Factors Associated with the Willingness of Health Care Personnel to Work During an Influenza Public Health Emergency: An Integrative Review

BackgroundHospital administrators play a key role in the effective management of surge capacity in disasters, but there is little information available about the characteristics required to manage this.ObjectivesIn this study, we aimed to identify characteristics of hospital administrators that are important in the effective management of surge capacity in disasters.Materials and MethodsThis was a qualitative study. Semi-structured purposive interviews were conducted with 28 hospital administrators who had experience working in surge situations in hospitals during disasters. Framework analysis was used to analyze the data.ResultsThree themes and 12 subthemes were identified. The themes were as follows: 1) crisis managerial characteristics, 2) personal characteristics, and 3) specific requirements.ConclusionsIn this study, some characteristics that had a positive impact on the success of a manager in a hospital surge situation were identified. These characteristics ought to be taken into account when appointing hospital administrators and designing training programs for hospital administrators with the aim of being better prepared to face disasters.

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“…Other studies have also shown the importance of this characteristic at the time of a surge (24, 25). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Assessment of Hospital Management and Surge Capacity in Disasters

et al. 2016

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“…Results from several studies suggest that training is linked with greater effectiveness of emergency response efforts and that training of health personnel is positively associated with willingness to volunteer and deploy in the event of a disaster [2-4]. However, there exist several significant gaps in training for emergency providers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System

Zagelbaum¹,

Heslin²,

Stein³

et al. 2014

BMC Emerg Med

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BackgroundThe Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) program provides a system of volunteers whereby active or retired Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel can register to be deployed to support other VA facilities or the nation during national emergencies or disasters. Both early and ongoing volunteer training is required to participate.MethodsThis study aims to identify factors that impact willingness to deploy in the event of an emergency. This analysis was based on responses from 2,385 survey respondents (response rate, 29%). Latent variable path models were developed and tested using the EQS structural equations modeling program. Background demographic variables of education, age, minority ethnicity, and female gender were used as predictors of intervening latent variables of DEMPS Volunteer Experience, Positive Attitude about Training, and Stress. The model had acceptable fit statistics, and all three intermediate latent variables significantly predicted the outcome latent variable Readiness to Deploy.ResultsDEMPS Volunteer Experience and a Positive Attitude about Training were associated with Readiness to Deploy. Stress was associated with decreased Readiness to Deploy. Female gender was negatively correlated with Readiness to Deploy; however, there was an indirect relationship between female gender and Readiness to Deploy through Positive Attitude about Training.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that volunteer emergency management response programs such as DEMPS should consider how best to address the factors that may make women less ready to deploy than men in order to ensure adequate gender representation among emergency responders. The findings underscore the importance of training opportunities to ensure that gender-sensitive support is a strong component of emergency response, and may apply to other emergency response programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross.

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“…Recent studies have confirmed meaningful disparities in response willingness during an influenza pandemic among varied responder cohorts. 9,10 For example, a study of local health department workers in Florida (USA) found that approximately 29% were not willing to report to work during the peak period of an influenza pandemic if their responsibilities included face-to-face contact. 11 In a survey of hospital workers in Maryland (USA), 28% were not willing to report to work during an influenza pandemic if asked.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The hypothesis that there would be an association between presence of the state-level emergency preparedness laws of interest and willingness to respond among EMS workers was based on previous research. 5,6,8,9,12 Methods…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency Preparedness Law and Willingness to Respond in the EMS Workforce

Rutkow

Vernick

Thompson

et al. 2014

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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While state-level emergency preparedness laws are not associated with willingness to respond, recent research suggests that inconsistencies between the perceived and objective legal environments for EMS workers could be an alternative explanation for this study's findings. Educational efforts within the EMS workforce and more prominent state-level implementation of emergency preparedness laws should be considered as a means to raise awareness of these laws. These types of actions are important steps toward determining whether state-level emergency preparedness laws have the potential to promote response willingness among EMS workers.

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Factors Associated with the Willingness of Health Care Personnel to Work During an Influenza Public Health Emergency: An Integrative Review

Cited by 84 publications

References 43 publications

Assessment of Hospital Management and Surge Capacity in Disasters

Assessment of Hospital Management and Surge Capacity in Disasters

Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System

Emergency Preparedness Law and Willingness to Respond in the EMS Workforce

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