Training and information during covid19 pandemic: The masterpiece in young oncologists

ABSTRACT

Background: COVID 19 pandemic was a health emergency that required a rapid response by the Italian National Health System. Healthcare professionals needed to be properly trained and informed about their patients' procedures and proper management. During an emergency, the information must be exhaustive, clear and timely to allow correct diagnostic and therapeutic continuity. It is also important that all health workers are promptly and homogeneously trained to guarantee the best treatment path even during pandemic. Our survey aimed to investigate the level of information and training of health workers in oncology during the pandemic and, in particular, the difference in perception between under and over 35 years operators. Material and Methods: An on-line multiple choices survey was submitted to oncology health workers during the pandemic to investigate individual perception of resources, information and staff training management by hospital centers. No open questions were included. Results: A total of 383 health workers replied to the survey (116 under 35 years versus 267 over 35 years). In the under 35s group a total of 65% declared they had been timely and sufficiently informed to understand the extent of the problem compared to 50% of over 35 (p=0.007). About 80% of young professionals were adequately informed and two thirds (63%) was formed about procedures/ recommendations to be followed during the pandemic. But in professionals over 35 only 56% declared to have the right information and over 65% did not feel adequately trained (p= <0.01). Furthermore, 44% of over 35 felt not sufficiently prepared for the management of the cancer patient during an epidemic compared to only 28% of the under 35 (p=0.015). Conclusions: The survey showed a different perception of information and training of healthcare professionals based on the age group. This could be determined by a different degree of task and responsibility but also by the greater and faster readiness of the younger operators to acquire new information and to draw a renewed ability to face an emergency by reorganizing themselves quickly and actively.