earticle

영어

Purpose: This study explored how newly appointed school nurses in South Korea responded and adapted during COVID-19 using a grounded theory. Methods: Seven newly appointed school nurses with under two years of experience and direct COVID-19 duties were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Three online focus group interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s open, axial, and selective coding procedures. Results: A total of 86 concepts, 19 subcategories, and six categories emerged. The central phenomenon was “Being overwhelmed by COVID-19 workload as newly appointed school nurses.” Causal conditions involved confusion caused by COVID-19 striking like a disaster, while contextual conditions reflected structural vulnerability and organizational marginalization of newly appointed school nurses. Intervening conditions included supportive networks as well as non-supportive, uncooperative environment. Strategies consisted of adjusting and coordinating work, restructuring tasks for the disastrous situation, establishing cooperative systems, communicating with supervisors, and appropriately applying manuals. The consequences were twofold: participants developed confidence through struggle while simultaneously experiencing exhaustion and a sense of inadequacy. The process model showed that newly appointed school nurses first confronted chaos, then experienced overload, sought coping strategies, and eventually settled into their roles. The core category was “Coexistence of adaptation and growth in crisis.” Conclusion: Newly appointed school nurses assumed major pandemic responsibilities despite the limited support. Clear guidelines, structured training, and supportive school systems are essential to strengthen readiness for future crises.