The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education (한국간호교육학회지)

The Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education (한국간호교육학회)
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Awareness of the epidemiological investigation tasks of the nurse in charge of COVID-19 epidemiological investigations

코로나19 역학조사를 담당했던 간호사의 역학조사 업무 인식

  • Son, Haeng-Mi (Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan) ;
  • Choi, Won-Hee (Department of Nursing Science, College of Science, Kyungsung University) ;
  • Yang, Hye-Ryun (Gyeongnam Center for Infectious Disease Control and Prevention) ;
  • Hwang, Young-Hui (Department of Nursing Science, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
  • 손행미 (울산대학교 의과대학 간호학과) ;
  • 최원희 (경성대학교 생명보건대학 간호학과) ;
  • 양혜련 (경상남도 감염병관리지원단) ;
  • 황영희 (충북대학교 의과대학 간호학과)
  • Received : 2022.08.15
  • Accepted : 2022.09.21
  • Published : 2022.11.30
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Abstract

Purpose: This qualitative study was to understand the awareness of epidemiological investigation tasks for nurses who were in charge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemiological investigations. Methods: Before data collection, written consent was obtained from 13 participants, and the data were then collected from September 1 to December 31, 2021. Individual interviews were conducted and recorded by video interview using Zoom, and data were transcribed verbatim. Four themes were derived by using the qualitative thematic analysis method. Results: The participants perceived that epidemiological investigations were burdensome but that the field work was important, and that expertise and collaboration were required. The participants started work without preparation due to the explosive increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, and they recognized work conflicts, unstable employment, and exhaustion as obstacles to their work performance. On the other hand, the participants took pride in contributing to the national epidemiological investigation and control and felt a sense of responsibility as nursing professionals. Finally, participants mentioned that the training of infectious disease practitioner was important for work improvement. Conclusion: Further research is needed on the development of standardized manuals for the training of nursing personnel as infectious disease specialists through the job analysis of epidemiological investigators.

Keywords

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