ABSTRACT
Introduction: Protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) from exposure to SARS-CoV-2 during patient care is central to managing the current pandemic. Higher levels of trust in personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies have been previously related to lower levels of emotional exhaustion, yet little is known on how to achieve such a perception of safety. Objectives: We sought to identify institutional actions, strategies and policies related to HCW's safety perception during the early phase of the pandemic at a tertiary care center in Switzerland by interviewing HCWs from different clinics, professions and positions. Methods: For this qualitative study, 36 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were performed. Interviews were based on a guide addressing the perception of institutional strategies and policies during the first phase of the pandemic in March 2020. The participants included doctors (n = 19) and nurses (n = 17) in senior and non-senior positions from eight clinics in the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, all involved in patient care. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and organized using MAXQDA (VERBI Software GmbH, Berlin). Results: Five recurring themes were identified to affect perceived safety of HCWs during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: 1) transparency and clarity of information, 2) communication on the availability of PPE (with provision of information alone increasing the feeling of safety even if supplies of PPE were reported to be low), 3) uniformity and consistency of guidelines, 4) digital resources to support face-to-face teaching (with personal information transfer still being considered superior in terms of strengthening safety perception) and 5) support and appreciation for the work performed. Conclusion: This study identifies institutional policies and actions, the most important of which being transparent communication, influencing HCW's safety perception during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such knowledge reveals potential areas of action critical to improving preparedness and management in hospitals faced with an infectious disease threat.