Impacts of the early COVID-19 response on allied health staff within a tertiary health service in Queensland: a qualitative study
Rebecca Angus1,2, Rachel Wenke1,2, Sara Burrett1, Jill Mahoney1, Shelley Roberts1,2 1Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Southport, Queensland, Australia2Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
Background: Understanding the experiences and needs of healthcare workers is crucial in strengthening healthcare system resilience during times of change. Most studies documenting the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have focused on medical and nursing staff. We aimed to explore allied health professionals’ (AHPs) perceptions of the impacts of the pandemic response on their work.
Methods: We used a qualitative descriptive study with thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with AHPs employed in a large Queensland health service during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: Four themes were conceptualised from interviews of 21 AHPs and consolidated with six Allied Health managers. Impacts were at personal; impacts on individual staff, service; impacts on service provision, and systems levels; process of change management. A theme of acceptance of circumstance due to the pandemic overlaid and influenced experiences within each level. Changes included service cessation, remote service delivery, new COVID-19 protocols and role or work location alterations. Some staff were empowered in making practice changes, while others lost research or career opportunities. Despite low COVID-19-related hospitalisations and fatalities, staff reported stresses from workload changes and fear for self or loved ones. Open, clear communication assisted in alleviating anxiety, while perceived involvement in decision making and administrative and/or technical support for implementation of new processes were facilitators of smooth change.
Conclusion: The findings have implications for managing rapid health system change in response to pandemic threat and more broadly for change management and supporting resilience in the healthcare workforce.
Biography
Dr Rebecca Angus is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service. She is a research specialist employed to support development, conduct and dissemination of health services research, and to build research capacity in allied health clinicians with a view to enabling best-practice patient care. Her interests are in nutrition care, allied health model of care evaluation and research capacity building strategies within health services.