Abstract
Objective
to reflect on COVID-19 as a phenomenon of social representations for the Intensive Care Unit nursing team, analyzing the implications of this theoretical understanding in the design of professionals’ social practices.
Method
this is a theoretical-reflective study, based on the framework of social representations. Scientific articles, books and official data on COVID-19 were collected; subsequently, reflective deepening was carried out based on the theory precepts.
Development
COVID-19 has had a strong impact on nursing care in intensive care. Meeting the criteria of social representations: relevance, practice, consensus and affiliation; the dimensions of affections, imagery and social practices mobilized in the social construction of this phenomenon; characteristics of daily life of social belonging of nursing teams working in intensive care before patients with COVID-19 were theoretical arguments that supported the defense that COVID-19 is a phenomenon of social representation for this social group.
Conclusion and implications for practice
studies of professionals’ social representations about COVID-19 can support the proposition of care-education technologies that qualify their performance in caring for critical patients with COVID-19.
Keywords:
Coronavirus infections; Psychology; social; Intensive Care Units; Nursing; Critical care