Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39306856›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced nursing2025

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nurses' and Junior Doctors' Workloads.

Gemma Doleman, Annemarie De Leo, Dianne Bloxsome

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

3 authors.

Gemma DolemanSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5566-5681
Annemarie De LeoSchool of Medical Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0667-5995
Dianne BloxsomeSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0419-1249

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses' and junior doctors' workload, changes to direct care and the impact of workload on resource allocation.

designMixed-method design was used.

methodsData were collected from direct observation, hospital administrative database and a survey. Nurses and junior doctors were observed on two COVID-19 wards and one non-COVID-19 ward using a semi-structured observation schedule. Survey data were collected from nurses and junior doctors that had worked on the COVID-19 ward during the pandemic. Patient data were collected from Web Patient Administration System during the period of March-August 2021 and compared to March-August 2022.

resultsThe results of this study indicated that the workloads of nurses and junior doctors changed on the COVID-19 wards. Nurses on the COVID-19 ward spent less time on administration, communication and documentation compared to nurses working on the non-COVID-19 ward. For junior doctors, less time was being spent on direct care activities and administrative work compared to the non-COVID ward. On the COVID-19 wards, patients were older and had a shorter length of stay compared to the year before. Five themes were identified from the surveys, staffing shortages resulting in higher workloads and the need for overtime, unforeseen time to undertake tasks, lack of support and physical health and patient care compromised.

conclusionThe study highlights the need for systemic changes to staffing shortages and elevated workloads to improve the compromised mental and physical health caused during the pandemic and to retain the workforce for future sustainability. IMPLICATIONS: As we collectively reflect on the lessons learned from this unprecedented period, it is imperative to address the challenges experienced proactively, fostering a healthcare environment that prioritises the well-being of its front line heroes and, by extension, the quality of patient care. REPORTING

methodSTROBE. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Indexed as

COVID-19Medical Staff, HospitalNursing Staff, HospitalWorkloadAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Surveys and Questionnairesdoctorsnursespandemicworkloads

Identifiers

PMID39306856
PMCPMC12159364

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.