Understanding the Dynamics of Staff Reallocation to Clinical Practice During the First Wave of COVID-19 – a Qualitative Study
Abstract BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, one responsive strategy to ensure hospital staff capacity was reallocation of staff between departments. Unpredicted factors may influence how the strategy is executed. Knowledge of potential moderating factors is essential to improve future staff contingency plans. To understand barriers and promoters of staff realloctation, this study explored the dynamics of reallocating staff from departments with low activity to clinical practice during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic at a 530-bed university hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark. MethodsWe used a mixed-methods explanatory design with sequential data collection and analysis. This paper primarily describes the qualitative part of the study, which consisted of six interviews with staff reallocated to clinical practice as part of the staff contingency plan, and seven interviews with leaders of departments that contributed with staff for reallocation. Data was analyzed using inductive content analysis.ResultsThe results showed that the execution of a staff contingency plan during a pandemic is influenced by a complex set of structural, perceptional, social, individual, and psychological moderating factors. Although staff felt obligated and motivated to cover shifts, their actual behavior and experience was influenced by factors such as uncertainty about tasks, family obligations, other work-related tasks, the contingency plan set-up, how the contingency plan, roles, and sense of urgency were interpreted by staff and leaders, and how the leaders prioritized tasks and staff time. Introduction to the unit and tasks, the feeling of being needed, voluntary participation, transparency, collegial sparring, and familiarity with the workplace were factors that promoted a positive experience.ConclusionsThis study identified a variety of complex moderating factors, which should be considered when hospital contingency plans are developed. The study highlights the importance of understanding how reallocated staff and leaders experience and make interpretations and adjustments to a given plan, as this may have great significance for how the contingency plan is put into practice. Future staff contingency plans should take these factors into consideration to make better use of human resources in times of a crisis and to improve staff’s experience with reallocation.
