“We Are Together”: Operating Protocol and Preliminary Evaluation of a Telephone Line for the Support of Healthcare Professionals During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of the present article is to present the operating protocol of this helpline, as well as preliminary results of its evaluation.BackgroundThe “We Are Together” telephone support helpline (TSH) was developed for the empowerment of healthcare professionals in view of the psychological distress associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.MethodsBased on a scoping literature review the steps for the development of the TSH included: (a) identification of the objectives of the TSH, (b) description of the basic concepts and the structure of the telephone call, (c) development of the operating tools of the TSH, (d) definition of criteria for the enrollment of mental health professionals, (e) development of an educational program for those staffing the TSH, (f) design of the monitoring and evaluation methods of the TSH. Preliminary evaluation of the helpline was based on descriptive statistics (volume and length of calls, demographic and vocational data of service users, cause of call, number of recalls).ResultsDuring the first month of the helpline operation, only a limited number of calls was received. Only 20% of the service users were healthcare professionals, specifically emergency and critical care nurses, while the rest came from various backgrounds, including healthcare students, private sector employed citizens, unemployed, people with mental health issues, and the elderly. The majority of users were female.ConclusionAdditional measures to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the TSH regarding the psychological and mental health needs of its users are necessary.