JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The rapid spread of the novel corona virus (COVID-19) has presented immeasurable challenges to healthcare workers who remain at the frontline of the pandemic. A rapidly evolving body of literature has quantitatively demonstrated significant psychological impacts of the pandemic on healthcare workers. However, little is known about the lived experience of the pandemic for frontline medical staff.

Objective:

This study aimed to explore the qualitative experience of peri-operative staff from a large trauma hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Methods:

Inductive thematic analysis using a critical realist approach was used to analyse data from nine semi-structured interviews.

Results:

Four key themes were identified. Hospital preparedness related to the perceived readiness of the hospital to respond to the pandemic and encompassed key subthemes around communication of policy changes, team leadership and resource availability. Perceptions of readiness contributed to the perceived psychological impacts of the pandemic, which were highly varied and ranged from anger to anxiety. A number of coping strategies were identified in response to psychological impacts which incorporated both internal and external coping mechanisms. Finally, adaptation with time reflected change and growth over time, and encompassed all other themes.

Conclusions:

While frontline staff and hospitals have rapidly marshalled a response to managing the virus, relatively less consideration was seen regarding staff mental health in our study. Findings highlight the vulnerability of healthcare workers in response to the pandemic and reinforce the need for a coordinated approach to managing mental health.