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

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a challenge to the physical and mental well-being of doctors worldwide. Countries around the world introduced severe social restrictions, and significant changes to health service provision in the first wave of the pandemic to suppress the spread of the virus and prioritize healthcare for those who contracted it. This study interviewed 48 hospital doctors who worked in Ireland during the first wave of the pandemic and investigated their conceptualizations of their own well-being during that time (March–May 2020). Doctors were interviewed via Zoom™ or telephone. Interview transcripts were analyzed using structured thematic analysis. Five composite narratives are presented which have been crafted to illustrate themes and experiences emerging from the data. This study found that despite the risks of contracting COVID-19, many doctors saw some improvements to their physical well-being in the first wave of the pandemic. However, most also experienced a decline in their mental well-being due to anxiety, emotional exhaustion, guilt, isolation and poor support. These findings shed light on doctor well-being during COVID-19, and the ways in which they have been affected by the pandemic, both professionally and personally. The paper concludes by highlighting how doctors’ work life and well-being can be better supported during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subjective Feelings of Polish Doctors after Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine

“…Studies have shown that more than half of the surveyed population considered the vaccine to be effective. From an existential point of view, the above opinion raises hope for an improvement in the psychosocial situation of doctors, who, according to other studies, experienced a deterioration in mental well-being due to isolation, anxiety, emotional exhaustion and poor social support during the pandemic [ 13 ]. The above thesis is confirmed by research conducted among doctors in Germany [ 14 ], where their existential disadvantage was observed during the pandemic.…”

The Experience of a Single NHS England Trust on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Junior and Middle-Grade Doctors: What Is Next?

“…However, there are conflicting studies on workload of doctors working in surgery. Non-urgent elective operations have been cancelled in order to support the wider COVID-19 response and surgical staff have been redeployed throughout the hospital [ 27 , 28 ]. Though this may appear to have primarily reduced the workload of surgeons, the changing work environment has caused worry for surgeons due to delay in surgical services, fewer training opportunities, and redeployment to critical care or medicine [ 27 , 29 , 30 ].…”

“…Workload for junior and middle-grade doctors may have increased due to redeployment to manage the increased demand from COVID-19 patients [ 13 , 28 ]. For doctors redeployed to intensive treatment units (ITUs), workload was high, with management of multiple unwell patients, demanding rotas, and filling in for absenteeism or unwell staff during the pandemic [ 32 , 33 ].…”

“…This can be related to medical specialties also managing high numbers of COVID-19 patients. Redeployment has also been found to contribute to burnout [ 28 , 34 ]. With redeployment, some doctors were working in and adapting to unfamiliar areas without their usual support network or regular debriefings [ 28 ].…”

Supervisory Career Support and Workplace Wellbeing in Chinese Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Role of Career Commitment and the Moderating Role of Future Work Self-Salience

“…As employee wellbeing is one of the sustainability-related goals of most organizations, it is necessary to investigate how to enhance healthcare workers' wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is of great significance for organizations to continue to meet their sustainability goals in the face of an external crisis [15,16]. Since leaders are generally viewed as agents of organizations, leadership styles and behaviors will have a great influence on their subordinates' emotional experience and psychological status and affect their wellbeing [17,18].…”