The Calm in the Chaos: Lived Experiences on Managing Patient Overcrowding Among Nurses in the Emergency Department

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of Emergency Department (ED) nurses in managing patient overcrowding within a public tertiary hospital in the Caraga Region. Utilizing a Husserlian descriptive phenomenological design, the research captures the essence of this phenomenon through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight purposively selected registered nurses, with data analyzed using Colaizzi’s systematic method. The findings revealed the following themes and subthemes: Overcrowding at its Finest (comprising Space is Limited, The Unending Arrival, and Prolonged ED Stay); Managing Overcrowding (comprising The Weight of the Shift and The Collective Shield); and Grace Under Pressure (comprising Decision-Making Under Stress and maintaining composure and meaning). Despite facing severe resource constraints and ethical dilemmas in prioritization, nurses demonstrate profound professional resilience by moving beyond mere task performance to establish meaningful human-to-human connections with patients and their families. Regarding the applicability of the study, while adaptive strategies and teamwork allow for functional care delivery, they also mask a hidden vulnerability within the workforce where professional duty often supersedes the nurse's own well-being.