Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought changes in healthcare demands that resulted in long working hours for the nursing staff, affecting their quality of life and self-care. Objective: To explore the perceptions of quality of life among the nursing staff working rotating shift in an Emergency Department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: Qualitative, phenomenological study. The sample consisted of seven nurses and nursing technicians. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews via Microsoft Teams®. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the philosopher Martin Heidegger and the theorist Dorothea Orem. Results: The following categories related to shift work experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic emerged: impact on the physical and mental health, impact on the family and social environment, and self-care deficits related to feeding and rest. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had multiple effects and consequences on the nursing staf that negatively affected their quality of life.