Washington ANI New Research has found that the COVID 19 pandemic has had a profound effect on pediatric oncology health care professionals worldwide, requiring significant staffing changes that cause physical, psychological, and financial distress.
Despite the challenges, the study found that clinicians were able to come together to continue to provide high-quality care for children with cancer.
During the epidemic, lockdowns and restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID 19 resulted in widespread disruptions in medical care. The effect of the disease on pediatric oncology providers, who were already strained by a shortage of workers before the epidemic, Elizabeth Sniderman, MSN, APRN, and her colleagues surveyed 311 clinicians caring for children with cancer from 213 institutions representing 79 countries.
The data from the surveys was collected from June 22 to August 21, 2020. 16 institutions participated in 19 multidisciplinary focus groups.
Among the major findings was :
Decreased availability of clinical staff was cited as a major impact for 51 per cent of institutions.
Staffing changes resulted in decreased provider availability, 66 per cent of institutions roles or responsibility changes, and transfer of staff to work outside of their speciality.
8 per cent of respondents reported health care provider deaths at their institutions because of COVID 19 illness.
50 per cent of providers didn't have the necessary personal protective equipment.
Respondents also experienced psychological distress and financial concerns.
Across all income levels, the impact of the country was felt.
As they became ill or quarantined more often, nurses were particularly vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic, and faced additional financial challenges and were reassigned more often than physician colleagues, said Sniderman.
Respondents reported that burdens were addressed by increased teamwork, communication, contributions outside usual roles, and policies aimed at maximizing safety. Negative impacts were also counterbalanced by the feeling of making a difference or contributing to the control of the pandemic.
Sniderman noted that important strategies that remain relevant and are key to protecting health care providers, even though the study was conducted early in the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to the initiation of vaccine and the emergence of new variants.
The stabilizing elements that we found to help mitigate the challenges of the pandemic included teamwork, communication, feelings of contributing and policies aimed at maximizing safety. She said that these factors should be strengthened and implemented by organizations to support providers during the pandemic and future health crisis.
The results of the study should not be taken lightly, according to an accompanying editorial.