Working conditions & mental health in healthcare staff
Working conditions & mental health in healthcare staff
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on healthcare professionals. They faced high workloads, emotionally demanding situations, and an increased risk of infection. In response to the outbreak, healthcare organizations implemented a range of measures that affected the work of healthcare staff. To draw lessons from this crisis, this thesis of Ylse van Dijk examined how nursing home staff and public health care staff (GGD) experienced this period.
The pandemic also highlighted the importance of emotional demands in providing care, both at work and at home. Therefore, this thesis also examines both the energy that caring for others requires and the energy it provides.
The findings provide an in-depth understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care staff. Questionnaire studies showed how staff experienced their work and mental health during the pandemic. In addition, document analysis and group discussions provided insight into which measures were implemented and how they affected staff. Together, these findings highlight that pandemic responses should prioritize staff well-being alongside infection control, with specific attention to support in decision-making, the effects of pandemic-related worries, and the additional burden placed on permanent staff.
The findings on emotional demands after the pandemic highlight the importance of creating conditions that support compassionate care within healthcare organizations. Furthermore, the results show that work and private life continuously influence one another. Therefore, it is important for both healthcare organizations and researchers to pay attention to the ways in which experiences at work and at home jointly shape the wellbeing of healthcare staff.