nursing students and new graduates
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing education and faculty well-being
• The role of nursing in addressing mental health needs in disaster response and emergency preparedness
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing practice in the care of patients with mental health disorders
• The role of nursing in promoting mental health and well-being in the context of an aging population
• Strategies for addressing mental health and burnout among advanced practice nurses
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing practice in the care of patients with chronic and complex conditions
• The role of nursing in promoting mental health and well-being among military veterans and their families
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing practice in the care of patients with substance use disorders
• The role of nursing in addressing mental health needs in the context of climate change and environmental health
• Strategies for addressing mental health and burnout among nurses working with vulnerable and high-risk populations
• The impact of nurse burnout on nursing practice in the care of patients at the end of life
• The role of nursing in promoting mental health and well-being in the context of healthcare innovation and change

Now that you have a list of thought-provoking nursing argumentative essay topics, you can engage in meaningful debates and expand your knowledge in the field. Consider various perspectives, use credible sources to support your arguments, and practice clear, concise writing. Happy writing!

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30 Examples of How to Demonstrate Professionalism in Nursing

Whether you are a nursing student or a nurse with several years of experience, you know that professionalism is a significant trait all nurses should have. While nurses are referred to as healthcare professionals, many do not understand the concept of what true professionalism encompasses. Maybe you have asked yourself, "What is professionalism in nursing?” In this article, you will find information about nursing professionalism, including 30 examples of how to demonstrate professionalism in nursing. As you continue reading, keep in mind that each nurse is responsible for developing professional characteristics and implementing those characteristics into daily practice.

What Is Professionalism In Nursing?

Who determines the standards of professionalism in nursing, 10 reasons why professionalism is so important in nursing, what are the 7 key elements of professionalism in nursing, 1. leadership:, 2. professional values:, 3. professional development:, 4. basic care competency:, 5. altruism:, 6. social justice:, 7. human dignity:, how to demonstrate professionalism in nursing, example #1: learn effective communication, how to demonstrate it in nursing practice:, why is it important in nursing:, example #2: show compassion, example #3: participate in interdisciplinary collaboration, example #4: be accountable, example #5: never stop learning, example #6: have a positive attitude, example #7: provide high-quality patient care, example #8: dress the part, example #9: be ethical, example #10: practice cultural awareness, example #11: have a “patients first” mindset, example #12: mentor other nurses, example #13: practice integrity, example #14: be detail-oriented, example #15: become a critical-thinker, example #16: help resolve conflicts, example #17: be adaptable, example #18: lead by example, example #19: make yourself a priority by practicing self-care, example #20: show respect and appreciation to your co-workers, example #21: be a faithful patient advocate, example #22: show up for work, example #23: promote safe nursing practices, example #24: pursue personal growth and development, example #25: be willing to show empathy, example #26: be sympathetic to others, example #27: practice resilience, example #28: exercise your right to practice autonomously, example #29: be confident in your abilities, example #30: be willing to accept constructive criticism and advice, what are some examples of unprofessionalism in nursing, 1. participating in or causing conflict among team members:, 2. missing work unnecessarily:, 3. not protecting patient privacy and confidentiality:, 4. taking credit for someone else’s work:, 5. avoiding responsibilities:, 6. providing misleading or false information:, 7. abandoning patient care:, 8. accepting an unsafe patient assignment:, 9. failure to maintain professional boundaries with clients or their families:, 10. using unsafe practices:, consequences of unprofessional conduct in nursing, 1. increased absenteeism:, 2. hostility among staff:, 3. disciplinary action:, 4. loss of license:, 5. damaged professional reputation:, 5 most-common challenges to professionalism in nursing practice and how to overcome them, challenge #1: maintaining positive relationships with unprofessional peers, what is it:, how to overcome:, challenge #2: knowing where to draw the line with nurse-patient relationships, challenge #3: dealing with rude patients, challenge #4: unprofessional work environment, challenge #5: emotionally charged situations, 5 tips to enhance professionalism with patients in nursing practice, 1. make patient care a priority., 2. take time to hear what your patient needs to say., 3. speak up on your patient’s behalf., 4. protect your patient’s privacy., 5. demonstrate high standards of care., 5 tips to enhance professionalism with co-workers in nursing practice, 1. be honest with yourself., 2. encourage and participate in team collaboration., 3. recognize the accomplishments and contributions of your co-workers., 4. be accountable to your team members., 5. invite co-workers to join professional nursing associations with you., bonus useful resources to learn more about professionalism in nursing, blogs/websites, youtube videos, my final thoughts, frequently asked questions answered by our expert, 1. does nursing require a higher level of professionalism compared to other healthcare careers, 2. what are professional boundaries in nursing, 3. why nurses should set boundaries to maintain professionalism in nursing, 4. what is professional presence in nursing, 5. what is professional misconduct in nursing, 6. what is personal and professional development in nursing, 7. what is professional caring in nursing, 8. what is professional communication in nursing, 9. what is professional competence in nursing, 10. what is professional advocacy in nursing, 11.what is professional accountability in nursing, 12.what is professional socialization in nursing, 13.how does professionalism in nursing influence health policy, 14.how complaining in the nursing profession hurts professionalism, 15.how should professionalism be evaluated in nursing, 16.how do nursing schools teach professionalism, 17.what are the top 3 professional goals every nursing student should aim for.

