Support network for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping reviewuring the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review
Published 2025-03-18
Keywords
- Nurses,
- Social Support,
- COVID-19
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2025 Angeline Francines Poltozie, Cristianne Maria Famer Rocha, Fernanda Carlise Mattioni, Camilo Darsie de Souza, Deise Lisboa Riquinho, Filipe Vincensi Duarte, Henrique da Silva Domingues
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged at the end of 2019, had profound impacts on health, the economy, society, and culture worldwide. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, were on the front lines, facing high risks of infection and work overload. This scenario led to stigmatization and social isolation, exacerbating physical and mental exhaustion due to inadequate support and conflicting workplace relationships.
Objective
To map the scientific literature on nurses’ support networks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
We conducted an exploratory scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. The study search was performed using specific descriptors and the mnemonic combination of population, concept, and context (PCC), defining the population as nurses, the concept as support networks, and the context as the pandemic. The consulted databases included the Virtual Health Library, which comprises the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, the Spanish Bibliographic Index of Health Sciences, the Nursing Database, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Additionally, we consulted the following virtual libraries: Cochrane Library, Scientific Electronic Library Online, PubMed, and Web of Science. Two researchers selected studies with the assistance of Rayyan® software. The data were analyzed and presented descriptively.
Results
Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria, most of them quantitative, totaling 9,221 participating nurses, published between 2020 and 2023 in various countries. All studies measured perceived social support, with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support being the most frequently used instrument. We categorized the studies into four dimensions: 1) support for mental health, 2) support for workload and stress, 3) support for resilience, and 4) support regarding nurses’ perceptions of workplace social networks.
Conclusion
There is no single effective social support model for all nurses; personalized adaptations are necessary. Investing in support networks will strengthen the healthcare system and promote healthier and more resilient nursing practices. This study recommends the promotion of diverse support networks, the strengthening of peer and leadership support, and the implementation of public policies to improve nurses’ mental health.