Objective To understand the experience of nurses′ delivering health care to patients with COVID-19 in Fangcang shelter hospital, and to provide reference for nursing practice during battle against infectious disease. Methods Eleven nurses working in Fangcang shelter hospital were studied using in-depth individual interviews, then data transcription and analysis used Colaizzi′s phenomenological method. Results Three thematic categories and 9 sub-categories were revealed: positive experience (sense of duty and mission, sense of accomplishment and pride, succinct and efficient hospital management mechanism, and feeling of multiface-ted caring), negative experience (stress, inadequate disaster preparedness, guilt and loneliness) and work expectation (optimizing information technology, and strengthening construction of psychological care team). Conclusion Nurses working in Fangcang shelter hospital have positive and negative experiences. Nursing managers should summarize the experience, strengthen propaganda and training, as well as enhance nurses′ disaster preparedness and psychological care ability.