Issues and Trends in Nursing Education Essay

Distance learning is one of the measures that students and tutors have taken to maintain the continuity of education after the pandemic. It is the aspect that students are separated from their tutors (Costa et al., 2020). Initially, students could be contacted through email about topics, course materials and the syllabus. In years to come, distance learning might impact nursing education positively and negatively. Professionals should anticipate the changes and adjust accordingly.

Distance learning is significant in many ways to nursing education. First, it offers flexibility as students can earn their degrees without their physical appearance on college campuses. Secondly, it is affordable to students who have a passion for nursing yet cannot afford fees for going to the physical address of their campuses. Moreover, most nursing colleges offer quality services for distance learning students with dynamic and easily accessible online programs (Sadeghi, 2019). Finally, it helps an individual gain personal growth by attaining skills in time management, research, communications, experience and leadership.

As a nursing educator, distance learning will impact my experience significantly. I will be able to offer services with improved accessibility to various groups of individuals in miscellaneous settings that include remote areas (Qazi et al.,2021). Moreover, it will be an excellent opportunity to interact with individuals who lack the opportunity to join a nursing career, yet they can study through the initiative. Thus, it will increase diversity in my profession and other nursing educators.

On the downside, distance learning is disadvantageous since students face a risk of online interruptions. They also lack motivation and lose track of meeting deadlines, which can also be an issue to nurse educators. Moreover, distance learning is expensive as it comes with regular computer maintenance, internet expenses, reliable computers and web cameras (Sadeghi, 2019). In my opinion, students should be offered tablets and only nudge in distance learning when they can manage the expenses that accompany it.

Costa, R. D., Souza, G. F., Valentim, R. A., & Castro, T. B. (2020). The theory of learning styles applied to distance learning . Cognitive Systems Research , 64 , 134-145. Web.

Qazi, A., Qazi, J., Naseer, K., Zeeshan, M., Qazi, S., Abayomi-Alli, O.,& Haruna, K. (2021). Adaption of distance learning to continue the academic year amid COVID-19 lockdown . Children and Youth Services Review , 126 , 106038. Web.

Sadeghi, M. (2019). A shift from classroom to distance learning: Advantages and limitations . International Journal of Research in English Education , 4 (1), 80–88. Web.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Issues and Trends in Nursing Education." April 23, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/issues-and-trends-in-nursing-education/.

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• Open access
• Published: 03 May 2024

Clinical nursing competency during epidemics: a qualitative content analysis

• Leila Abadian 1 ,
• Negin Masoudi Alavi 1 &
• Zahra Tagharrobi 1  

BMC Nursing volume  23 , Article number:  306 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

179 Accesses

Metrics details

Nurses are on the frontline for managing epidemic diseases. Different aspects of clinical nursing competencies during epidemics are important issues that need investigation.

The aim of this study was to determine the required clinical competencies for nurses during epidemics. Understanding these competencies could provide valuable information for health care services and nursing education organizations to prepare nurses for future epidemics.

The qualitative conventional content analysis study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 12 nurses that were actively engaged in providing patient care during COVID-19 pandemic in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kashan/Iran, from October 2022 to March 2023. The data analysis process was conducted according to 5 steps suggested by Graneheim and Lundman.

After analysis, the 159 competencies were derived from interviews that were categorized to 11 subcategories, and three categories of clinical nursing skills in epidemics, knowledge of epidemics, and soft skills for nurses in epidemics.

Nurses need wide range of competencies to address the professional expectations regarding providing acceptable care during epidemics. Knowing these competencies can help nursing managers to prepare nurses for crisis such as what world experienced during COVID-19 pandemic.

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Introduction

Infectious diseases outbreaks are threatening people’s physical, mental, and social health. They also disrupt the economic, cultural, and political balance of the society. Nurses play a major role in controlling and managing infection outbreaks [ 1 ]. The studies have shown that high quality nursing care could decrease the rate of mortality during epidemics by 70% [ 2 ].

Competency is an ability that is achieved through experience and learning. International Council of Nurses has defined the main competencies of nursing as the ability to make the right decision at critical times, protecting safety, and appropriate clinical skills [ 3 ]. Nurses need special competencies to ensure their quality of care in epidemics. Previous studies are mostly about the competencies of nurses in routine situations. Providing patient-oriented care, being professional, using technology and informatics, evidence-based functioning, leadership, having communication skills, and teamwork ability are the main competencies in routine nursing care [ 4 ]. Few studies have been conducted about nurses’ competencies during a crisis. The six core competencies of nurses in crisis and disasters management have been defined as: task and resource management, situational awareness, teamwork, communication, control of emotions, and leadership [ 5 ]. The ability of the nurse to recognize signs of clinical deterioration, interpret the assessment data, and arrive to sound clinical judgement promptly is considered a cornerstone of managing patients in crisis [ 6 ]. Competencies of nurses in routine situations, and the specific competencies during crisis are important but cannot cover all the aspects of nurses’ job demands during outbreaks of infectious diseases. As was experienced during COVID-19 pandemic, there would be overload of patients in emergency wards and ICUs, and considerable shortages in staff, space and equipment [ 7 ]. Nurses should provide a high quality care for the patients in spite of these shortages, and on the other hand, overcome their own concerns and fears. They should take care of critical patients under tough circumstances while using personal protective devices. Nurses have stated that they felt like being in the warzone [ 8 ]. .

In epidemics, nurses need more competencies, such as knowledge of infectious diseases, and using personal protective equipment correctly [ 9 ]. In a qualitative study, the nursing students noted that they should possess the competencies of managing emotional experiences, implementing strategies to control and prevent infections, and the ability to participate in social anti-epidemic activities during COVID-19 epidemic [ 10 ] Another study showed that the nurses’ competencies of interpersonal relationships and desire to doing research were improved during the COVID-19 outbreak [ 11 ]. Lack of adequate experience and education during biological crises, are the main obstacle for providing effective care [ 12 ]. During COVID-19 pandemic, nurses faced a situation that they had never experienced before in terms of intensity and duration, and their competencies in providing quality care were challenged. The competencies of nurses during epidemics, and their experiences in this area have not been fully investigated. Determining these aspects could provide valuable information for the authorities and educators to prepare nurses for future epidemics. The present study was a qualitative conventional content analysis study that was conducted to determine the required clinical competencies of nurses during epidemics.

Research design

This study used a qualitative approach with conventional content analysis. This method is generally used to describe a concept or phenomenon, when existing theory or research literature on the subject is limited. In conventional content analysis, codes, categories and subcategories are obtained directly from interviews or group discussions [ 13 ]. The researchers wanted to qualitatively study the experiences of the nurses during COVID-19 pandemic to identify the competencies that nurses should have to successfully manage patients during epidemics when there is a chaotic situation.

