Hospitals and health systems should look at five main areas to ensure they are fully supporting clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article published in JAMA.
The article's authors conducted eight listening sessions with 69 physicians, nurses, residents, fellows and advanced practice clinicians during the first week of the pandemic.
The clinicians outlined their top concerns regarding COVID-19 and what they need from leaders to be fully supported. Based on these discussions, the authors outlined five main requests healthcare providers have of their organizations.
Request 1: Hear me. Listen to and act on healthcare professionals' concerns from the frontline.
Response tactic: Create various feedback channels for clinicians (such as listening groups or an email suggestion box) to ensure their voices are heard and part of decision-making.
Request 2: Protect me. Limit healthcare professionals' risk of acquiring COVID-19 and/or infecting their family members.
Response tactic: Ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and offer quick COVID-19 testing for employees showing symptoms. Organizations should also offer accommodations for employees at high-risk of severe illness due to their age or health status.
Request 3: Prepare me. Give healthcare professionals adequate training and support to ensure high-quality care.
Response tactic: Offer employees rapid training on the most crucial information they know, while providing appropriate back-up training and access to experts as needed. Healthcare organizations should also foster a sense of collaboration by encouraging employees to ask each other for help or advice when facing difficult decisions.
Request 4: Support me. Support healthcare professionals' personal and family needs as they work longer, more grueling hours during the pandemic.
Response tactic: Offer clinicians benefits such as child care, lodging or transportation assistance. Organizations should also provide emotional and psychological support for clinicians through webinars, direct counseling sessions with units, etc.
Request 5: Care for me. Take care of clinicians' personal or family needs if they contract COVID-19.
Response tactic: Offer housing for healthcare professionals to separate them from their families, along with support for child care or food, if needed. Healthcare organizations should also offer paid time off for employees who must quarantine.
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