From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study

Abstract Background The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused overwhelming challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have faced particular challenges: being exposed to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and caring for patients having a new and potentially life-t...

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Autores principales:	Fredrik Rücker, Maria Hårdstedt, Sekai Chenai Mathabire Rücker, Emma Aspelin, Alexander Smirnoff, Anders Lindblom, Catharina Gustavsson
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	BMC 2021
Materias:	Coronavirus disease 2019 Health personnel Infection control Mental health Occupational health Patient care Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/acedaacf2a3a4e4391c87d056b81b398
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:acedaacf2a3a4e4391c87d056b81b3982021-11-14T12:09:38ZFrom chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study10.1186/s12913-021-07248-91472-6963https://doaj.org/article/acedaacf2a3a4e4391c87d056b81b3982021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07248-9https://doaj.org/toc/1472-6963Abstract Background The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused overwhelming challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have faced particular challenges: being exposed to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and caring for patients having a new and potentially life-threatening disease. The aim of this study was to explore how HCWs in the Swedish healthcare system perceived their work situation during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Methods Focus group discussions and interviews with HCWs were performed from June to October 2020 in one Swedish healthcare region. A purposeful sampling approach was used to select a variety of professions (physicians, nurses, nurse aides and cleaners) and workplaces (hospital inpatient wards, emergency department, nursing home and home care service). Qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis. Results In total, 51 HCWs participated in eight focus group discussions and one HCW participated in an individual interview. The content analysis identified two main categories: ‘Concerns about the risk of infection and transmission of infection to others’, and ‘Transition from chaos to managing in a new and challenging work situation’. The findings revealed how HCWs perceived working conditions, including experiences of fear for personal health, confusion and uncertainty regarding personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control (PPE/IPC), and fear of infecting others. Both fearful and appreciating attitudes were achieved from the surrounding community. Helpful strategies for transition from chaos to control were lifted i.e. present and supportive leadership, and finding comfort and strength in the working team. Both helplessness and meaningfulness were described when caring for COVID-19 patients. Conclusions This study provides unique insights into HCWs experiences of an extremely challenging work situation during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, including feelings of stress and insecurity in a chaotic and hazardous working environment. But there is also mitigation of these challenges and even positive experiences including feelings of safety and meaningfulness. To enhance safety among HCWs in healthcare crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings highlight the importance of avoiding confusion about PPE/IPC, having a supportive healthcare leadership and ensuring accurate information provision about virus transmission to the public.Fredrik RückerMaria HårdstedtSekai Chenai Mathabire RückerEmma AspelinAlexander SmirnoffAnders LindblomCatharina GustavssonBMCarticleCoronavirus disease 2019Health personnelInfection controlMental healthOccupational healthPatient carePublic aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENBMC Health Services Research, Vol 21, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Coronavirus disease 2019 Health personnel Infection control Mental health Occupational health Patient care Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	Coronavirus disease 2019 Health personnel Infection control Mental health Occupational health Patient care Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Fredrik Rücker Maria Hårdstedt Sekai Chenai Mathabire Rücker Emma Aspelin Alexander Smirnoff Anders Lindblom Catharina Gustavsson From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
description	Abstract Background The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused overwhelming challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have faced particular challenges: being exposed to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and caring for patients having a new and potentially life-threatening disease. The aim of this study was to explore how HCWs in the Swedish healthcare system perceived their work situation during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Methods Focus group discussions and interviews with HCWs were performed from June to October 2020 in one Swedish healthcare region. A purposeful sampling approach was used to select a variety of professions (physicians, nurses, nurse aides and cleaners) and workplaces (hospital inpatient wards, emergency department, nursing home and home care service). Qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis. Results In total, 51 HCWs participated in eight focus group discussions and one HCW participated in an individual interview. The content analysis identified two main categories: ‘Concerns about the risk of infection and transmission of infection to others’, and ‘Transition from chaos to managing in a new and challenging work situation’. The findings revealed how HCWs perceived working conditions, including experiences of fear for personal health, confusion and uncertainty regarding personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control (PPE/IPC), and fear of infecting others. Both fearful and appreciating attitudes were achieved from the surrounding community. Helpful strategies for transition from chaos to control were lifted i.e. present and supportive leadership, and finding comfort and strength in the working team. Both helplessness and meaningfulness were described when caring for COVID-19 patients. Conclusions This study provides unique insights into HCWs experiences of an extremely challenging work situation during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, including feelings of stress and insecurity in a chaotic and hazardous working environment. But there is also mitigation of these challenges and even positive experiences including feelings of safety and meaningfulness. To enhance safety among HCWs in healthcare crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings highlight the importance of avoiding confusion about PPE/IPC, having a supportive healthcare leadership and ensuring accurate information provision about virus transmission to the public.
format	article
author	Fredrik Rücker Maria Hårdstedt Sekai Chenai Mathabire Rücker Emma Aspelin Alexander Smirnoff Anders Lindblom Catharina Gustavsson
author_facet	Fredrik Rücker Maria Hårdstedt Sekai Chenai Mathabire Rücker Emma Aspelin Alexander Smirnoff Anders Lindblom Catharina Gustavsson
author_sort	Fredrik Rücker
title	From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
title_short	From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
title_full	From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
title_fullStr	From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
title_full_unstemmed	From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study
title_sort	from chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the covid-19 pandemic: a focus group study
publisher	BMC
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/acedaacf2a3a4e4391c87d056b81b398
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From chaos to control – experiences of healthcare workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study

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