Victorian Infectious Disease Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia; The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Victorian Infectious Disease Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia; The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Infect Dis Health. 2021 May;26(2):95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2020.10.002. Epub 2020 Nov 11.
Adequate preparation and support for healthcare workers (HCWs) managing high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) is critical to the overall clinical management of HCIDs. Qualitative studies examining how well prepared and supported HCWs feel are lacking despite their key role. This study investigated how prepared and supported front-line HCWs at an Australian tertiary hospital felt about managing HCIDs such as viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF).
A qualitative research approach was used to undertake interviews with 45 Royal Melbourne Hospital medical and nursing staff from emergency, intensive care and infectious diseases. Interview questions captured data on HCWs' role, familiarity with using protocols, psychological attributes and training for scenarios related to VHF patient management. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Categorical responses were analysed quantitatively and open-ended responses were analysed thematically.
Ninety-eight percent of participants indicated feeling capable of undertaking their role in managing VHF patients; 77% felt supported through personnel/resources. However, 69% indicated barriers to managing these patients effectively; and 68% felt anxious at the prospect of managing VHF patients. Themes emerging from participants' observations included concerns about training frequency, miscommunication, difficulty with uncertainty, feeling underprepared, and fear of transmitting infection to others.
Although the majority of HCWs feel confident about their ability to care for VHF patients, they also have a moderately-high degree of anxiety. Perceptions of interviewed staff have fed into recommendations to increase HCW preparedness and reduce anxiety, which include investigating support services, and exploring training options that create multi-departmental groups of highly specialised medical officers and nurses.
为管理高后果传染病（HCIDs）的医护人员（HCWs）提供充分的准备和支持对于 HCIDs 的整体临床管理至关重要。尽管 HCWs 发挥着关键作用，但缺乏检查他们准备程度和感受的定性研究。本研究调查了澳大利亚一家三级医院的一线 HCWs 在管理诸如病毒性出血热（VHF）等 HCIDs 方面的准备和感受。
采用定性研究方法，对皇家墨尔本医院的 45 名急诊、重症监护和传染病医学和护理人员进行了访谈。访谈问题包括 HCWs 的角色、熟悉使用方案、与 VHF 患者管理相关的心理特征和培训等数据。采访进行了录音和转录。对分类响应进行了定量分析，对开放式响应进行了主题分析。
98%的参与者表示有能力承担管理 VHF 患者的角色；77%的人表示通过人员/资源得到支持。然而，69%的人表示在有效管理这些患者方面存在障碍；68%的人表示在管理 VHF 患者时感到焦虑。参与者观察到的主题包括对培训频率、沟通不畅、对不确定性的处理困难、准备不足和担心传染给他人的担忧。
尽管大多数 HCWs 对自己照顾 VHF 患者的能力充满信心，但他们也有相当高的焦虑感。受访者的看法为增加 HCW 的准备度和减少焦虑提供了建议，包括调查支持服务，并探索培训方案，创建由高度专业化的医生和护士组成的多部门小组。
