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

IF 3.4 3区医学 Q1 NURSING Journal of Advanced Nursing Pub Date : 2024-09-22 DOI:10.1111/jan.16487

Gemma Doleman, Annemarie De Leo, Dianne Bloxsome

{"title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nurses' and Junior Doctors' Workloads","authors":"Gemma Doleman, Annemarie De Leo, Dianne Bloxsome","doi":"10.1111/jan.16487","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Aims</h3>\n \n <p>To 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.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Design</h3>\n \n <p>Mixed-method design was used.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>Data 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.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>The 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.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusion</h3>\n \n <p>The 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.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Implications</h3>\n \n <p>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.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Reporting Method</h3>\n \n <p>STROBE.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Patient or Public Contribution</h3>\n \n <p>No patient or public contribution.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":54897,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Nursing","volume":"81 7","pages":"3729-3738"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jan.16487","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Advanced Nursing","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.16487","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"NURSING","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aims

To 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.

Design

Mixed-method design was used.

Methods

Data 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.

Results

The 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.

Conclusion

The 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 Method

STROBE.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.

查看原文

微信好友朋友圈 QQ好友复制链接

本刊更多论文

COVID-19 大流行对护士和初级医生工作量的影响

探讨 COVID-19 大流行对护士和初级医生工作量的影响、直接护理的变化以及工作量对资源分配的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文去求助

来源期刊

Journal of Advanced Nursing 医学-护理

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

7.90%

发文量

369

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN) contributes to the advancement of evidence-based nursing, midwifery and healthcare by disseminating high quality research and scholarship of contemporary relevance and with potential to advance knowledge for practice, education, management or policy. All JAN papers are required to have a sound scientific, evidential, theoretical or philosophical base and to be critical, questioning and scholarly in approach. As an international journal, JAN promotes diversity of research and scholarship in terms of culture, paradigm and healthcare context. For JAN’s worldwide readership, authors are expected to make clear the wider international relevance of their work and to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural considerations and differences.