Trying to create order in chaos—healthcare workers’ perspective of COVID-19 intensive care (a qualitative study)

TL;DR

This study explores the experiences of healthcare workers in managing the chaos of caring for COVID-19 patients in intensive care units.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the challenges and adaptations of healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Findings

Healthcare workers faced significant challenges in adapting to the crisis while managing their health.

Support strategies and workarounds were developed to maintain patient care and staff resilience.

The study highlights the need for better preparation for future healthcare crises.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic flooded intensive care units with patients needing supportive care. In Scandinavia, the greater Stockholm area was among the most affected. This study aimed to capture healthcare workers’ conditions and challenges during this prolonged crisis, including perspectives from the intensive care team.

The data consist of 22 semistructured individual interviews with regular and temporary healthcare workers involved in the intensive care of COVID-19 patients, including nurse assistants, registered nurses, critical care nurses and consultant and junior physicians. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

The overarching theme that emerged was trying to create order in chaos.

The theme encompassed four categories: adaptation with consequences, learning and growing while sacrificing my health, supporting and balancing staff resources without having enough, and challenging ICU values and standards. Each category comprised multiple subcategories.

Our study demonstrates challenges and identifies workarounds, support strategies and personnel learning experienced by COVID-19 intensive care teams in delivering patient care, ensuring patient safety and managing staff resilience. The findings can be used to better prepare for future crises.

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