Experiences of staff providing specialist palliative care during COVID-19: A multiple qualitative case study

Bradshaw, A and Dunleavy, Lesley and Garner, Ian and Preston, Nancy and Bajwah, Sabrina and Cripps, Rachel and Fraser, Lorna and Maddocks, Matthew and Hocaoglu, Mevhibe and Murtagh, F.E.M. and Oluyase, Adejoke and Sleeman, K.E. and Higginson, I. J. and Walshe, Catherine (2022) Experiences of staff providing specialist palliative care during COVID-19: A multiple qualitative case study. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 115 (6). pp. 220-230. ISSN 0141-0768

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Abstract

Summary Objective To explore the experiences of, and impact on, staff working in palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Qualitative multiple case study using semi-structured interviews between November 2020 and April 2021 as part of the CovPall study. Data were analysed using thematic framework analysis. Setting Organisations providing specialist palliative services in any setting. Participants Staff working in specialist palliative care, purposefully sampled by the criteria of role, care setting and COVID-19 experience. Main outcome measures Experiences of working in palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Five cases and 24 participants were recruited (n = 12 nurses, 4 clinical managers, 4 doctors, 2 senior managers, 1 healthcare assistant, 1 allied healthcare professional). Central themes demonstrate how infection control constraints prohibited and diluted participants’ ability to provide care that reflected their core values, resulting in experiences of moral distress. Despite organisational, team and individual support strategies, continually managing these constraints led to a ‘crescendo effect’ in which the impacts of moral distress accumulated over time, sometimes leading to burnout. Solidarity with colleagues and making a valued contribution provided ‘moral comfort’ for some. Conclusions This study provides a unique insight into why and how healthcare staff have experienced moral distress during the pandemic, and how organisations have responded. Despite their experience of dealing with death and dying, the mental health and well-being of palliative care staff was affected by the pandemic. Organisational, structural and policy changes are urgently required to mitigate and manage these impacts.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
Additional Information:
The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 115 (6), 2022, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2022 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Royal Society of Medicine page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/SPP on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2700
Subjects:
?? qualitative researchpalliative carehospicegeneral medicinemedicine(all) ??
ID Code:
164802
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
18 Jan 2022 15:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
14 Aug 2024 23:42