“It’s Been Ugly”: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study into the Difficulties Frontline Doctors Faced across Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sophie Harris; Elizabeth Jenkinson; Edward Carlton; Tom Roberts; Jo Daniels

doi:10.3390/ijerph182413067

“It’s Been Ugly”: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study into the Difficulties Frontline Doctors Faced across Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sophie Harris, Elizabeth Jenkinson, Edward Carlton, Tom Roberts, Jo Daniels

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

This study aimed to gain an uncensored insight into the most difficult aspects of working as a frontline doctor across successive COVID-19 pandemic waves. Data collected by the parent study (CERA) was analysed using conventional content analysis. Participants comprised frontline doctors who worked in emergency, anaesthetic, and intensive care medicine in the UK and Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1379). All seniority levels were represented, 42.8% of the sample were male, and 69.2% were white. Four themes were identified with nine respective categories (in parentheses): (1) I’m not a COVID hero, I’m COVID cannon fodder (exposed and unprotected, “a kick in the teeth”); (2) the relentlessness and pervasiveness of COVID (“no respite”, “shifting sands”); (3) the ugly truths of the frontline (“inhumane” care, complex team dynamics); (4) an overwhelmed system exacerbated by COVID (overstretched and under-resourced, constant changes and uncertainty, the added hinderance of infection control measures). Findings reflect the multifaceted challenges faced after successive pandemic waves; basic wellbeing needs continue to be neglected and the emotional impact is further pronounced. Steps are necessary to mitigate the repeated trauma exposure of frontline doctors as COVID-19 becomes endemic and health services attempt to recover with inevitable long-term sequelae.

Original language	English
Article number	13067
Number of pages	19
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume	18
Issue number	24
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413067
Publication status	Published - 10 Dec 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
CERA was sponsored by North Bristol NHS trust and received ethical approval from the University of Bath (reference: 4421) and the Ethics Committee at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and received regulatory approval from the Health Regulation Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (IRAS: 281944). The present study was granted ethical approval by the University of Bath Psychology Research Ethics Committee (references: 21–138) and was sponsored by the University of Bath and North Bristol NHS trust.

Funding Information:
Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. CERA received ethical approval from the University of Bath (reference: 4421) and the Ethics Committee at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and received regulatory approval from the Health Regulation Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (IRAS: 281944). The present study was granted ethical approval by the University of Bath Psychology Research Ethics Committee (reference: 21–138) and was sponsored by the University of Bath and North Bristol NHS trust.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Funding

CERA was sponsored by North Bristol NHS trust and received ethical approval from the University of Bath (reference: 4421) and the Ethics Committee at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and received regulatory approval from the Health Regulation Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (IRAS: 281944). The present study was granted ethical approval by the University of Bath Psychology Research Ethics Committee (references: 21–138) and was sponsored by the University of Bath and North Bristol NHS trust. Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. CERA received ethical approval from the University of Bath (reference: 4421) and the Ethics Committee at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and received regulatory approval from the Health Regulation Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (IRAS: 281944). The present study was granted ethical approval by the University of Bath Psychology Research Ethics Committee (reference: 21–138) and was sponsored by the University of Bath and North Bristol NHS trust.

Keywords

COVID-19
Frontline workers
Healthcare workers
Moral injury
Qualitative research

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3390/ijerph182413067Licence: CC BY

Cite this

“It’s Been Ugly”: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study into the Difficulties Frontline Doctors Faced across Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic. / Harris, Sophie; Jenkinson, Elizabeth; Carlton, Edward et al.
In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 18, No. 24, 13067, 10.12.2021.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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“It’s Been Ugly”: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study into the Difficulties Frontline Doctors Faced across Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Defining the treatment needs and preferences for traumatic stress in doctors: COVID-19 clinicians cohort (CoCCo) study.

Cite this

“It’s Been Ugly”: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study into the Difficulties Frontline Doctors Faced across Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Defining the treatment needs and preferences for traumatic stress in doctors: COVID-19 clinicians cohort (CoCCo) study.

Cite this