Thematic Analysis to Understand the Perspectives and the Level of Support Offered to Healthcare Workers During the Pandemic in Ireland

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed exceptional demands on the healthcare workforce around the world (Vindrola-Padros et al., 2020). The aim of this study was to undertake an exploration of the experiences of healthcare workers (HCWs) who worked during the pandemic and their views about the support they were offered during the pandemic in Dublin, Ireland. Understanding the experiences of HCWs can help identify gaps in healthcare systems and inform efforts to strengthen them. This primary qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with six healthcare professionals. Participants were recruited via snowballing sampling technique and included nurses and healthcare assistants. The interview discussion guide consisted of questions on COVID-19-related challenges such as the demands at the workplace, the level of stress and uncertainty to HCWs, availability and quality of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the support as well as coping strategies they received, from the management to handle the pandemic. Braun and Clarke’s (2021) reflexive thematic analysis generated two themes with eight sub-themes. The two major themes were emotional exhaustion and inconsistent guidelines. The findings from the study indicated that healthcare workers were practising and carrying out duties outside their usual roles and reported very high levels of stress and anxiety. The second theme discusses the lack of consistency, which leads to a number of challenges for HCWs while implementing standardised practices. Understanding the perspectives of healthcare workers would facilitate the hospital administrations as well as managements in Ireland to proactively support healthcare providers during future pandemics by ensuring access to mental health programs, standardising communication and developing plans that will address equipment and supply availability. In addition to this, HCWs are key stakeholders in public health responses to pandemics, and their experiences can inform policies and guidelines related to infection prevention and control, vaccination and other public health interventions, as well as contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies to address pandemics.