The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
Background: Nursing homes in Poland are the most common formal care institutions for dependent people. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes had particularly high infection rates. In this context, it is important to ask about the experiences of the care workers worki...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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F1000 Research Ltd
2023-03-01
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| Series: | F1000Research |
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| Online Access: | https://f1000research.com/articles/11-1008/v3 |
| _version_ | 1797862279331446784 |
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| author | Ryszard Necel |
| author_facet | Ryszard Necel |
| author_sort | Ryszard Necel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Nursing homes in Poland are the most common formal care institutions for dependent people. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes had particularly high infection rates. In this context, it is important to ask about the experiences of the care workers working in these institutions. Methods: This research was conducted using the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique in five provinces in Poland. The field research was carried out in April 2021. The research sample included, among others, nurses, care workers, therapists, social workers and the management staff of institutions whose representatives worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were asked to assess the care provided to residents. Results: It turned out that the vast majority of respondents positively assessed the fulfillment of the basic living needs of residents and the availability of care. The assessment of the organization of residents’ leisure time, the fulfillment of their religious and cultural needs, and the issue of maintaining contacts with the social environment was less satisfactory. The article also describes the results of care institution employees’ self-assessment of their mental health. For the majority, the most stressful factor was the need to work in a health-threatening environment and the sense of responsibility for the residents. Regarding the availability of the forms of support offered to workers experiencing deteriorating mental health due to working in the pandemic situation, more than a third said that their institution did not offer any form of assistance. Conclusions: The article lists a number of recommendations. In the light of the data obtained, it is necessary to increase the intensity of services provided to residents of nursing homes in terms of organizing their free time, meeting their religious and cultural needs and maintaining contact with the social environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:16:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e08f79641883444e98dca367ff25a1ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-1402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:16:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | F1000Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e08f79641883444e98dca367ff25a1ae2023-03-23T01:00:00ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022023-03-0111145886The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]Ryszard Necel0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6709-0862Department of Sociology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, 60-568, PolandBackground: Nursing homes in Poland are the most common formal care institutions for dependent people. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes had particularly high infection rates. In this context, it is important to ask about the experiences of the care workers working in these institutions. Methods: This research was conducted using the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique in five provinces in Poland. The field research was carried out in April 2021. The research sample included, among others, nurses, care workers, therapists, social workers and the management staff of institutions whose representatives worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were asked to assess the care provided to residents. Results: It turned out that the vast majority of respondents positively assessed the fulfillment of the basic living needs of residents and the availability of care. The assessment of the organization of residents’ leisure time, the fulfillment of their religious and cultural needs, and the issue of maintaining contacts with the social environment was less satisfactory. The article also describes the results of care institution employees’ self-assessment of their mental health. For the majority, the most stressful factor was the need to work in a health-threatening environment and the sense of responsibility for the residents. Regarding the availability of the forms of support offered to workers experiencing deteriorating mental health due to working in the pandemic situation, more than a third said that their institution did not offer any form of assistance. Conclusions: The article lists a number of recommendations. In the light of the data obtained, it is necessary to increase the intensity of services provided to residents of nursing homes in terms of organizing their free time, meeting their religious and cultural needs and maintaining contact with the social environment.https://f1000research.com/articles/11-1008/v3nursing homes social care care workers culture of disaster mental healtheng |
| spellingShingle | Ryszard Necel The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] F1000Research nursing homes social care care workers culture of disaster mental health eng |
| title | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland [version 3; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | coronavirus disease 2019 covid 19 pandemic in nursing homes the experience of care workers in poland version 3 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | nursing homes social care care workers culture of disaster mental health eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/11-1008/v3 |
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