Difficulties and distress experienced by Japanese public health nurses specializing in quarantine services when dealing with COVID-19: A qualitative study in peri-urban municipality

Akari Miyazaki; Naoko Kumada Deguchi; Tomoko Omiya; Akari Miyazaki; Naoko Kumada Deguchi; Tomoko Omiya

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2023018

AIMS Public Health

2023, Volume 10, Issue 2: 235-251. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023018

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Difficulties and distress experienced by Japanese public health nurses specializing in quarantine services when dealing with COVID-19: A qualitative study in peri-urban municipality

1.
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, Program in Nursing Science, University of Tsukuba, 1–1–1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305–8575, Japan
2.
Faculty of Education, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka, 422–8529, Japan
3.
Faculty of Medicine, Division on Health Innovation and Nursing, Department of Public Health Nursing, University of Tsukuba, 1–1–1 Tennodai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, 305–8575, Japan

Received: 04 January 2023 Revised: 24 March 2023 Accepted: 30 March 2023 Published: 14 April 2023

Public health nurses (PHNs) are among the few municipal civil servants who lead community infection control and prevention initiatives in Japanese public health centers (PHCs). This study aims to investigate the distress faced by PHNs and clarify their difficulties and working environment relative to infection prevention control activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted a qualitative description methodology in this study of 12 PHNs who were involved in COVID-19 prevention and control in PHCs in Prefecture A. The distress during the early phase of the pandemic was due to the uncertainty of the SARS-CoV-2 related disease, which caused panic in medical institutions and among residents. PHNs were overwhelmed, distressed and exhausted by their inability to control the ‘pandemic’, lack of patient cooperation for prevention control and the unsustainable organizational environment. They were also distressed because they were one of the specialized personnel responsible for saving residents' lives with limited medical resources and while having identity crises due to an inability to carry out the PHN's role of controlling infection in the community. For future crises, rapid, drastic innovation defying conventional organizational systems is critical to reform sustainable organizations so that they play an effective role in the community. Innovation in crisis communication and strengthening the medical system will help achieve a resilient community in a health crisis.
- COVID-19 pandemic,
- public health nurse,
- crisis communication,
- residents,
- resilient organization
Citation: Akari Miyazaki, Naoko Kumada Deguchi, Tomoko Omiya. Difficulties and distress experienced by Japanese public health nurses specializing in quarantine services when dealing with COVID-19: A qualitative study in peri-urban municipality[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2023, 10(2): 235-251. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023018

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Abstract

Public health nurses (PHNs) are among the few municipal civil servants who lead community infection control and prevention initiatives in Japanese public health centers (PHCs). This study aims to investigate the distress faced by PHNs and clarify their difficulties and working environment relative to infection prevention control activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted a qualitative description methodology in this study of 12 PHNs who were involved in COVID-19 prevention and control in PHCs in Prefecture A. The distress during the early phase of the pandemic was due to the uncertainty of the SARS-CoV-2 related disease, which caused panic in medical institutions and among residents. PHNs were overwhelmed, distressed and exhausted by their inability to control the ‘pandemic’, lack of patient cooperation for prevention control and the unsustainable organizational environment. They were also distressed because they were one of the specialized personnel responsible for saving residents' lives with limited medical resources and while having identity crises due to an inability to carry out the PHN's role of controlling infection in the community. For future crises, rapid, drastic innovation defying conventional organizational systems is critical to reform sustainable organizations so that they play an effective role in the community. Innovation in crisis communication and strengthening the medical system will help achieve a resilient community in a health crisis.

Abbreviations

PHN

Public Health Nurse

PHC

Public Health Center

CDC

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19

Coronavirus Disease 2019

SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all survey participants and public health experts in the PHCs for their support. This study was supported by the Gushinkai Grant and the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant from The Japan Science Society (2022–1031). We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

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