Critical Care Nurses as Angels and Heroes

Background: There has been increased use of the labels, ‘hero’ and ‘angel’ for nurses especially critical care nurses in the media during the COVID-19 pandemic. While often well intentioned the hero/angel narrative may be not be a helpful depiction of nurses and the nursing profession. Critical care nurses have not been given the opportunity to provide their perspectives feelings about this narrative.

Aim: To explore the perspectives of critical care nurses and their feelings about the angel/hero narrative and the impact on the nursing profession throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Method: A semi-structured qualitative online interview study was conducted with 23 critical care nurses from the UK, Australia and North America. Digital audio data were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis of the transcribed data was performed.

Results: Three key themes were identified: History, Gender and Politics. Overall, the interviewees felt a strong distaste toward the angel narrative but were less vocal about the heroes' narrative. While there was strong disagreement with the nurse as an angel, the interviewers were conflicted about their portrayal as a hero. They felt that risked their life turning up to work with a relatively unknown pathogen. However, critical care nurses quickly felt that respect dwindle, moving to an almost villainization of the nurse–receiving abuse from families they cared for and disrespect from the community who felt they were part of a global conspiracy, or members in the community who actively thwarted public health efforts.
Implications for practise: The media portrayal of nurses and other healthcare workers as angels or heroes normalises the daily risk they have taken during the pandemic.
This rhetoric creates a public expectation of sacrifice and thwarts discussion about the limitations there should be on their duty of care during a pandemic.