Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological well-being of oncology healthcare professionals

Aims: To explore how psychological well-being is maintained by healthcare professionals (HCPs) employed in a cancer setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design: A qualitative design using diaries and interviews to collect data was used to gain insights into how HCPs managed their well-being during the pandemic.Methods: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse diaries and interviews completed by 66 HCPs during the second pandemic lockdown period (December 2020-April 2021). A total of 102 HCPs were recruited, drawn from five groups: nursing staff, radiographers, medical staff, allied health professionals (AHPs) (non-radiographers) and support staff.Results: The majority of participants adjusted to the challenges of the pandemic using positive coping strategies, although difficult days required the mobilization of additional resources. Emotion management was regulated through peer relationships, professional roles and the workplace, sustained through communities of practice involving knowledge exchange, shared goals and social interactions. Maintaining high-quality patient care was a source of job satisfaction, providing a route through which positive emotions could be channelled; however, it was juxtaposed with threats to well-being from busy workloads and variable organizational responsiveness. Work routines provided a platform for well-being, underpinned by the sharing of problems and solutions within peer networks.Conclusion: This study has highlighted the dynamic nature of well-being amongst HCPs during the pandemic. Well-being interventions should build on the preferred coping strategies of HCPs, focusing on the way individuals coalesce in groups to learn from and support one another.

Automated summary

This study aims to explore how healthcare professionals in a cancer setting maintain their psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers used diaries and interviews to collect data and analyzed them using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results showed that most participants adjusted to the challenges of the pandemic using positive coping strategies, but difficult days required additional resources. Managing emotions was facilitated through peer relationships, professional roles, and the workplace, sustained through communities of practice. Maintaining high-quality patient care provided job satisfaction but was juxtaposed with threats to well-being from busy workloads and organizational responsiveness. Work routines and peer networks were important for well-being. The study highlights the dynamic nature of well-being among healthcare professionals during the pandemic and suggests interventions should focus on preferred coping strategies and peer support.