ORCID
- Bridie Kent: 0000-0001-9550-1913
Abstract
Using qualitative interview data (n = 142 interviews) generated with 50 nurses, over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper traces the trajectories of nurses in the UK and attempts to unpick the interplay between structure and agency in their narratives. Interviews were inductively analysed for themes and an additional narrative analysis was undertaken to preserve the form of each participant’s narrative. We argue that nurses’ pandemic trajectories occurred within the ‘psychological vulnerability-stigma nexus’ which operates within health and social care providers in the UK and whilst constraining nurses’ agency at times it could also provide an impetus to act agentically. We found that the nurses’ COVID-19 trajectories were characterised by: getting by, getting out (job-hopping) getting needs met and getting organised. We call for more considered systemic support to be generated and consistently provided to nurses to ensure retention of nurses and the security of society to avoid exacerbating existing workforce shortages.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2024-02-29
Publication Title
PLoS ONE
Volume
19
Issue
2
ISSN
1932-6203
Acceptance Date
2023-11-21
Deposit Date
2026-07-29
Additional Links
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=plymouth_pure&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:001181714500099&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL, https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186273578
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Conolly, A., Maben, J., Abrams, R., Harris, R., Kelly, D., Kent, B., Couper, K., & Rowland, E. (2024) ''There was a pivotal moment'. The dynamics, transitions, adaptations and trajectories of nursing at the front-line in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic', PLoS ONE, 19(2). Available at: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295394
