Nurses’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a sociopoetic qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze nurses’ self-perceptions of their mental health while working at a university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic; to identify measures adopted for self-care; and to discuss perceived institutional support in response to care needs. Method: This was a participatory qualitative study grounded in the theoretical and methodological approach of sociopoetics as a device for data production, conducted in May 2025. The group discussions were subjected to content analysis. Results: The research group comprised six nurses who worked in units providing care to symptomatic patients at a university hospital in the city of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro. Following the analysis, three categories emerged: a) clothesline of emotions: between fear, exhaustion, and resilience; b) weaving pathways of care with threads of protection; c) protected bodies, invisible emotions. Conclusion: The nurses reported fear, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion; adopted self-care strategies centered on spirituality, physical activity, and strengthening family bonds; and perceived a lack of structured institutional support focused on mental health. These findings reinforce the need to implement permanent institutional psychosocial support strategies.