Nursing leadership in response to the COVID-19 crisis in an Irish independent mental health service

Abstract

Mental health nurses have been at the forefront of adjusting practice during the COVID-19 pandemic through novel means, including the delivery of technology-mediated interventions, upskilling on infection control and adapting practice to ever-changing national guidelines. The aim of this article is to describe an Irish mental health service's adaption to the global pandemic from the perspective of the nurse leadership involved. A case study approach was used describing the degree of adjustment and collaborative practice in ‘tackling the spread’ documented with both staff and service users in mind. The case describes how mental health nurses were central to designing and overseeing the implementation and delivery of numerous initiatives across the service. They were also required to respond quickly and sensitively to service users' needs, while remaining true to the core values of mental health nursing practice. As the backbone of our health service, nurses continue to prove their ability to adapt flexibly, operationalise change at high intensity, provide quality care to service users in a professional and compassionate manner while managing their own safety, fears, personal circumstances and mental health.