Sources of Resilience in Frontline Health Professionals during COVID-19.

Lydia Brown,Lydia Brown,Lydia Brown,Meg E Morris,Hermioni L Amonoo,Hermioni L Amonoo,Hermioni L Amonoo,Jeffrey Woods,Cathy Jones,Jeff C Huffman,Jeff C Huffman,Simon Haines

doi:10.3390/healthcare9121699

Abstract

Background: While the challenges for psychological well-being for Australian healthcare workers have been documented, there has been a dearth of qualitative research on the sources of resilience that sustained workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identified sources of resilience that clinicians used to cope with frontline challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 frontline health professionals, across five Australian hospitals, between October 2020 and April 2021. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the results were analysed using thematic analysis based on a phenomenological approach. Results: Three sources of resilience were identified by respondents: personal, relational, and organisational. A positive mindset, sense of purpose, and self-care behaviours emerged as key sources of personal resilience. Teamwork, altruism, and social support from family and friends contributed to relational resilience. Leadership, effective communication, and effective implementation of COVID-19 policies were associated with resilience at the organisational level. Frontline healthcare workers also voiced the need for the implementation of further strategies to support personal resilience whilst nurturing resilience within clinical teams and across entire healthcare organisations. Conclusions: Trust in healthcare systems, organisation leaders, colleagues, and personal support teams was an overarching theme supporting resilience.

Highlights

Frontline healthcare workers in Australia, and internationally, have faced unprecedented demands during the COVID-19 pandemic that have tested their resilience
There has been a rapid accumulation of questionnaire-based quantitative research showing that healthcare worker resilience during COVID-19 has been shaped by a range of demographic, psychological, and work-related factors [4,5,6,7]
Participants reported low to moderate perceived stress (M = 12.7; SD = 6.2) relative to a large sample of frontline medical personnel working in the COVID-19 setting [27]

Summary

Introduction

Frontline healthcare workers in Australia, and internationally, have faced unprecedented demands during the COVID-19 pandemic that have tested their resilience. Resilience enables healthcare workers to ameliorate stress, reduce their risk of burnout, and maintain wellbeing during challenging times [2,3]. There has been a rapid accumulation of questionnaire-based quantitative research showing that healthcare worker resilience during COVID-19 has been shaped by a range of demographic, psychological, and work-related factors [4,5,6,7]. While the challenges for psychological well-being for Australian healthcare workers have been documented, there has been a dearth of qualitative research on the sources of resilience that sustained workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identified sources of resilience that clinicians used to cope with frontline challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion