Suslow Anastasia, Schlößler Kathrin, Chikhradze Nino, Lauer Romy, Pentzek Michael, Mortsiefer Achim, Vollmar Horst Christian, Otte Ina Carola
Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine (AM RUB), Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Institute of Family Practice, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
PLoS One. 2025 Apr 17;20(4):e0320953. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320953. eCollection 2025.
This article explores the psychological burden experienced by medical assistants (MAs) in General Practices during the Covid-19 pandemic (Corona virus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2)) in Germany. The study aims on demanding patient behavior, increased workload, and the perceived lack of appreciation and discuss their potential impact on the MAs´ well-being and career decisions.
A qualitative approach was utilized. MAs were included via a regional practice network as well as professional associations and newsletters. In total, 21 interviews with MAs from various federal states in Germany were conducted between April and September 2021. The semi-structured interview guideline focused on daily work challenges during the pandemic and its consequences. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.
The findings highlight core challenges, including demanding communication with patients, lack of appreciation in the media, a high workload, resilience versus career migration, and the needs and wishes of MAs in their everyday work. Abusive language, insults, and theft of materials by patients added significant stress. The interviews reveal how important teamwork and a supportive working environment are for overcoming these challenges.
The study underlines the urgent need for societal and political awareness regarding the challenges faced by MAs, especially during public health crises. The perceived social egoism in patient behavior, coupled with a lack of recognition and appreciation, contributed to a challenging work atmosphere and potential burnout risk. Recommendations include enhancing support for MAs, recognizing their contributions in the media, and fostering collaborative efforts between practitioners and policymakers to address the unique challenges in general practices.
German Register of Clinical Studies (DRKS) DRKS00032402; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00032402 (Registration Date: 14.08.2023).
本文探讨了德国在新冠疫情（2019年冠状病毒病（严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2））期间，全科医疗诊所的医疗助理所经历的心理负担。该研究旨在探讨患者的苛刻行为、工作量增加以及感知到的缺乏认可，并讨论它们对医疗助理的幸福感和职业决策的潜在影响。
采用定性研究方法。通过区域诊所网络以及专业协会和时事通讯纳入医疗助理。2021年4月至9月期间，共对来自德国不同联邦州的21名医疗助理进行了访谈。半结构化访谈指南聚焦于疫情期间的日常工作挑战及其后果。访谈进行了录音、转录，并根据库卡茨的方法进行定性内容分析。
研究结果突出了核心挑战，包括与患者进行苛刻的沟通、在媒体上缺乏认可、工作量大、适应能力与职业迁移，以及医疗助理在日常工作中的需求和愿望。患者的辱骂性语言、侮辱行为和材料盗窃增加了巨大压力。访谈揭示了团队合作和支持性工作环境对于克服这些挑战的重要性。
该研究强调了社会和政治层面迫切需要认识到医疗助理所面临的挑战，尤其是在公共卫生危机期间。患者行为中被感知到的社会利己主义，再加上缺乏认可和赞赏，导致了具有挑战性的工作氛围和潜在的倦怠风险。建议包括加强对医疗助理的支持、在媒体上认可他们的贡献，以及促进从业者和政策制定者之间的合作努力，以应对全科医疗诊所中的独特挑战。
德国临床研究注册中心（DRKS）DRKS000XXXX；https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS000XXXX（注册日期：2023年8月14日）。 （注：原文中部分数字缺失，译文保留了格式）