Research participants and settings

Participants were nurses who were working for at least 6 months during the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed to share their experiences. The purposive sampling was used to select nurses with various positions and experiences. To have the highest diversity, researchers tried to invite participants from different wards, and from both genders. In addition, nurses who had significant performance during the pandemic according to the colleagues were invited for the study. For example, the first participant was a 27-year-old nurse with 4 years’ clinical experience, who volunteered to work in COVID-19 ward from the beginning to the end of the pandemic. The second participant was 46-year-old nurse with 17 years’ clinical experience in an emergency ward who, according to her colleagues, was the main supporter and leader of the younger nurses during the pandemic. All the nurses were working in Shahid Beheshti hospital of Kashan/Iran, which is the only general governmental hospital in Kashan Province, with 740 beds that provides health care services to 400,000 residents. During the pandemic, this hospital was the center for providing services to COVID-19 patients. This study was carried out from October 2022 to March 2023.

Data collection

Data was collected through individual semi-structured in-depth interviews, supported by field notes. All the interviews were conducted by the first author. First, she made a telephone call to the nurses and introduced herself, and arranged for a face-to-face interview. The participants were informed about the objective of the study and informed consent was obtained along with the permission to audio record the interviews. The interviews were carried out in the silent room in the hospital at the times that were appropriate for participants. The interviews included open questions. The nurses were asked about their experiences during COVID-19 pandemic. The key questions were as follows:

Would you please explain one of your work days during the COVID-19 pandemic?

What clinical competencies helped you during the pandemic to provide better care for patients?

Explain your experiences of caring for patients during the pandemic?

What problems did you experience as a nurse during the pandemic?

Can you talk about your colleagues that were known as very good and successful nurses during pandemic? Why do you think they were iconic? Can you give an example?

The probing questions were used during interviews to obtain more information and resolve the ambiguity in the information provided.

Data analysis and trustworthiness

The demographics of participants including sex, age, work experience, marriage, and hospital departments were recorded and analyzed descriptively. The qualitative data analysis process was conducted according to 5 steps suggested by Graneheim and Lundman [ 14 ]. In the first step, the first and second authors listened to the recorded interviews several times. Later, the interviews were transcribed by the first author. In the second step, the texts of the interviews were read several times to distinguish meaning units that were parts of the interviews that had a specific message related to the subject (the indicators related to nursing clinical competencies in epidemics). In the third step, texts were read word by word, and initial codes were retrieved. In the fourth step, the codes were categorized based on similarities and relations in abstract classes. In the final step the main conceptual categories and sub-categories were formed. An example of data analysis can be seen in Table  1 . For data management, MAXQDA 20 software was used.

To confirm the trustworthiness of the study, Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were used, including credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability [ 15 ]. Data credibility was achieved by prolonged engagement of the researchers with the subject, using 2 pilot interviews, checking the interviews and analysis by some participants, and frequent debriefing session with project members. The dependability of the study was assured by developing a detailed track record of the data collection process, and measuring coding accuracy by the third author. The confirmability was assured by implementing reflexive weekly meetings of the investigators. The transferability was achieved by inviting participants with a variety of experiences using purposive sampling, and data saturation.

Ethical considerations

The present study was approved by the ethics committee of the Kashan University of Medical Sciences under the ethics code of IR.KAUMS.NUHEPM.REC.1401.030. Before starting the study, the goals of the study were explained for the participants. Also, the participants were assured that their data would remain confidential and would only be used regarding the goals of the study. Informed consent was obtained from the participants. Interviews were conducted based on the time schedule of the participants. The Helsinki declaration was respected in this study.

The interviews were conducted with 12 nurses (8 females and 4 males). The mean age of the participants was 32.75 ± 7.74 years (Range 26–47) and their work experience was 8.83 ± 4.8 years (Range 4–18). The 10 participants were clinical nurses (from intensive care units, emergency, internal, surgical and pediatric departments), 1 was matron and 1 was supervisor. Eight nurses were married. The duration of interviews was between 35 and 60 min. After 10 interviews, no new code was extracted, but interviews continued with 2 more participants to assure data saturation.

After analysis, the 159 competencies were derived from interviews that were categorized to 11 subcategories, and 3 categories (Table  2 ):

Clinical nursing skills in epidemics.

Knowledge of epidemics.

Soft skills for nurses in epidemics.

Clinical nursing skills in epidemics

Clinical nursing skills means, the psychomotor, and technical abilities of nurses to successfully manage patients during epidemics. The participants mentioned wide range of clinical competencies that made the subcategories of: respiratory system management skills, general nursing skills, infection control skills, and ability to work in multiple departments.

The skills of intubation, working with devices such as ventilators, CPAP, Bipap, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and doing postural drainage were some respiratory system management skills that nurses should have to work efficiently in respiratory infection outbreaks. A 32 male nurse stated: “During corona, there were times that several patients needed intubation at the same time. A nurse should have the capability to manage airway by himself, you couldn’t expect help from physicians and other more experienced colleagues.”

The patient assessment, hand hygiene, documentation, IV therapy, and drug administration were some general nursing skills that helped nurses to manage epidemics. A 47-year-old male nurse said: “Our experienced nurses were very helpful, I remember we had a patient, that only Mr.…. could find his veins for IV therapy. One time he inserted a green cannula to the jugular vein.”

Effective disinfection, wearing personal protective devices, patient isolation, and managing infectious deceased patients were some skills of infection control. The ability to work in multiple departments seems to be crucial for nurses during epidemics, according to the interviews. A 28 years old female nurse stated that: “I think it is very important that all the nurses rotate in different wards. When someone has worked for 20 or 14 years in surgical or internal wards and all of a sudden she/he has to work in COVID-19 department, it is clear that she cannot handle it.” Another participant stated that: “ During COVID pandemic, nurses who had worked at different wards were more successful. Well, I have learned a lot during the pandemic, it was like 5 or 6 years of clinical experience.”

Knowledge of epidemics

Nurses should have an acceptable knowledge about infectious diseases, and epidemiology principals. More important, when managing little-known infectious diseases, they should update their information, and provide an evidence based nursing care. The sub-categories of being update, and knowledge of infectious diseases made this category. At the beginning of the epidemics, the knowledge about the transmission, the incubation period, the effective treatments, and the complications were limited. So the health care team, including nurses, should have updated their knowledge about the disease.

In this regard, one of the participants stated: “We were in the middle of the emergency ward and had no information about the disease. We had to try to find new information about it, so that we could provide care for the patients.” Another participant said: “In the beginning of the COVID there were many misconceptions about the disease and its transfer and treatment. Patients were continuously asking questions. Nurses should have reliable information to help people.” The appropriate knowledge about the microbiology, the ways of transmission and managing infectious diseases are essential for nurses.

Soft skills for nurses in epidemics

During epidemics, nurses are expected to have different competencies that can be categorized as soft skills in epidemics. These include leadership, organizational, communication, critical thinking, conflict management, problem solving, resilience, stress management, high internal motivations, accountability, adaptability, and creativity and artistic vision. For example, during recent pandemic general wards changed to COVID-19 wards that needed management and organizational skills. During COVID-19 pandemic, there were considerable shortage of the nurses, at the other hand nursing students, and ordinary people came to hospitals as volunteers that needed organizational competencies. The soft skills help nurses to manage chaotic situations, and communicate effectively with other professionals and stakeholders. The subcategories were internal and external professional communication, crises management and leadership, resilience and endurance, self-actualization, creativity and artistic vision.

Regarding leadership, a 28-year-old female nurse said: “There was serious nursing shortage in the hospital, some nurses got sick, and some were so terrified that left the job. Some nursing students volunteered, and some nurses from ENT hospital transferred to this hospital. It was very important to manage this wide range of staff with different experiences, and more important, it was crucial that we as nurse support each other.” Another participant stated: “During the epidemic, the nurses and physicians became very close. We were all frightened, and didn’t know what to do. That look from up to dawn that physicians usually have disappeared. The communication was much better.” Regarding crises management, one of the participants said: “I was working at the pediatric ward, but when the hospital was loaded with COVID patients, they brought adult patients to our ward, but we had no basic equipment for the adults. We didn’t have any adult ambo bags. They had no plans. I even remember that the first day that we were admitting the adult patients, they started to change the pediatric beds with adult beds.”

