HEALTHCARE WORKERS RESILIENCE FROM MANAGING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A REVIEW

Abstract

The healthcare workers (HCWs) play an important part in delivering the healthcare services to the society around the globe, and the workers’ role become more crucial during disasters. Resilience against disasters in healthcare facilities is an important aspect in disaster risk preparedness and management in maintaining continuous healthcare services to the public. Pandemics and outbreaks are among the disaster hazards that potentially cause capacity strain towards the healthcare services based on previous experiences of infectious diseases such as Ebola, H1N1 influenza A, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which emphasize on the importance of maintaining high level of resilience among the HCWs. Recent upsurge of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia has led to overstretch of HCWs capacity, affecting the psychological wellbeing as well as continuity of work among HCWs in delivering the service.  However, limited study done in investigating the resilience level among HCWs in Malaysia. This paper aim to review previous studies that evaluate the resilience level and impact of outbreaks, including COVID-19 on HCWs worldwide. Psychological negative effects such as panic, anger, insomnia, anxiety, depression, ambivalence, distress, confusion, and monetary tension were among the common effects perceived by HCWs managing outbreak, with tendency to develop PTSD symptoms in future.  Level of resilience among HCWs varied between studies. Factors influencing level of resilience were training and education level, types of roles and occupation, psychological support, stress level, knowledge of the outbreak, gender, and adequate protective equipment supply. HCWs with better resilience level may adapt well against stress, able to voluntarily manage unfamiliar situations, and more efficient in gaining confidence. The knowledge of HCWs resilience level will enable hospital administrators to assess possible future psychological problems among the workers, allowing administrators to provide early behavioural and psychological therapy, work modifications and relocation, and offering adequate trainings and workshops to equip the workers accordingly.