Registered Practical Nurses' Experiences of the Moral Habitability of Long-Term Care Environments during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deleterious impact on the lives of nurses who work in long-term care; however, the moral conditions of their work have been largely unexamined. The purpose of this qualitative study, therefore, was to explore registered practical nurses' (RPNs) experiences of the moral habitability of long-term care environments in Ontario, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four themes were identified: (1) Striving to meet responsibilities in a failed system; (2) bearing the moral and emotional weight of residents' isolation and dying in a context of strict public health measures; (3) knowing the realities of the work, yet failing to be heard, recognized, or supported by management; and (4) struggling to find a means of preservation for themselves and the profession. Attention to the moral habitability of RPNs' work environments is necessary to achieve a high-quality, ethically attuned, and sustainable nursing workforce in long-term care. La pandemie de COVID-19 a eu des repercussions deleteres sur la vie des infirmiers et infirmieres qui exercent dans des etablissements de soins de longue duree, cependant les conditions morales de leur travail n'ont pratiquement pas ete examinees. L'objectif de cette etude qualitative etait donc d'explorer les experiences des infirmiers et infirmieres auxiliaires autorise center dot e center dot s (IAA) en ce qui concerne l'habitabilite morale des environnements de soins de longue duree en Ontario, au Canada, pendant la pandemie de COVID-19. L'etude a permis de cerner quatre themes : 1. S'efforcer d'assumer ses responsabilites dans un systeme defaillant; 2. Supporter le poids moral et emotionnel de l'isolement et de la mort des residents dans un contexte de mesures de sante publique strictes; 3. Connaitre les realites du travail mais ne pas etre entendu, reconnu ou soutenu par la direction; et 4. S'efforcer de trouver des moyens de se proteger et de proteger la profession. Il est necessaire de preter attention a l'habitabilite morale des environnements de travail des IAA pour entretenir un personnel infirmier de haute qualite, respectueux de l'ethique et durable dans les milieux de soins de longue duree.