Searching for a new normal-Hospital-employed researchers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: This study focuses on hospital-employed researchers, a relatively new staff group. Their job descriptions vary, which may lead to lack of clarity or preparedness regarding their roles and core tasks during a crisis such as COVID-19.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore hospital-employed healthcare researchers' experiences of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN: A qualitative design based on Graneheim and Lundman's latent content analysis of two focus groups with researchers in clinical practice was chosen to explore researchers' experiences of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: Fifteen hospital researchers participated in two focus groups, divided into predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers. Focus groups were conducted in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the voice over IP service, Skype®, due to risk of contagion.

FINDINGS: 'Searching for a new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic' was the main theme during the latent content interpretation, with subthemes of (i) balancing calm and insecurity, (ii) negotiating core tasks and (iii) considering the future.

CONCLUSION: The 15 researchers tried to balance calm and insecurity within work and family, on standby for the hospital's contingency plan, and in their research tasks. This led them to negotiate their core tasks and to reflect on the changes and consequences for their positions as researchers in clinical practice in the future.