Survey reveals how COVID-19 pandemic has impacted UK renal workforce
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A survey administered to members of the renal workforce in the United Kingdom revealed several impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including emotional exhaustion and an increased workload which, in many cases, triggered burnout.
Results indicated that participants who experienced role reconfigurations were at greater risk for these negative effects than those who stayed in their pre-pandemic roles.
“When COVID-19 pandemic reached the United Kingdom in early 2020, adaptive reconfigurations were rapidly implemented within health care teams, including the renal workforce,” Hannah Beckwith, MBChB, of Imperial College in London, and colleagues wrote. “Widespread changes included increased shift patterns, redeployment of staff and the return of individuals undertaking academic secondments to clinical work. Furthermore, vulnerable staff members were advised to ‘shield,’ triggering a redistribution of responsibilities between those compelled to work remotely and those on the frontline.”
Seeking to understand how the pandemic has influenced individuals working in renal health care (especially as it relates to changing roles), researchers distributed an online survey to members of the U.K. Renal Association. Respondents included doctors, nurses and medical trainees, among others, totaling 195 participants (75% were working full time, 41% lived with children younger than 18 years and 14% were shielding).
Responses indicated that although 75% of the surveyed population felt “supported” by their departments, half of doctors and nurses reported changes in their job roles which appeared to be correlated with a variety of challenges. For example, 61% of those who underwent role configurations reported an increased workload, 55% reported poorer work-life balance and 51% reported increased fatigue (in comparison, 38% of those remaining in their pre-pandemic roles reported increased workload, 37% reported poorer work-life balance and 40% reported increased fatigue).
Further results indicated that burnout was common, experienced by 54% of total participants and 60% of those who underwent role reconfigurations.
“Trainee doctors and redeployed staff both reported greater levels of depersonalization, and gender and ethnicity differences were also apparent,” the researchers noted, finding that training opportunities were also adversely impacted by the pandemic (more than 75% of trainees reported reduced access to specialty clinics, transplantation and procedures, while 14% reported unplanned extensions to training time and 23% felt the pandemic had negatively impacted their career plans).
“Despite these challenges, rapid positive adaptations in the delivery of teaching and training were reported,” the researchers wrote. “All trainees felt aspects of their training had improved with better access to remote working and discussions around end-of-life care being largely reported as positive developments.”
In addition, although isolation was reported as a result of working from home (or “shielding”), the increased use of remote technology was associated with improvements in work-life balance, with respondents addressing the flexibility and the ability to place more focus on family and their mental health.
“This survey is the first description of the effects of COVID-19 on a renal workforce,” Beckwith and colleagues concluded. “Although it highlights the resilience of staff, it also identifies the risk of burnout and emotional exhaustion, particularly among trainees and those redeployed if appropriate action is not taken in future waves or pandemics. Given the fatigue many are feeling from the first wave, there is an urgent need to address these findings.”
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