The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study
ObjectiveDuring the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, Fangcang Shelter Hospital (FSH) served as the major way in patient quarantine. Many COVID patients served as volunteers in FSH providing a lot of assistance for the medical workers and other COVID patients. The aim of this study...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1215030/full |
| _version_ | 1797661284605362176 |
|---|---|
| author | Lingyan Zhu Mengqi Xu Tiantian Ruan Xiaoli Huang Jue Cen Jue Cen |
| author_facet | Lingyan Zhu Mengqi Xu Tiantian Ruan Xiaoli Huang Jue Cen Jue Cen |
| author_sort | Lingyan Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveDuring the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, Fangcang Shelter Hospital (FSH) served as the major way in patient quarantine. Many COVID patients served as volunteers in FSH providing a lot of assistance for the medical workers and other COVID patients. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patient volunteers in FSH. It helps health professionals better understand their motivational incentives and barriers in their volunteer work, and improves recruiting and managing volunteers in subsequent public health emergencies.MethodsThis is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Thirteen patient volunteers working in an FSH in Shanghai were included. Thematic analysis was applied to data analysis.ResultsFour themes and nine subthemes were identified. The wishes to give back to society and the responsibility of politics and religion were the main reasons for the patients to serve as volunteers in FSH. The patient volunteers served as the bridge to reduce the communication barriers between other patients and healthcare professionals. They also provided support in supply distribution and psychological counseling. They viewed voluntary work as a usual task and tried to solve the barriers in their work. In turn, the voluntary work brought them benefits in mental and physical health, as well as another chance for growth.ConclusionWorking as volunteers in FSHs not only brought personal benefits to the COVID patients but also fulfilled the needs of the healthcare system during public health emergencies. The mode of mutual help between patients could be taken as an example in other public health emergencies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:43:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9758445044e4de18c59dda90dba4c1c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:43:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9758445044e4de18c59dda90dba4c1c2023-10-12T09:06:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-10-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.12150301215030The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative studyLingyan Zhu0Mengqi Xu1Tiantian Ruan2Xiaoli Huang3Jue Cen4Jue Cen5Department of Nursing, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaOffice of Administration, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaChina Hospital Development Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, ChinaObjectiveDuring the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, Fangcang Shelter Hospital (FSH) served as the major way in patient quarantine. Many COVID patients served as volunteers in FSH providing a lot of assistance for the medical workers and other COVID patients. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patient volunteers in FSH. It helps health professionals better understand their motivational incentives and barriers in their volunteer work, and improves recruiting and managing volunteers in subsequent public health emergencies.MethodsThis is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Thirteen patient volunteers working in an FSH in Shanghai were included. Thematic analysis was applied to data analysis.ResultsFour themes and nine subthemes were identified. The wishes to give back to society and the responsibility of politics and religion were the main reasons for the patients to serve as volunteers in FSH. The patient volunteers served as the bridge to reduce the communication barriers between other patients and healthcare professionals. They also provided support in supply distribution and psychological counseling. They viewed voluntary work as a usual task and tried to solve the barriers in their work. In turn, the voluntary work brought them benefits in mental and physical health, as well as another chance for growth.ConclusionWorking as volunteers in FSHs not only brought personal benefits to the COVID patients but also fulfilled the needs of the healthcare system during public health emergencies. The mode of mutual help between patients could be taken as an example in other public health emergencies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1215030/fullCOVID-19patient volunteersqualitative studyomicronChina |
| spellingShingle | Lingyan Zhu Mengqi Xu Tiantian Ruan Xiaoli Huang Jue Cen Jue Cen The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study Frontiers in Public Health COVID-19 patient volunteers qualitative study omicron China |
| title | The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study |
| title_full | The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study |
| title_short | The role of patient volunteers in Fangcang Shelter Hospital during the Omicron wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | role of patient volunteers in fangcang shelter hospital during the omicron wave of covid 19 pandemic in shanghai china a qualitative study |
| topic | COVID-19 patient volunteers qualitative study omicron China |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1215030/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lingyanzhu theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT mengqixu theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT tiantianruan theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT xiaolihuang theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT juecen theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT juecen theroleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT lingyanzhu roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT mengqixu roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT tiantianruan roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT xiaolihuang roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT juecen roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy AT juecen roleofpatientvolunteersinfangcangshelterhospitalduringtheomicronwaveofcovid19pandemicinshanghaichinaaqualitativestudy |