The Organizational Atmosphere in Israeli Hospital during COVID-19: Concerns, Perceptions, and Burnout

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis poses challenges to healthcare systems and requires micro- and macro-organizational adaptations. This study examined the organizational atmosphere in Israeli hospitals by evaluating workers’ perceptions and concerns about the COVID-19 crisis and its management. At the end of the pandemic’s first wave in Israel, 547 healthcare workers responded to an online survey, which inquired about COVID-19 concerns at the individual and family level, perceptions at the national and organizational level, perceptions of the way the crisis was managed, self-assessment of coping with the crisis and burnout, and demographics. Findings showed that healthcare workers expressed deep concerns for family members and apprehension at a national level. Respondents noted that they were coping well with the crisis while expressing negative perceptions of how the crisis was managed. A regression model showed that the low self-assessment of medical staff of coping with the crisis, deep concerns at the organizational level, negative perceptions of crisis management, and providing care for COVID-19 patients were predictors of burnout. The findings emphasize the importance of developing a supportive organizational culture for hospital workers. Awareness of their concerns and perceptions is essential to improve organizational culture and healthcare systems’ ability to continue fighting the virus and confront future health crises.

Workplace Protections and Burnout Among Brazilian Frontline Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In line with prior studies, higher levels of neuroticism ( Patel et al, 2018 ) and lower levels of resilient coping style ( Shoman et al, 2021 ) associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion, while male sex ( Purvanova and Muros, 2010 ), to be a physician or a nursing worker ( Patel et al, 2018 ; Dall’Ora et al, 2020 ), higher levels of neuroticism ( Patel et al, 2018 ), and concerns with risk of infection or death ( Bashkin et al, 2021 ) associated with higher levels of depersonalization. The present study adds to these findings by demonstrating that dissatisfaction with institutional measures to protect health care professionals physical and mental health were strongly associated with higher levels of burnout, even after accounting for these factors.…”

A cross‐sectional study of COVID‐19 pandemic‐related organizational aspects in health care

“…This is especially important when staff is asked to contribute in a crisis. In a study examining the organizational atmosphere during COVID‐19, Bashkin et al found that awareness of healthcare professionals’ concerns and perceptions is essential to improve the healthcare systems’ ability to confront health crises (Bashkin et al., 2021 ). Likewise, in an analysis of COVID‐19 performance, Yáñez‐Araque et al found that achievement of a good level of performance consists of the combination of leadership, commitment and a good work environment (Yanez‐Araque et al, 2021 ).…”

Predictors of burnout in female nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Furthermore, those female nurses who do the most on‐call duty per month, or who are concerned that family members they live with may become infected, show more signs of emotional exhaustion. The association between concern over infecting family members during the COVID‐19 pandemic and emotional exhaustion has been observed in other studies (Bashkin et al, 2021), although this has been more closely associated with undergoing traumatic situations, above all in female nurses (Chen et al, 2020; Kisely et al, 2020).…”