Research Impact
- A survey and interviews conducted by Deakin University’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS) of health services staff employed by Western Health who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic showed many staff experienced increased levels of psychological distress, and a considerable impact on their occupational and personal lives.
- Seventy-nine per cent of participants reported that a number of wellbeing and support initiatives implemented by Western Health had improved their ability to cope with COVID-19-related stress and anxiety. Staff wanted many of the initiatives to continue after the pandemic.
- Western Health has used the findings to refine its initiatives based on the modifications suggested by staff, as well as develop new programs.
- The research identified that the needs of health service staff continue to evolve, with Western Health committing to work with staff to ensure future initiatives are tailored to their needs.
- The findings also confirmed the importance during infectious disease outbreaks of assisting staff to manage occupational and personal responsibilities, and provide high-quality patient care.
The Need/Challenge
From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, health service employees reported experiencing increased levels of psychological distress, and considerable impact on their occupational and personal lives. Concerns about contracting COVID-19, putting family members at risk, and caring for infected patients were described, as well as professional challenges including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and being redeployed to different work roles.
Health service staff also identified difficulties managing family responsibilities, including supporting school-aged children with remote learning. Other occupational risks included perceived stigma, discrimination, long and irregular work hours, and heavy workloads.
The importance of mental health and psychosocial support for health service staff during a pandemic has been recognized internationally. Employees who experience positive perceptions of their organizations’ support initiatives are less likely to experience depression, anxiety and stress.[1]
Conversely, inadequate levels of individual support are likely to reduce the ability of staff to function effectively, resulting in increased rates of employee illness, absenteeism and turnover, and reduced quality of patient care.[2]
Recognizing the potential psychosocial and occupational impact of the pandemic on its staff, a large metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Western Health, implemented a range of wellbeing and support initiatives, including wellness hubs, daily staff bulletins, a COVID-19 information and wellbeing microsite, and an expanded employee assistance program.
To determine the effectiveness of these measures, Western Health sought the assistance of Deakin University’s Institute for Health Transformation (IHT), Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS).
Developing the solution
A QPS team, led by IHT senior research fellow Dr Sara Holton, initiated an evaluation of the initiatives implemented by Western Health during the pandemic to determine if they met employees’ needs.
“We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the professional and personal lives and psychological wellbeing of health service staff,” Dr Holton said.
Between mid-December 2020 and early-March 2021, all staff employed at Western Health (7113 full-time equivalent) were invited by email to complete a self-report anonymous online survey, and/or participate in an interview.
Employees’ reflections and experiences of the initiatives, and perceived barriers and enablers to participation, were sought. The interviews also investigated perceptions of the health service’s response to and support of employees during the pandemic, their experiences of implementing the initiatives, and perceptions about the success and communication of the initiatives.
Outcomes
A total of 907 completed surveys were received (13% response rate), and seven employees and three key stakeholders participated in interviews, predominantly conducted by video link (Zoom). The key findings and conclusions of the evaluation were published in the Oxford Academic journal.
The initiatives implemented by Western Health with which survey respondents were most satisfied included the wellness hubs (79% approval), wellbeing and support updates (73%), daily staff briefings (66%), and a COVID-19 wellbeing microsite (63%).
The evaluation found the initiatives were well utilised and appreciated by staff, and had a positive impact on their wellbeing. Staff reported the initiatives provided them with the information and support they required; a sufficient variety of initiatives was available; and they would use the initiatives again and recommend them to their colleagues.
Several barriers to their use were also identified in the evaluation, including accessibility difficulties due to heavy workload and shift work, and a perception that the initiatives were only for clinical staff. However, many staff indicated they would like the initiatives to continue after the pandemic.
Survey participants made several suggestions for improvements to ensure any future initiatives would meet their needs. These included ensuring initiatives would be accessible to employees from different professional groups and sites, and broadening communication formats in order to promote initiatives to staff who did not have access to computers or had limited English proficiency.
Dr Holton said this study was one of the first in Australia to examine how effective an organisation’s wellbeing and support initiatives were at meeting employees’ needs. “It’s important to evaluate these initiatives because we know they are unlikely to be successful or used unless they are appropriate to the needs and expectations of the staff to whom they are offered,” she said.
Project details
Project Title
Western Health: Evaluation of COVID-19 wellbeing and support initiatives for healthcare workers
Project Time Period 2020 to 2022
Funding
Provided by Western Health
Research Leads
- Dr Sara Holton – Senior Research Fellow, Deakin University Institute for Health Transformation
- Dr Karen Wynter – Honorary Fellow, Deakin University School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Professor Bodil Rasmussen – Professor, Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Research team and collaborators
- Ms Anne Wright – Director, Organisational Culture and Leadership Development, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Leonie Hall – Director, Workplace Strategy and Wellbeing, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Jo Wintle – Wellbeing Consultant, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Eugenia Lambis – Senior Project Manager, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Leesa Cooke – Organisational Culture & Leadership Development Advisor, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Cheryl McNally – Organisational Culture & Leadership Development Advisor, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Meri Pavlovski – Workplace Strategy and Wellbeing Co-ordinator, People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
- Ms Suellen Bruce – Director,People, Culture and Communications, Western Health
Partners and supporters
Western Health
[1] 1.Holton S, Wynter K, Trueman M et al. Psychological wellbeing of Australian hospital clinical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aust Health Rev 2020;45:297–305.
[2] 2.Holton S, Wynter K, Trueman M et al. The immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and personal lives of Australian hospital clinical staff. Aust Health Rev 2021;45:656–666.
Image courtesy of Western Health
