**6. Conclusion**

Combating epidemics is an important responsibility that both affects all layers of society deeply and increases the physical and psychological burden of healthcare workers. Nurses caring for COVID-19 patients experience serious mental problems because they must help individuals in pain, stay with them, provide help for relatives, and perhaps witness a patient's death. Although physical security measures such as maintaining adequate protective equipment are prioritized in this process, it is observed that mental security measures are mostly ignored.

Ensuring and maintaining nurses' security is an important indicator of the effective management of the pandemic process. For this reason, it is necessary to determine the factors that may cause mental problems in nurses, diagnose these problems, provide appropriate physical and working conditions, and maintain psychosocial support. For this to happen, it is necessary to provide both emergency psychological first aid and long-term psychological assistance services and carry out follow-up studies. It is suggested that institutions and leaders follow policies on professional mental health support, initiate appropriate studies for services to be provided in the context of future crises, and create an action plan.

Focusing on supporting nurses during and after the pandemic is of great importance for the future of nursing and the security of society. It is also expected that this support for the welfare of nurses will continue when the health care system returns to pre-pandemic condition. To protect and maintain the well-being of nurses will enable them to assume their caring roles and responsibilities wherever they are located practice more effectively and competently. In this regard, that the role of nurses in the universal healthcare system involves a very important key role in meeting the care needs of the society and ensuring security, should not be forgotten.

### **Conflict of interest**

There is no conflict of interest.
