Examination of the Experience and Stress Situation of Emergency Health Professionals During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the profiles, experiences, and stress of emergency health professionals in the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Material and Method: The present descriptive study was carried out with 210 healthcare professionals working in emergency units of pandemic hospitals in Turkey between May 1 and June 1, 2020. The sampling method was not used. The data were collected on the internet with a questionnaire form consisting of 70 questions, which the researchers created by scanning the relevant literature and included many sub-headings such as the demographic characteristics of emergency workers, as well as their feelings, attitudes, stress situation, work environments, and information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The results showed that the participants followed current information about the COVID-19 pandemic from multiple sources (97.6%), received training regarding preventive measures through in-service training at hospitals (22.9%), or multiple sources (58.6%). The mean scores regarding the feeling of risk for themselves were 8.21±2.01 (min-max: 1-10), while the mean scores regarding the feeling of risk for the people they live with were 7.99±2.77 (min-max: 0-10). The stress intensity in the last week was found to be mean ±SD: 6.80±2.49. Conclusion: Although the healthcare professionals working in the emergency units obtained the information about the COVID-19 outbreak from many sources, the information given by the hospitals was inadequate; the professionals felt themselves at risk. Intense stress was seen in the female healthcare workers, nurses, those who do not receive psychological support, and those who perform pre-triage to suspected COVID-19 patients.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• pandemic
• healthcare professionals
• emergency unit
• stress

Türkiye’de COVID-19 Pandemisinin İlk Dönemlerinde Acil Sağlık Profesyonellerinin Deneyimleri ve Stres Durumlarının İncelenmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma Türkiye’de COVID-19 pandemisinin ilk dönemlerinde acil sağlık profesyonellerinin deneyimleri ve yaşadıkları stresi belirlemek amacı ile yapıldı. Gereç ve Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı olarak planlanan araştırma, 01 Mayıs-01 Haziran 2020 tarihleri arasında, Türkiye’de pandemi hastanelerinin acil ünitelerinde görev yapan 210 sağlık çalışanı ile gerçekleştirildi. Örneklem seçimine gidilmedi. Veriler araştırmacılar tarafından ilgili literatür taranarak oluşturulan ve acil çalışanlarının demografik özelliklerinin yanısıra, çalışma ortamları, COVID-19 ile ilgili bilgileri, pandemiye ilişkin hissettikleri, tutumları, stres durumları gibi birçok alt başlığı içeren 70 soruluk anket formu ile internet ortamında toplandı. Bulgular: Katılımcıların COVID-19 hakkındaki güncel bilgi/haberleri birden çok kaynaktan takip ettikleri (%97,6), koruyucu önlemler konusundaki eğitimleri hastanelerdeki hizmet içi eğitimlerden (%22,9) veya birden çok yerden (%58,6) aldığı, kendilerini riskte görme puan ortalamalarının 8,21±2,01 (min-max:1-10) ve birlikte yaşadıkları kişiyi riskte görme puan ortalamalarının 7,99±2,77 (min-max:0-10) olduğu belirlendi. Son bir haftadır hissettikleri stres yoğunluğu ise ort±SD:6,80±2,49 olduğu görüldü. Sonuç: Acil ünitedeki sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 salgını ile ilgili bilgileri pek çok kaynaktan takip etmelerine rağmen, hastanelerin bu konudaki bilgilendirmelerinin yetersiz olduğu, çalışanların kendilerini önemli oranda risk altında hissettikleri, kadınların, hemşirelerin, psikolojik destek almayanların, COVID-19 şüphesi olan hastaların triyajını yapan hemşire, ebe ve sağlık memurlarının yoğun stres hissettikleri tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

• pandemi
• COVID-19
• COVID-19
• pandemi
• sağlık çalışanı
• acil ünite
• stres

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