‘You must have lived it’: learning from the views of physiotherapists who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a total of 676 million cases of infection and 6.9 million deaths. During a pandemic, healthcare workers are exposed to psychological stressors such as high risk of infection, inadequate protection, and isolation, which could have implications for their wellbeing. Aims The purpose of this qualitative literature review carried out systematically was to examine the views of physiotherapists who worked with COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify how physiotherapy services might be better prepared for future pandemics. Methods A systematic search was carried out across four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDISCUS) to identify relevant studies. Studies were assessed for quality and data extracted and analysed using thematic synthesis. Results A total of 631 studies were identified through the search strategy and screened against the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Six papers met the inclusion criteria. Four themes were identified from the perspective of the physiotherapy participants: lack of resources; emotional impact; coping strategies and integration; and value within the multidisciplinary team. Conclusion Overall qualitative evidence around the views of physiotherapists who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. An insight into the views of participants may help healthcare organisations support physiotherapy services to be better prepared in the event of a future pandemic, specifically addressing the need to strengthen supply chains, advocating for physiotherapy as a profession in low-income counties and psychological resilience. Future research should focus on identifying the most effective support options and strategies to build psychological resilience before a crisis occurs.