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Brainard, Julii, Bunn, Diane, Watts, Laura, Killett, Anne 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4080-8365, O'Brien, Sarah J, Lake, Iain ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4407-5357, Mumford, Suzanne and Lane, Kathleen
(2022)
English care home staff morale and preparedness during the Covid pandemic: A longitudinal analysis.
American Journal of Infection Control.
ISSN 0196-6553
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Staff actions to prevent infection introduction and transmission in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) were key to reducing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Implementing infection control measures (ICMs) requires training, adherence and complex decision making while trying to deliver high quality care. We surveyed LTCF staff in England about their preparedness and morale at three timepoints during the COVID-19 epidemic. METHODS: Online structured survey targeted at LTCF workers (any role) administered at three timepoints (November 2020-January 2021; August-November 2021; March-May 2022). Narrative summary of answers, narrative and statistical summary (proportionality with Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s Exact Test) of possible differences in answers between waves. RESULTS: Across all three survey waves, 387 responses were received. Morale, attitudes towards working environment and perception about colleague collaboration were mostly positive at all survey points. Infection control training was perceived as adequate. Staff felt mostly positive emotions at work. The working environment remained challenging. Masks were the single form of PPE most consistently used; eye protection the least used. Mask-wearing was linked to poorer communication and resident discomfort as well as mild negative health impacts on many staff, such as dehydration and adverse skin reactions. Hand sanitiser caused skin irritation. CONCUSIONS: Staff morale and working practices were generally good even though the working environment provided many new challenges that did not exist pre-pandemic.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Additional Information: | Funding Information: This work was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NHIR) School for Social Care Research (SSCR, award 102645/ER/UEAKL-P178), the NHIR Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Emergency Preparedness and Response at King's College London in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration East of England (ARC EoE) in collaboration with the University of East Anglia. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, NIHR, SSCR, ARC EoE, UEA, UK Department of Health or UKHSA. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | covid-19,infection control measures,long-term care facility,personal protective equipment,epidemiology,health policy,public health, environmental and occupational health,infectious diseases ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2713 |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Oct 2022 11:31 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Apr 2023 06:31 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/89439 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.10.009 |
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