COVID's Hidden Scars

Episode will release on the 6th November 2026

What happens when the emergency ends, but the memories of it do not?

During the COVID 19 pandemic, critical care nurses worked in some of the most difficult conditions of their careers. They cared for seriously ill patients while dealing with staff shortages, limited equipment and situations where they could not always provide the care or dignity they felt patients deserved.

Dr Martyn Griffin, Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies at the University of Sheffield, has spent six years researching the experiences of critical care nurses during and after the pandemic. His work looks at moral injury, the emotional harm that can happen when someone is put in a situation that goes against their sense of what is right.

COVID's Hidden Scars turns those experiences into an immersive art installation. At its centre is a recreated critical care bed surrounded by artwork inspired by nurses' own words and memories. A patchwork quilt, curtains, photography, a mural and filmed performances tell stories of fear, exhaustion, anger, care and the long process of recovery.

In this podcast, Martyn and the artists behind the installation discuss how they turned academic research into something people can see, hear and experience. They also talk about moral repair and what has happened to critical care nurses since the pandemic, as many continue to live with its emotional and psychological effects.

The project asks us to listen again to the healthcare workers who cared for people at the height of COVID 19 and consider what better mental health support for nurses could look like in the future.