What is it about?
This study analyzed workloads and their impact on health professionals and managers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. It was conducted as a qualitative case study, part of a larger research study on the pandemic in the region. Data was collected through document analysis and interviews with 56 health professionals. The workloads were categorized into three areas: psychological, physiological and biological. Psychological workloads, related to stress, coping with suffering and excessive demands, were more significant. Physiological burdens resulted from overwork, understaffing and activity overload. Biological burdens involved exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and contact with infected patients. The study showed that both managers and workers face working conditions that harm their health and the quality of patient care. It is concluded that organizational actions are needed to ensure healthier and less stressful working environments, including health surveillance of professionals, disease prevention and reduction of workloads.
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Why is it important?
This study highlights the importance of working conditions and the environment in which these professionals operate. To ensure an effective response to public health crises such as COVID-19, it is essential that health institutions adopt proactive measures to protect the health of their workers and create less stressful environments. In the Amazon region, with its unique geographical and infrastructural challenges, the problems are accentuated. Therefore, the findings of this study not only shed light on the local situation, but also serve as a call to action to improve health infrastructure and support for health workers in remote and hard-to-reach regions. Ultimately, this study highlights the continued need to support health workers and implement policies that promote healthy and less burdensome working environments, thus ensuring that they can continue to play a critical role in times of public health crisis.
Perspectives
I hope this article offers the reader a valuable opportunity to understand the challenges faced by health professionals and managers in the Amazon region of Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic and how important it is to think about effective organizational measures to ensure healthier working environments with greater problem-solving capacity. I hope this article piques your interest, as the topic has significant implications for managing public health crises and planning future responses to pandemics or similar situations.
Doutor Wagner Ferreira Monteiro
Amazonas State University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Existing workloads among managers and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Meanings in the Amazon context, PLoS ONE, October 2023, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292541.
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