Staff at nonacute-care facilities report increased stress during pandemic
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Key takeaways:
- A survey revealed that 82% of HCP agreed that wearing a face mask could prevent COVID-19 acquisition.
- Nearly one-third of respondents said that the changing guidance on PPE was difficult to follow.
A survey of health care workers at nonacute-care facilities during the spring of 2021 revealed insight into their COVID-19 experiences, knowledge, beliefs and perception of risk during the pandemic.
Respondents reported experiencing increased work-related stress and responsibilities and difficulty keeping up with changing rules about personal protective equipment (PPE), according to findings published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
The authors of the study noted that nonacute-care facilities like nursing homes were disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
“Health care personnel (HCP) and residents at such facilities are at risk of acquiring COVID-19,” Armaghan-e-Rehman Mansoor, MD, an infectious disease fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, told Healio. “These facilities also have unique challenges related to infection prevention, which may augment their risk of infection. In addition, facilities may find it more difficult to implement infection control measures such as respiratory or contact isolation.”
According to Mansoor, studies conducted in acute-care settings have evaluated the knowledge and practices of HCP related to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. However, there is limited information on nonacute-care facilities.
To fill these gaps, the researchers conducted an anonymous survey at three nonacute-care facilities in St. Louis — a skilled nursing facility, memory care facility and postacute rehabilitation facility — between April and May of 2021. In total, 156 HCP in both direct and indirect patient care roles participated in the survey.
Results showed that most HCP (98%) were aware of the existence of asymptomatic COVID-19 and 82% agreed that wearing a mask could prevent COVID-19.
When asked about COVID-19 vaccination, 78.1% of respondents reported having received at least one dose at the time of the survey, whereas 71.6% reported having completed a primary vaccine series. The most common reasons for vaccination were to protect family and friends, to help stop the spread of COVID-19, to protect themselves and to protect their patients. Among those who did not receive a vaccine, the most common reasons were concern about vaccine side effects (52.9%), concern that the vaccine had not been tested well enough (50%) and concern about how quickly the vaccine was developed (47.1%).
Responses revealed that PPE was readily available to 90% of HCP at the time of the survey, although 30% reported having to previously reuse PPE. Nearly one-third of HCP (31%) also responded that the changing guidance on PPE was “difficult to follow.”
In terms of feeling safe at work, half of the respondents felt they were at greater risk for infection because they worked at a health care facility, and nearly 20% stated that they had been afraid to go to work. Notably, 56% of HCP reported their facility made it easy to stay at home while they were sick, although 56.1% also reported taking on additional responsibilities during the pandemic.
Additionally, 14% of survey respondents contemplated leaving their job because of COVID-19, which the authors said “underscores the need for strategies to mitigate burnout and to improve retention.”
“A significant proportion of HCP in nonacute-care facilities reported increased stress and responsibilities at work due to COVID-19,” Mansoor said. “Further research is necessary to expand on these studies and to create interventions to aid HCPs.”
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