Listening to Hospital Personnel’s Narratives during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) facing the COVID-19 pandemic are required to deal with unexpectedly traumatic situations, concern about contamination, and mounting patient deaths. As a means to address the changing needs of our hospital’s HCWs, we conducted a narrative analysis study in the early stages of the covid-19 outbreak. A focus group of medical experts, conducted as the initial step, recommended that a bottom-up research tool be used for exploring HCWs’ traumatic experiences and needs. We therefore conducted 450 semi-structured in-depth interviews with hospital personnel. The interviews were based on Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs model, and the narratives were analyzed by applying the Listening Guide methodology. The interviewees expressed a need for physical and psychological security in the battle against Covid-19, in addition to the need for attachment and meaning. Importantly, we also found that the interview itself may serve as a therapeutic tool. In light of our findings, we recommended changes in hospital practices, which were subsequently implemented. Further research on HCWs’ traumatic experiences and needs will provide evidence-based knowledge and may enable novel approaches in the battle against Covid-19. To conclude, the knowledge generated by listening to HCWs’ narratives may provide suitable support programs for professionals.

“We All Really Need to just Take a Breath”: Composite Narratives of Hospital Doctors’ Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Some doctors reported positive emotions: pride in their work, relief and hope as the worst-case scenarios of overwhelming COVID-19 cases did not come to pass, and inspiration when surrounded by their dedicated peers and colleagues. Negative emotions also came across strongly in interviews—fear, guilt, sadness, frustration—similar to those expressed in studies of other frontline staff working in COVID-19 [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. These negative emotions can all build up into emotional exhaustion, which is a major component of burnout [ 31 ], a serious concern for health workers during COVID-19, as the World Health Organisation has recently identified [ 9 ].…”

“…With the heightened rates of healthcare worker COVID-19 infection [ 51 ], doctors’ close contacts and family members may be more likely to contract the virus from them. Ireland’s hospital doctors’ experiences in this regard mirror the international experiences of doctors regarding the fear of transmitting the virus [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Initial reports focused on the importance of safeguarding health workers from the physical threat of COVID-19, and ensuring they had suitable access to PPE to prevent COVID-19 transmission and protect their physical well-being. As the pandemic evolved and the PPE supply chain was strengthened, threats to mental well-being came into focus for health workers; anxieties about safety of self, patients and family, the moral injury of rationing limited care resources, and isolation due to new protocols like social distancing at work and tele-working [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. While some doctors worked on COVID-19 acute care, doctors working in non-acute care also suffered anxiety, fear and guilt over changes to their normal patient care practices, as routine medical care was reduced or shut down to focus resources on COVID-19 [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Dealing With COVID-19 Patients: A Moderated Mediation Model of Exposure to Patients' Death and Mental Health of Italian Health Care Workers

“…In their narrative research, Daphna-Tekoah et al ( 2020 ) investigated traumatic situations encountered by HCWs facing the COVID-19 pandemic. During their interviews, HCWs emphasized traumatic events related to patient's death and the high level of emotional intensity associated with it.…”

“…During their interviews, HCWs emphasized traumatic events related to patient's death and the high level of emotional intensity associated with it. Specifically, HCWs described “the pervading presence of death in the hospital, as particularly manifested in the agony of seeing people dying without their families beside them and in the procedures for preparing the deceased for burial by special, double wrapping of the dead body as a precaution against contagion” (Daphna-Tekoah et al, 2020 , p. 7).…”