The perceived work environment and well‐being: A survey of emergency health care workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

Background During the COVID‐19 pandemic, health care provider well‐being was affected by various challenges in the work environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the perceived work environment and mental well‐being of a sample of emergency physicians (EPs), emergency medicine (EM) nurses, and emergency medical services (EMS) providers during the pandemic. Methods We surveyed attending EPs, resident EPs, EM nurses, and EMS providers from 10 academic sites across the United States. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to estimate the effect of the perceived work environment on screening positive for depression/anxiety and burnout controlling for respondent characteristics. We tested possible predictors in the multivariate regression models and included the predictors that were significant in the final model. Results Our final sample included 701 emergency health care workers. Almost 23% of respondents screened positive for depression/anxiety and 39.7% for burnout. Nurses were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–3.86) and burnout (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.22–3.49) compared to attendings. The LCA analysis identified four subgroups of our respondents that differed in their responses to the work environment questions. These groups were identified as Work Environment Risk Group 1, an overall good work environment; Risk Group 2, inadequate resources; Risk Group 3, lack of perceived organizational support; and Risk Group 4, an overall poor work environment. Participants in the two groups who perceived their work conditions as most adverse were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.05–3.42; and aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.14–3.66) compared to participants working in environments perceived as less adverse. Conclusions We found a strong association between a perceived adverse working environment and poor mental health, particularly when organizational support was deemed inadequate. Targeted strategies to promote better perceptions of the workplace are needed.

Fear of making a mistake: a prominent cause of stress for COVID-19 ICU staff—a mixed-methods study

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Occupational Well-Being of Multidisciplinary PHC Teams: Barriers/Facilitators and Negotiations to Improve Working Conditions

“…The literature shows the importance of developing and establishing healthy relationships and environments with colleagues at work [ 1 , 9 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ]. However, the relationships within the workforce may elicit organic changes, which inhibit well-being in the work environment, such as depression, anxiety, and burnout, which may compromise the functionality of health professionals [ 28 , 65 , 66 , 67 ]. A study conducted in health centers in Asia [ 68 ] with health professionals responsible for preventing and controlling infectious diseases presented relatively low rates of job satisfaction and affective commitment toward the health institution.…”

Current Attitudes Toward Neuroanatomy: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Survey of Neurosurgeons from the United Kingdom and Worldwide

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