Nurses with higher resilience, courage, accountability, and altruism were more successful in working during epidemics. A participants stated: “One of my colleagues who was really successful in caring for patients, was kind and passionate, and you could trust her. During the time of Corona, I saw her several times on the emergency ward transferring patients with wheelchairs and feeding them, at the time when even families were frightened and didn’t come to visit. She devoted herself to the patients.” Another participant said: “My wife was infected with COVID, my 13-year-old son was infected twice, but I never left my work even for a day. At that time, all we could think about was our patients, and we could not think about ourselves. However, every patient is a family’s father, someone’s child.”

The present study was conducted to determine different aspects of nursing clinical competency during epidemics, by reviewing the experiences of nurses during COVID-19 pandemic. The clinical competencies in epidemics can be categorized into 3 dimensions of clinical nursing skills in epidemics, knowledge of epidemics, and soft skills for nurses in epidemics. The illustration of the dimensions can be seen in Fig.  1 .

The illustration of nursing competencies in epidemics

A scoping review has defined 5 common domains of nurses’ competencies in public health emergencies as communication skills, self-protection skills, basic knowledge of a public health emergency, laws and ethics and the capacity for organizational collaboration [ 16 ]. A Delphi study in China described the infectious disease emergency response competencies for nurses in three domains of knowledge (infectious disease management and occupational protection), attitudes (psychological traits, and professional attitude), and skills (nursing practice, hospital infection management, education, and communication) [ 17 ]. Some domains of these studies show consistency with current study.

Nurses should have the clinical and technical skills to address the caring needs of the patients. A review study showed that there were 17 respiratory guidelines for nurses, that most of them were related to asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. There were 3 guidelines for pneumonia, 2 for Influenza, and 1 for tuberculosis. Only tuberculosis guideline received a high quality rate according to AGREE II criteria [ 18 ]. The respiratory skill guidelines are essential for education and skill development training for nurses to reduce any inconsistencies in the delivery of bedside care to the patient. Nurses should have opportunities to update their knowledge to maintain their ability to carry out technical skills. There are wide range of required nursing skills that don’t have clear or evidence based guidelines.

During epidemics, there is a high risk of respiratory deterioration, and many patients require endotracheal intubation. This technique is done by physicians, or practitioners specifically trained in airway management. Nurses often assist with the procedure [ 19 ]. According to the participants many patients needed intubation during COVID-19 pandemic, when only nurses were available in the ward. It seems more nurses need special training for intubation, and other necessary skills to be prepared for epidemics.

A study in UK showed that from nursing education institutions, just over a third spent over 4 h on respiratory pharmacology, local and national respiratory guidelines and information on pulmonary rehabilitation and other interventions for the management of respiratory conditions [ 20 ]. It seems that training of respiratory management skills need improvement.

Participants mentioned infection control skills as important competencies for nurses during epidemics. A study in Australia and Taiwan showed that experts identified essential infection control competencies for nurses as: hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, standard precautions and additional precautions, basic microbiology, waste management, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization skills. The majority of experts (75.4%) agreed that infection control competency levels of newly graduated nurses were inadequate [ 21 ]. Nurses were the first people to provide care for patients and prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in the hospitals and social environments. Therefore, nurses’ preparation for epidemics is necessary and includes proper use of personal protective equipment to protect themselves. Nurses need to be familiar with infection control guidelines, methods of quarantine, and preventive measures in healthcare environments [ 1 ]. The competencies related to infection control need to be strengthen in nursing curriculum and continuous education.

During epidemics nurses should have a competency to learn, and use update knowledge about the disease and its management. A study in Iran showed that nurses sources of information regarding COVID-19 were the Ministry of Health’s and World Health Organization’s websites (51.2%) followed by social media networks (25.1%), friends and colleagues (12.6%) and online courses (11.1%). This study showed that the majority of nurses had adequate information about the nature of the virus, the most common manifestations, incubation period, and its transmissions. Just half of the nurses answered correctly that most people recover from COVID-19 without the need for special treatment [ 22 ]. In Singapore nurses possessed moderate levels of knowledge about sepsis and confidence in recognizing and responding to patients with sepsis. Only 52.0% could correctly define sepsis [ 23 ]. These study shows that knowledge of nurses in some areas of infectious diseases is not adequate.

