Roles and experiences of nurses in primary health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Abstract

Background: Nurses form the frontline of the healthcare system’s response to both epidemics and pandemics, and this was especially the case during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Although the influence of COVID-19 on nursing roles has attracted interest, there is no integrated knowledge of nurses’ roles and experiences in primary health care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study identifies the roles and experiences of nurses in primary health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A scoping review study design and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology were used. The study searched five electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and PsychINFO) and included studies published in English from March 2020 to June 2023 that focused on the roles and experiences of nurses (participants) during COVID-19 (concept) in primary health care settings (context). Results: Fourteen articles were selected for review, involving a total of 1,487 nurses as study participants. The various roles undertaken by nurses in primary health care settings were categorized as comprehensive care providers, supporters and empowerers, coordinators and collaborators, information navigators, and change agents. Challenges and strategies are multilevel intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal issues, but are not mutually exclusive. Conclusions: The pandemic-induced challenges revealed primary health care nurses’ vital and indispensable roles and resilience. They also fostered a heightened awareness of technological influence on the progression of primary health care in the current milieu. Policymakers and healthcare organizations need to integrate primary health care nurses’ expanding and emerging roles within the scope of practice, ensuring their effective implementation without excessive regulatory constraints. This study emphasizes the importance of developing multilevel interventions to address the support needs of primary health care nurses through a system-based approach. Building a strong infrastructure to support nurses’ self-care, offering continuing professional development opportunities, and securing official government recognition will be essential for enhancing the resilience of primary healthcare nurses in preparation for future, potentially devastating pandemics.