Morally challenging decisions |
Consequence of limited resources, lack of equipment, staff shortages. Managing risk: the balance of one’s own health with that of patients. Delivering a different quality of care, as good as it could be but not good enough. Perceptions of end-of-life care and ability to deliver it. Wanting to do more for patients and for the national response. Dealing with the wishes of patients and family members. Guilt associated with an individual leaving their own family, supporting their family while absent and posing a risk on return.
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Vulnerability |
Anxiety and fear during the response. Realisation of risk to self and thoughts about care pathway. Fear of family’s vulnerability and of infecting them. Hearing about healthcare workers contracting COVID-19. Hypervigilance about symptoms and trust in PPE. Contagion outside workplace. Discomfort of PPE.
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Death and suffering |
Dramatic deterioration caused by the illness and the effect on preparedness. Sense of powerlessness, acknowledging what was possible to achieve but also what was not. Caring for patients and learning their stories. Caring for relatives, delivering bad news and facilitating final conversations. Relatives unable to be with dying family members. Impact on children. Connecting laboratory samples to patients. Guilt about not doing more, making an impact, being part of a global response. Messages of thanks.
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Professional and personal challenges |
Camaraderie, openness, inspirational colleagues, sharing common purpose, learning from each other. Contribution to global effort. The media, public perception, symbols of support. Intense workplace, time spent in red zone - tension, emotion. Communication within organisation. Agreed length of time on task. Correct kit, concerns about protecting safety. Slow processes and bureaucracy, working conditions. Downtime: adequate or inadequate, limited range of things to do, feeling isolated, moral obligation to return to work. Not disclosing worrying information to family, providing reassurance, additional worries from home, effect of bad news on families.
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Expectations/post-traumatic growth |
Deflation on leaving the team, missing friends, missing the experience. Returning to mundane day jobs, sense of unfinished business. Others could not possibly understand, people too interested. Being avoided by others for fear of contagion. Growth at professional level, new skills, experience. Growth at personal level, increased confidence, greater appreciation. New career options. Networking.
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