Bazan Dominika, Nowicki Michał, Rzymski Piotr
Department of Promotion and Careers, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701, Poznań, Poland.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781, Poznań, Poland.
Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2021 Mar;55:102109. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102109. Epub 2021 Feb 9.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic medical students in different countries were mobilized to support healthcare systems during the emergency. This study presents the experience of 580 students of a single medical university in Poland who served as volunteers at different healthcare units during the first six months of the first case being recorded in the country (March-September 2020). The mean ± SD hours and days spent on volunteering in the studied group were 52 ± 36 h and 144 ± 126 d, respectively, the collective number of worked hours amounted to 83,460 h. Compared to other fields of study students of medicine engaged in volunteering for more hours and for more days. The main tasks performed by the surveyed group included triage, servicing call-centers for patients and working at the admission ward, hospital clinics, emergency departments and diagnostic labs. The level of fear at the beginning of volunteering was relatively low in the studied group and did not increase over the course. The majority of students received positive feedback from families, friends, patients and healthcare workers, revealed a high level of satisfaction from volunteering (also when experiencing COVID-19-related prejudice), while gaining professional experience and a sense of giving real aid were among the most frequently indicated benefits. The results of the present study demonstrate that although medical students are not essential workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they can be of real assistance to healthcare systems during times of emergency, and should be considered as such in the future in case such a need arises again.
为应对新冠疫情，不同国家的医学生在紧急情况下被动员起来支持医疗系统。本研究介绍了波兰一所医科大学580名学生的经历，在该国记录到首例病例后的头六个月（2020年3月至9月），他们在不同的医疗单位担任志愿者。研究组中，志愿者服务的平均时长和天数分别为52±36小时和144±126天，累计工作时长达到83460小时。与其他专业的学生相比，医学专业的学生参与志愿服务的时间更长、天数更多。被调查群体执行的主要任务包括分诊、为患者服务呼叫中心以及在入院病房、医院诊所、急诊科和诊断实验室工作。在研究组中，志愿服务开始时的恐惧水平相对较低，且在整个过程中没有增加。大多数学生收到了家人、朋友、患者和医护人员的积极反馈，表明他们对志愿服务的满意度很高（即使在经历与新冠相关的偏见时也是如此），而获得专业经验和给予实际帮助的感觉是最常提到的好处。本研究结果表明，尽管医学生在应对新冠疫情时并非关键工作人员，但在紧急情况下，他们可以对医疗系统提供切实帮助，并且如果未来再次出现此类需求，应将他们视为能够提供帮助的群体。
