Abstract
Purpose: To gain a better understanding of the experiences of healthcare providers caring for adult patients during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A descriptive, qualitative design was conducted using semi-structured interview questions. Eleven participants were recruited from a sample of 28 healthcare providers to participate in video interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data.
Results: Healthcare providers experienced continued distress related to concerns about the long-term effects on themselves, their families, and society. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) exhausted and emotionally numb; (2) vaccinated versus the unvaccinated; and (3) stressors and misguided supports.
Conclusion: The lingering COVID-19 pandemic led to continued distress among healthcare providers. Themes highlight the challenges faced by healthcare providers as they continued to care for patients during the lingering pandemic. Leadership must continue to prioritize support for healthcare providers for the duration of healthcare disasters to promote quality of life, reduce burnout, and increase job satisfaction. Findings from this study can inform the development of much needed institutional support for front line healthcare providers during times of crisis.
Notes
References: 1. Hannemann J, Abdalrahman A, Erim Y, et al. The impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of medical staff considering the interplay of pandemic burden and psychosocial resources—A rapid systematic review. Doering S, ed. PLOS ONE. 2022;17(2):e0264290. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0264290
2. Ness MM, Saylor J, Di Fusco LA, Evans K. Healthcare providers’ challenges during the coronavirus disease (COVID 19) pandemic: A qualitative approach. Nurs Health Sci. 2021;23(2):389-397. doi:10.1111/nhs.12820
3. Sharifi M, Asadi-Pooya AA, Mousavi-Roknabadi RS. Burnout among Healthcare Providers of COVID 19; a Systematic Review of Epidemiology and Recommendations : Burnout in healthcare providers. Arch Acad Emerg Med. 2020;9(1):e7. doi:10.22037/aaem.v9i1.1004
4. Arias-Ulloa CA, Gómez-Salgado J, Escobar-Segovia K, García-Iglesias JJ, Fagundo-Rivera J, Ruiz-Frutos C. Psychological distress in healthcare workers during COVID 19 pandemic: A systematic review. J Safety Res. 2023;87:297-312. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.07.016
5. Leaver CA, Stanley JM, Goodwin Veenema T. Impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic on the Future of Nursing Education. Acad Med. 2022;97(3S):S82-S89. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004528
Sigma Membership
Iota Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Workforce, Stress, Coping, COVID19
Recommended Citation
Ness, Michelle M.; Difusco, Leigh Ann; and Saylor, Jennifer, "Healthcare Providers and the Lingering Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 3.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/3
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Healthcare Providers and the Lingering Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Purpose: To gain a better understanding of the experiences of healthcare providers caring for adult patients during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A descriptive, qualitative design was conducted using semi-structured interview questions. Eleven participants were recruited from a sample of 28 healthcare providers to participate in video interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data.
Results: Healthcare providers experienced continued distress related to concerns about the long-term effects on themselves, their families, and society. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) exhausted and emotionally numb; (2) vaccinated versus the unvaccinated; and (3) stressors and misguided supports.
Conclusion: The lingering COVID-19 pandemic led to continued distress among healthcare providers. Themes highlight the challenges faced by healthcare providers as they continued to care for patients during the lingering pandemic. Leadership must continue to prioritize support for healthcare providers for the duration of healthcare disasters to promote quality of life, reduce burnout, and increase job satisfaction. Findings from this study can inform the development of much needed institutional support for front line healthcare providers during times of crisis.
Description
This study aimed to understand the experiences of healthcare providers caring for adult patients as the COVID-19 pandemic continued into its second year. Participants reported continued distress, with complaints of emotional exhaustion, inadequate support, and concerns about the vaccination status of patients in the clinical setting, emphasizing the need for institutional support to enhance their quality of life, reduce burnout, and improve job satisfaction.