The collection of competencies such as leadership, resilience, creativity, and self-actualization, that was labeled as soft skills in current study was essential for nurses to work effectively during pandemics. A study showed that although nurses had good levels of competency during COVID-19 pandemic, but the level of their psychological ability was moderate [ 24 ]. . Another study revealed that nurses’ work stress, occupational burnout and anxiety during the COVID-19 was considerable and could negatively affect the physical and mental health of the novice nurses [ 25 ]. Therefore, competencies in stress management, and ability to work in difficult conditions need improvement.

A review showed that nurses play different roles in crises that need the combination of knowledge, perception and judgement, with cognitive, psychomotor and interpersonal skills [ 26 ]. According to the results of this study, to improve the quality of care for the patients, nurses should be aware of their roles in crises. In a cross-sectional study about the nurses’ perception of the main competencies in disasters (2020), it was revealed that it is necessary to merge disaster management education into the educational curriculum of nursing [ 27 ]. The abilities of crises management and triage, were in line with the present study.

Papadopoulos in 2020, mentioned the concept of cultural competency during the COVID-19 epidemic. The importance of correlation, especially during hard times, has been emphasized. This correlation has helped people to overcome the destructive effects of the pandemic. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare nurses for overcoming the disasters trough cultural competencies and provision of compassionate, and spiritual support [ 28 ]. The world was not prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting prepared for the next great global health disaster should start from now. Nurses have the potential to prevent mortality and suffering, and they are effective member of the healthcare team during epidemics, so they should be prepared adequately for their expected roles. The nursing competencies have been discussed extensively, but there are few studies focusing on the competencies of nurses during epidemics, using the lived experiences of the nurses. We tried to provide the detailed information about the required competencies according to the experiences of the nurses during COVID-19 crisis. This might be the strength of the study.

Implications of the study

According to the findings, the following suggestions are recommended to nursing managers:

Curriculum of nursing education needs improvement in subjects of infection control, isolation, sterilization, disinfection, and respiratory management skills.

More nurses need special training in intubation, respiratory physiotherapy, managing patients with ECMO, and working with ventilators.

It is recommended that nurses spend periodical rotations in emergency departments, and ICUs to be prepared for possible epidemics.

There is a need for developing evidence based guidelines, and update information about infectious disease managements, and crisis management.

Nursing managers, and professional institutes can develop programs to improve soft skills such as stress management, leadership, communication, resilience, and creativity in nurses.

Clinical nurses’ competencies in epidemics need to be evaluated intermittently.

Limitations

One of the limitations of the present study was that only experiences of hospital nurses were obtained, and the experiences of community health nurses, and patients were not considered. Therefore, a study about the nursing competencies with participation of community health nurses and patients can complete the current study.

Three domains of clinical nursing skills, knowledge of epidemics, and soft skills for nurses in epidemics were defined as required competencies in this study. Healthcare authorities should take effective steps toward institutionalizing the required clinical competencies and skills, especially during the time of epidemics. We suggest audits about the effectiveness of interventional programs for improving competencies in nurses. The development of standard scales for measuring the nursing competencies in epidemics also is recommended for future studies.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank and value the insight of the nurses who participated in this study.

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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LA, N.M.A, Z.T contributed in study design. L.A contributed in data collection and wrote the manuscript. N.M.A and Z.T analyzed the data and revised the manuscript. The final manuscript was read and approved by all writers.

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Correspondence to Negin Masoudi Alavi .

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We are thrilled to share that our study was conducted in adherence to the highest ethical standards, as laid out by the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of Kashan University of Medical Sciences (IR.KAUMS.NUHEPM.REC.1401.030) reviewed and approved our project, ensuring that all participants were fully informed and provided written consent. We made it clear that participation was entirely voluntary, and their responses would remain anonymous. We encouraged our participants to withdraw at any time, and for any reason, without fear of repercussion. We feel grateful for the trust and enthusiasm our participants brought to this study.

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Abadian, L., Alavi, N.M. & Tagharrobi, Z. Clinical nursing competency during epidemics: a qualitative content analysis. BMC Nurs 23 , 306 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01977-y

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