Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35256442›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Occupational challenges of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

Maren Jeleff, Marianna Traugott, Elena Jirovsky-Platter, Galateja Jordakieva, Ruth Kutalek

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
14.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 77 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Maren JeleffUnit Medical Anthropology and Global Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria maren.jeleff-entscheff@meduniwien.ac.at.ORCID 0000-0002-6789-9167
Marianna TraugottDepartment of Internal Medicine IV with Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Clinic Favoriten, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-0534-1966
Elena Jirovsky-PlatterUnit Medical Anthropology and Global Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-8304-2518
Galateja JordakievaDepartment of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Occupational Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-5884-8256
Ruth KutalekUnit Medical Anthropology and Global Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-3325-3173
Medical University of Vienna · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo address structural determinants and healthcare workers' (HCWs) physical, mental, emotional and professional challenges of working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

designExploratory qualitative study with semistructured interviews. Collected data were analysed using thematic analysis.

settingThis qualitative study was undertaken with HCWs who mainly worked in intensive care units in six non-profit hospitals in Vienna, Austria. Data were collected from June 2020 to January 2021.

participantsA total of 30 HCWs (13 medical doctors, 11 qualified nursing staff, 2 nurse assistants, 2 physiotherapists and 2 technical/cleaning staff) who were in direct and indirect contact with patients with COVID-19 were included.

resultsThree overall themes resulted as relevant: challenges due to lack of preparedness, structural conditions, and physical and mental health of HCWs. Lack of preparedness included delayed infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines, shortages of personal protective equipment combined with staff shortages (especially of nursing staff) and overworked personnel. Physical and mental strains resulted from HCWs being overworked and working permanently on alert to face medical uncertainties and the critical conditions of patients. HCWs lacked recognition on multiple levels and dealt with stigma and avoidance behaviour of colleagues.

conclusionTo mitigate HCWs' occupational health risks and staff turnover, we propose context-specific recommendations. The number of available essential workers in care of patients with COVID-19, especially nursing staff, should be carefully planned and increased to avert chronic work overload. Timely training and education in IPC for all HCWs is important. Providing supportive supervision is as essential as appropriate recognition by higher level management and the public.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health PersonnelHumansPandemicsPersonal Protective EquipmentSARS-CoV-2COVID-19occupational & industrial medicinepublic healthsocial medicine

Identifiers

PMID35256442
PMCPMC8905413
OpenAlexW4220996350

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.