Role of Medical and Nursing Practitioners in Times of Pandemic: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Crisis and Future Prospects

Context: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic adversely affected the operation of health systems and services and dramatically increased the responsibilities of health professionals. Medical and nursing practitioners are an integral part of health care. They shouldered an important role in the fight against the novel coronavirus despite the potential risks. Evidence Acquisition: The present article applied a narrative approach to examine the nature and scope of the medical and nursing professions, especially during a pandemic or epidemic, and to describe the societal impact of the recent public health emergency. This study also analyzed the experience gained from the pandemic and how this could be used to ethically guide health services and clinicians through similar crises in the future. Results: The COVID-19 crisis revealed ethical dilemmas related to the retention of balance between the commitment to duty and the discretion to opt out. Health workers' obligation to treat derives from their professional role and is based on scientific, moral, and legal grounds. A pandemic mandates health staff to work at the limits of their competencies and entails the risk of infection with the pathogen, physical exhaustion, and emotional stress. The tremendous toll on society and health care due to the spread of a pathogen needs to be managed. The responsibility of clinicians to care for the sick is at the core of any successful response to a pandemic. Protective measures, safety training, sustainable working hours, and moral and fiscal compensation are essential prerequisites for the fulfillment of their tasks. Conclusions: Despite the reduced clinical severity associated with new variants, individual and collective fatigue among doctors and nurses continues to exist. The most recent epidemiological indicators show that the COVID-19 pandemic is still progressing but with a decelerating rhythm. In addition, preparation for a potentially catastrophic future pandemic is appropriate. Therefore, there is no time for complacency. All the involved parties need to ensure that health professionals uphold the mission of their profession.