Exploring Nurses' Experiences of Coping Mechanisms Used in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

  Background and Objectives: It is necessary to apply appropriate coping methods to reduce destructive physical and psychological effects of stress during Covid-19 pandemics. This study was conducted to explore nurses' experiences of stress coping techniques during the Covid-19 pandemic.   Methods: The present study used a qualitative methodology with interpretive phenomenology method. Purposive sampling was used. The participants, including nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, shared their experiences through in-depth, individual and semi-structured interviews. The transcripts of interviews were analyzed based on the Dickelmann's approach using the MAXQDA 12 software.   Results: The participants included nine nurses (six females and three males) with a mean age of 45 ± 5.3 years. The results of data analysis showed four main categories and fifteen subcategories conceptually named based on their nature. The main categories were self-support, family shelter, hospital support umbrella, and community support on both extremes.   Conclusion: The participants practiced different coping strategies to deal with stress and anxiety. In addition to individual mechanisms, nurses sought help from other sources of support, such as family, workplace, and community. Based on the experiences of nurses participating in the study, it is recommended to teach nursing staffs coping methods with stress, especially in times of crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic.