Pearls for surviving unprecedented healthcare challenges

Abstract Purpose: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses had little experience providing care during a pandemic. This project aimed to identify Pearls (suggestions) to survive a pandemic as a nurse. Methods: A phenomenologic design was implemented. Narrative comments were analyzed using Braun & Clarke's Six Phases of Summative Concept Analysis. This paper focuses on responses to a secondary question of this design. Results: One hundred thirty-four professional nurses provided 150 Pearls; of these, 123 Pearls reflected a positive sentiment. The Pearls fit into four themes: take care of yourself and find a balance, work as a team, practice safety, and appreciate that this is a hard time. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic provides a valuable lesson for how nurses can survive future pandemics. Further research is warranted to investigate how useful the Pearls are for nurses in future pandemics and other crises threatening healthcare.