The Lived Experience of Health Care Workers during the Coronavirus Outbreak: A Content Analysis Study

Abstract Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Iran is part of the worldwide pandemic of the COVID-19 caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus. The present study has aimed to identify, through a qualitative methodology, the lived experiences of the Health Care Workers (HCWs) who are the most important group to keep others safe, alive, and healthy in the COVID-19 patients' ward in Iran. Method: A conventional content analysis method was conducted on 11 HCWs involved with COVID-19 patients by purposeful sampling. Their experiences were explored through in-depth semi structured interviews. Results: The conventional content analysis revealed five themes: 1- Experiencing psychological distress without sufficient psychological services; 2- Experiencing multiple stressors that gradually reduced; 3- Using coping skills; 4- Family and public support; 5- Media, Medical Community, and Government Officials role Conclusion: It can be concluded that HCWs need bio-psycho-social-spiritual protection from family, public, media, officials and government.