RESEARCH PAPER
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical personnel
 
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1
Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
2
Department of Chemotherapy, The Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznań, Poland
 
3
Department of Biology of Lipid Disorders Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
4
Department of Cancer Pathology and Prevention, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
 
Submission date: 2020-05-22
 
 
Final revision date: 2020-07-06
 
 
Acceptance date: 2020-07-07
 
 
Online publication date: 2020-09-09
 
 
Corresponding author
Mikolaj Bartoszkiewicz   

Department of Chemotherapy, The Greater Poland Cancer Center, Garbary 15, 61-866 Poznań, Poland. Tel.: +4861 885 04 80.
 
 
Pol. Ann. Med. 2021;28(1):34-38
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The development of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been causing changes globally in economic sectors and healthcare systems.

Aim:
The purpose of the survey we proposed, was to collect information provided directly by medical professionals during the first weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic about how the facilities in which they work.

Material and methods:
An anonymous survey was addressed to all medical staff and made available on the Internet for a period of 10 days. The research group consisted of 284 people.

Results and discussion:
Most (97.6%) of health care units have introduced changes in the way they function in connection with a pandemic, and almost every employee was informed about it (94.7%). In most centres, frequent hand disinfection (86.6%) and the wearing of face masks (60.2%) were recommended. Changes in working hours have been introduced in 60.6% cases, and nature of work has changed for 62.0% of respondents. Most respondents are afraid that they may be a source of infection for their relatives (81.3%), whilst almost half are afraid for their personal health (49.3%) and that of their colleagues (54.2%). For the vast majority of respondents, the use of disinfectants has been recommended (94.0%), the wearing of gloves (93.0%), and for 79.9% to wear protective masks.

Conclusions:
In a survey of medical staff, most people have been experiencing increased stress due to the current coronavirus pandemic. The greatest concern among medics is the possibility of transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 virus to their relatives and colleagues. According to respondents, the current pandemic will have an impact on how the healthcare system will change in Poland.

FUNDING
None declared.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
 
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