{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,14]],"date-time":"2026-06-14T09:59:38Z","timestamp":1781431178985,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773360000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Nurses, the largest segment of the global health workforce, play vital roles in managing disease outbreaks and boosting community resilience during public health emergencies. Purpose: This study explored the experiences of senior nurses in leading health facilities in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We employed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive approach and purposive sampling to recruit 30 senior nurses involved in frontline care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used telephone interviews to examine how nurses\u2019 roles are changing during public health crises. Results: Nurses navigated challenges related to infection prevention and control, team dynamics and social support, resource limitations, stigma against those affected, and leadership. Some of the nurses drew on their prior experience to navigate the complexities of COVID-19. The significance of inter-professional working and the flexible delegation of tasks is reinforced by the current study, which suggests that professional boundaries became more blurred during the crisis. Optimal responses to outbreaks are influenced by professional preparedness and adaptive learning. Conclusions: Nurses displayed extraordinary resilience and determination, yet faced enormous challenges, including PPE shortages, stigmatization from within their own communities and organizations, and a lack of welfare support. The findings from this analysis are intended to support national and global efforts in pandemic preparedness and healthcare worker assistance, highlighting the essential role nurses play in creating more resilient health systems for future crises.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23030366","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T08:26:19Z","timestamp":1773390379000},"page":"366","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Sustaining Health Promotion and Education to Build Resilient Communities: Lessons from Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Lilian Akorfa","family":"Ohene","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 43, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Merri","family":"Iddrisu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 43, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7813-5525","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lydia","family":"Aziato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 43, Ghana"},{"name":"Central Administration, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho P.O. Box PMB 31, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnsa.2024.100177","article-title":"Promoting well-being: A scoping review of strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance the well-being of the nursing workforce","volume":"6","author":"Browne","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Nurs. Stud. Adv."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"838","DOI":"10.3855\/jidc.12909","article-title":"COVID-19 pandemic in resource-poor countries: Challenges, experiences and opportunities in Ghana","volume":"14","author":"Afriyie","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Infect. Dev. 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