The Impact that the Necessary Changes due to COVID-19 had on the Motivation of Allied Health Professionals within a Public Hospital

Abstract

The objective of this research focuses on the impact that the necessary changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic had on the motivation of a specific cohort of healthcare workers within a public hospital in Malta (Mater Dei Hospital). The changes introduced by the local public healthcare system, which were necessary to cope with the increased stress caused by the pandemic, were: staff relocations, changes in work practices, and changes in working hours. The study explored in depth the impact of these changes on allied health professionals (AHP) motivation, acknowledging the importance of the self-determination theory. During analysis, autonomy, relatedness, and competence were the three domains of motivations explored.The hypothesis focuses on the effect of the specified changes on these three domains of motivation. The study will therefore validate whether there was an impact, or not, on each of these motivational aspect of allied health professionals by the necessary changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic within a public hospital. The ultimate purpose is to discover relations and variableswhich are scientifically measuredbetween these implemented changes and affected motivation aspects. The aim is that healthcare management takes preventive measures in future pandemic recurrences to reduce negative impacts on motivation.