Sarah Nestor1, Colm O' Tuathaigh2, Tony O' Brien1,2,3. 1. Marymount University Hospital and Hospice, Curraheen, Cork, Ireland. 2. Medical Education Unit, School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 3. Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the pre-COVID-19 era, healthcare professionals experienced stress and burnout. The international literature confirms that COVID-19 placed significant additional burdens on healthcare workers. AIM: To describe and characterise the magnitude and variety of ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal, social and professional lives of healthcare workers representing several multidisciplinary specialties in a fully-integrated palliative and elderly care service. DESIGN: All staff were invited to complete an anonymised standardised questionnaire evaluating the impact of COVID-19 across a diverse range of domains. The study was conducted over a 6-week period commencing 11 September 2020. SETTING: The setting incorporates two distinct but integrated services operating under a single management structure in Ireland: (i) Specialist palliative care across hospice (44 beds), community and hospitals and (ii) Elderly Care Service (long-term and respite care) delivered in a 63-bed inpatient unit. RESULTS: 250 respondents (69.8%) completed the questionnaire. Nurses and healthcare assistants comprised the majority of respondents (60%) and other disciplines were represented proportionately. 230 participants (92%) agreed that their personal workload had changed significantly in response to COVID-19 and 182 (72.8%) agreed that their responsibilities had increased. 196 (78.4%) reported greater work-related stress. Highest-rated sources of stress included fear of contracting COVID-19 or transmitting it to friends/family, interacting with isolated frail/dying patients, changes to workplace protocols and reduced social interaction with colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the profound impact of COVID-19 on personal and professional wellbeing of staff. The greatest burden was carried by those providing prolonged, direct and intimate patient care.
BACKGROUND: In the pre-COVID-19 era, healthcare professionals experienced stress and burnout. The international literature confirms that COVID-19 placed significant additional burdens on healthcare workers. AIM: To describe and characterise the magnitude and variety of ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal, social and professional lives of healthcare workers representing several multidisciplinary specialties in a fully-integrated palliative and elderly care service. DESIGN: All staff were invited to complete an anonymised standardised questionnaire evaluating the impact of COVID-19 across a diverse range of domains. The study was conducted over a 6-week period commencing 11 September 2020. SETTING: The setting incorporates two distinct but integrated services operating under a single management structure in Ireland: (i) Specialist palliative care across hospice (44 beds), community and hospitals and (ii) Elderly Care Service (long-term and respite care) delivered in a 63-bed inpatient unit. RESULTS: 250 respondents (69.8%) completed the questionnaire. Nurses and healthcare assistants comprised the majority of respondents (60%) and other disciplines were represented proportionately. 230 participants (92%) agreed that their personal workload had changed significantly in response to COVID-19 and 182 (72.8%) agreed that their responsibilities had increased. 196 (78.4%) reported greater work-related stress. Highest-rated sources of stress included fear of contracting COVID-19 or transmitting it to friends/family, interacting with isolated frail/dying patients, changes to workplace protocols and reduced social interaction with colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the profound impact of COVID-19 on personal and professional wellbeing of staff. The greatest burden was carried by those providing prolonged, direct and intimate patient care.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; cross-sectional; elderly; end of life care; healthcare staff; impact; palliative care