Artikel
How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our life – implications on patient care, triage and self-image
Wie die COVID-19 Pandemie unser Leben verändert hat – Eindrücke aus dem klinischen Alltag
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Veröffentlicht: | 4. Juni 2021 |
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Gliederung
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Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely left its mark on the year 2020. Precautions, restrictions and lockdowns burden almost all people around the world. With hospital closures out of the question, physicians and nurses face a novel and particular challenge. Therefore, the authors’ aim was to evaluate impressions and assessments of the medical staff of a tertiary referral hospital.
Methods: An online questionnaire addressing the current situation in daily clinical routine was created. The sheet consisted of 5 questions interrogating the participants’ personal assessments towards the pandemic. Topics were changes in patient care and triage, corresponding workload, self image and expected negative consequences in the near future. All physicians from all departments of the hospital were invited to fill out the questionnaire.
Results: 120 physicians participated and were divided into 3 groups: surgery, non-surgery and anesthesia. Two third (66.7%) of all physicians perceived an increased workload concerning patient care. In contrary, more than 90% of all surgeons and non-surgeons agreed that the majority of patients were reluctant to visit the hospital. This corresponded with the physicians’ efforts to avoid elective admissions. With regard to the doctors’ self-image in the current situation, more than 60% identified themselves as irreplaceable in the daily clinical routine. Interestingly, there was no significant difference between surgeons and non-surgeons. Another question focused on possible negative consequences of the pandemic in the future. Approximately the half (49.2%) of all physicians expected economic disadvantages for their department, whereas 45.6% of the surgeons and 61.4% of the non-surgeons anticipated disadvantages in their training program and career development.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has meaningfully affected the daily clinical routine. The questionnaire revealed an increased workload despite less patient numbers, significant changes of patient care and triage as well as personal and economic worries. These impressions and assessments are probably based on imposed restrictions, bureaucratic hurdles, and hygienic precautions.