A Broader View of Risk to Health Care Workers: Perspectives on Supporting Vulnerable Health Care Professional Households During COVID-19.
Acad Med
; 96(9): 1233-1235, 2021 09 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1246781
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both that frontline workers face a new set of personal hazards in health care settings and that there are not well-established recommendations to address the broader risks to these workers and their families. Particularly vulnerable households include dual health care professional households, single-parent health care professional households, and households with health care professionals responsible for a high-risk family member (i.e., an older adult or immunocompromised person). While the demographics of these households are heterogeneous, it is expected that the professional and personal concerns specific to COVID-19 will be similar. These concerns include family safety, balancing full-time work with home-based schooling for children, the looming threat of illness to 1 or both partners, the potential of infecting high-risk family members, and the challenges of planning for the future during uncertain times. To elucidate these concerns in their department, the authors sought input from colleagues in dual health care professional households through an open-ended email communication. Respondents expressed a range of concerns centered on balancing professional and family responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this commentary, the authors propose several recommendations in the areas of support networks, leadership and culture, and operations and logistics that health care institutions can adopt to minimize the burden on these vulnerable households during states of emergency. The successful implementation of these recommendations hinges on creating a work environment in which all health care providers feel comfortable voicing their concerns.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Family
/
Health Personnel
/
COVID-19
/
Occupational Diseases
Type of study:
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Acad Med
Journal subject:
Education
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS