Le Thoai, Bishop Simon, Macrae Carl
Nottingham University Business School, Nottingham, UK.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Dec 18;24(1):1589. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11842-y.
Human resource management (HRM) of healthcare organisations plays an important role in improving the continuity of care, managing staff, and ensuring patient safety. During COVID-19, there were several HR-related issues, creating a significant challenging situation for health and social care institutions. This study explored the HRM issues that are associated with the patient safety in homecare, and how homecare providers have responded to these HR-related challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this is to explore the role of HRM practices in helping care organisations operate efficiently and supporting their workforce to adapt to future disruptive changes and crises.
Qualitative strategies include narrative inquiry involving gathering information in the form of storytelling by the research participants. Between February 2021 and December 2021, data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 31 participants, including homecare staff (homecare transition practitioners, homecare social workers, and carers), family members, and service users in England.
The research identified key HRM challenges during the pandemic, including staff shortages, high turnover, ineffective communication, occupational stress for front-line carers, and lack of training, all adversely affecting the safety of homecare patients. In response, homecare providers employed strategies like opportunistic recruitment, digital technology for training and communication, and flexible work arrangements to mitigate these issues.
Several implications are proposed, with the over-riding aim of ensuring effective management of HRM practices in responding to address key areas: staffing, performance management, and training. Homecare providers should utilise short-term adaptive recruitment strategies, while also focusing on long-term workforce development and resilience to effectively respond to current and future care needs. Prioritising staff well-being for retention and care quality are crucial. Homecare providers are encouraged to offer flexible work arrangements and digital communication methods, all while being mindful of preventing technostress and digital exhaustion among their staff. They also need to bridge training gaps and employ effective delivery methods to equip healthcare workers with essential skills, thereby enhancing resilience and adaptability in homecare.
医疗保健机构的人力资源管理（HRM）在改善护理连续性、管理员工和确保患者安全方面发挥着重要作用。在新冠疫情期间，出现了几个与人力资源相关的问题，给卫生和社会护理机构带来了巨大的挑战。本研究探讨了与居家护理中患者安全相关的人力资源管理问题，以及居家护理提供者在新冠疫情期间如何应对这些与人力资源相关的挑战。其目的是探讨人力资源管理实践在帮助护理机构高效运作以及支持其员工适应未来的颠覆性变化和危机方面所起的作用。
定性策略包括叙事探究，即通过研究参与者以讲故事的形式收集信息。在2021年2月至2021年12月期间，通过对31名参与者进行半结构化访谈收集数据，这些参与者包括英格兰的居家护理人员（居家护理过渡从业者、居家护理社会工作者和护理人员）、家庭成员和服务使用者。
该研究确定了疫情期间人力资源管理的关键挑战，包括人员短缺、高离职率、沟通不畅、一线护理人员的职业压力以及缺乏培训，所有这些都对居家护理患者的安全产生了不利影响。作为回应，居家护理提供者采用了机会主义招聘、用于培训和沟通的数字技术以及灵活的工作安排等策略来缓解这些问题。
提出了几点启示，首要目标是确保有效地管理人力资源管理实践，以应对关键领域：人员配备、绩效管理和培训。居家护理提供者应采用短期适应性招聘策略，同时关注长期劳动力发展和适应能力，以有效应对当前和未来的护理需求。将员工福祉置于留住员工和护理质量的优先位置至关重要。鼓励居家护理提供者提供灵活的工作安排和数字通信方式，同时要注意防止员工出现技术压力和数字疲劳。他们还需要弥补培训差距并采用有效的授课方法，使医护人员具备必要技能，从而增强居家护理的适应能力和灵活性。
