Visualising the Voices of Nursing: A Co-Designed Video's Impact on Understanding Nurses' COVID- 19 Experiences

Background – Nurses were at the forefront of managing the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland commissioned a longitudinal qualitative survey using the Cognitive Edge SenseMaker® tool to capture nurses' experiences of delivering care from April 2020 to March 2021. Aim - To explore the impact of a co-designed video based on the findings of SenseMaker® the lived experience of nurses in Northern Ireland during the 2020/2021 global pandemic. Method - Quotes were systematically selected from the SenseMaker® report of nurses’ (n = 676) experiences during COVID-19. Two co-design workshops were conducted (1) Content development and script writing and (2) Feedback and revisions. The video was filmed and edited in the School of Drama, Queen’s University Belfast. The live launch event took place in the Royal College of Nursing conference venue on 8th February 2024. Data to gauge the impact of the video was gathered via audience participation, MS Teams Version 1.7. chat participation, Mentimeter poll and MS forms survey. The link for the video and survey was accessible to the public via the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University Belfast website after the launch event. The findings were analysed using systematic text condensation using NVivo version 1.6. The study was approved by the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences research committee at Queen’s University Belfast following peer review (REC Reference: MHLS 23_100). Results − 28 participants completed the survey; 30 participants attended the live event. Overall, the video-based monologues effectively conveyed the emotional impact and lived experiences of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four themes emerged - personal reflection and emotional impact, connection and solidarity amidst disappointment, moral injury and resentment, lessons learned and the need for change. Conclusion - Wider dissemination of the co-created video-based narratives, with focus on advocacy to policy makers is needed to prioritise the emotional well-being of nurses and other professionals. There is potential in using video-based monologies to facilitate positive change and better support for professionals, including nursing students in future crises. Further research is needed to assess the broader impact of such healthcare-related research methodologies.