# Informing future quarantine practices through the experiences of COVID‐19 quarantine facility staff

## TL;DR

This study surveyed staff at a large outdoor quarantine facility in Australia to identify best practices and challenges for future quarantine operations.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into staff experiences and recommendations for improving quarantine facility management during pandemics.

## Key findings

- 85% of staff would work at the quarantine facility again, and 90% felt residents were well cared for.
- 95% of staff felt safe from COVID-19 transmission onsite, indicating low anxiety about acquiring the virus.
- Key challenges included the need for better leadership communication, IT systems, and site processes for weather conditions.

## Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated the rapid development of quarantine sites, prompting the need for new staff models and scopes of practice. This project surveyed health and non‐health staff at a large outdoor quarantine facility in regional Australia to gather insights for future quarantine facility guidelines based on their experiences and perceptions.

This translational research project implemented a mixed‐methods approach to analyse staff perceptions of working at a quarantine facility to inform the development of a policy and practice guide. An anonymous online survey utilising purposive sampling was distributed to 410 multidisciplinary survey participants over an 8‐week period. Survey questions focussed on site processes, challenges and recommendations for future implementation of quarantine services. Qualitative data was thematically analysed with the aid of Leximancer, and a descriptive statistical method was used for quantitative data analysis.

There were 92 survey respondents from health and non‐health roles; of these, 85% indicated they would work at the quarantine facility again, and 90% agreed residents were well cared for. There was a lack of anxiety of acquiring COVID‐19, with 95% feeling safe from COVID‐19 transmission onsite. Challenges staff identified highlighted future investment areas, including leadership communication models, information technology (IT) management systems specific for quarantine services and site processes to better accommodate weather elements.

Overall, staff validated the primary health model of quarantine care with key challenges highlighting the importance of leadership and investment in communication and IT. The results were aligned with site functions and operations and will inform the development of a pandemic quarantine facility guide.

The COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated the establishment of quarantine facilities; a survey at a large outdoor quarantine facility in Australia gathered insights from multidisciplinary staff. The findings emphasised the importance of leadership, communication and information technology in managing quarantine services with staff validating the facility's primary health model and indicating a willingness to work there again.