Table 4 Stressors described by respondents since the COVID-19 outbreak
Themes | N (%) | Quotes |
|---|---|---|
Witnessing patients and family suffering | 16 (30.8) | “Patients arriving by ambulance and gasping for air, with mottled skin, actively dying. With only one person allowed to accompany him. That’s emotionally heavy. Inhumane”. |
“Seeing family members leaving the ED not knowing if they would ever see their loved ones alive again”. | ||
Work pressure | 10 (19.2) | “Caring for COVID-19 patients in addition to regular acute care with less professionals”. |
“Not able to fall back on the support of colleagues because of the isolation procedure”. | ||
Fear of contamination | 9 (17.3) | “Patient has already been in the ED for four hours without being suspected of having COVID-19. Suddenly, just before hospital admission, the doctor decides to perform a COVID-19 test. So, I was not protected during these hours”. |
“The staff canteen is crowded with personnel without any social distancing”. | ||
Inability to provide comfort and support | 5 (9.6) | “Telling people at the counter that only one person or no people are allowed to accompany their loved one. That’s heart-breaking”. |
“Not being able to guide family members in saying goodbye to a patient. Communication through the use of an iPad is not very personal, especially when you wear a protection mask”. | ||
Changing protocols regarding COVID-19 care and personal protection | 5 (9.6) | “Protocols were constantly revised, sometimes multiple times a day”. |
Shortage of high-quality PPE | 5 (9.6) | “PPE’s were scarce at times and depended on availability. This affected the quality of care: less contacts with patients, less supervision, et cetera”. |