A new analysis of 48 qualitative studies looked at the teamwork experiences of ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research identified six main themes: support and understanding from colleagues and management, interpersonal unfamiliarity and tension, instability in the team structure, managerial inadequacies, team adaptability, and empowered teamwork.
Nurses reported that support from their team and management was crucial, but they also faced challenges like working with unfamiliar colleagues, frequent changes in team makeup, and poor management. On the positive side, teams showed adaptability and some felt empowered by their collaborative work.
The study highlights the importance of strengthening organizational resilience to improve teamwork. It suggests that hospitals need to provide psychological support and build stable, well-managed teams to help ICU nurses cope during crises.
Because this is a qualitative review, it describes experiences and themes rather than measuring outcomes like patient survival. The findings offer insights for hospital leaders and policymakers, but they do not prove that specific changes will lead to better results. Readers should see this as a starting point for improving support for ICU nurses.
