No abstract

Spanish healthcare workers’ professional identity is intricately associated with the idea of vocation, among others values. This attitude has become even more marked during the current COVID-19 pandemic—during which these professionals have endured a gruelling workload that has tested the limits of their physical and mental strength. The objective of this study is to open a debate on the symbolic dimensions of identity and culture among healthcare professionals (mainly doctors and nurses), analysing the factors that, on the one hand, might reinforce this symbolic system or, on the other, might question it or cause it to be restructured. The study follows an anthropological perspective, with the thematic content analysis of twenty-two in-depth interviews with primary healthcare professionals. The results show the need to dissect the symbolic and structural factors underpinning anxiety and fear in medical professional performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. These have a significant impact on the current model of medical practice and its most visible and worrying consequence, continuous occupational distress. The conclusions suggest that these models need to be reviewed since there is a notorious dissonance between their strengths and weaknesses.

Background Pandemics and epidemics have represented public health emergencies with severe consequences at a global level. Primary care teams have played a crucial role in disease surveillance and monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic through early detection, contact tracing, and isolation of positive cases. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams regarding their internal dynamics and their professional performance. Methods Qualitative study carried out between July and December 2020 in two large central and southern Spanish regions (Castilla la Mancha and Madrid). Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with primary care workers. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Participants were accessed using purposive sampling. Results A total of 53 primary care workers participated in the study, of which 38 were individually interviewed, and 15 participated in three focus groups.The analysis of their experiences revealed two main themes regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams: 1) The need to reorganise traditional roles: Primary care settings closed their doors to the public and their workers restructured their roles to ensure the delivery of essential services; 2) The need to implement a new primary care delivery model: Each primary care team had to self-organise, making sure their reference population was cared for and developing resource optimisation strategies. Conclusions Primary care teams have quickly adapted their roles and internal dynamics to respond to the demands generated by COVID-19. In the new delivery model, some positive aspects could be highlighted – such as increased communication between professionals and the use of telemedicine for some cases. However, it is important to address the negative impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on of the main functions of primary care. These measures are necessary to promote well-being in primary care teams, and to provide quality care that addresses the complex and individual needs of each person and reduces inequalities in healthcare delivery.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the organisational and management strategies of healthcare institutions such as primary care centres. Organisational culture as well as leadership style are key issues for the success of these institutions. Due to the multidimensional nature of identity processes, it is necessary to explore the changes experienced by health professionals from these perspectives. This study explores health professionals’ organisational and management strategies in primary care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Qualitative, exploratory study based on the analysis of participants’ accounts within a hermeneutic phenomenologicaly approach. Methods Research was conducted in primary care settings in two neighbouring Spanish healthcare regions. The sample included participants with different demographics (gender, age), professional roles (practice managers, general practitioners, paediatricians), employment status (permanent, temporary, zero-hours), and years of experience (under or over ten years’ experience). Data were collected between July and December 2020 through focus groups and in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews. Results A total of 53 primary care workers participated in the study, of which 38 were individually interviewed and 15 participated in three focus groups. Of these, 78.4% were healthcare professionals, 49% were female nurses, and 70.5% had more than 10 years of work experience in primary care. Two main themes emerged: “liquid” healthcare and “the best healthcare system in the world”. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, new, more fluid organisational and management models were implemented in primary care settings, which have remained in place since. Primary care workers’ perceived a lack of appreciation and inclusion in decision-making that risked their alienation and disengagement. Conclusion Primary care workers’ professional identity became gradually blurred due to shifting perceptions of their professional roles in a context of increasing improvisation and flexible working practices. This affected their professional performance. Trial Registration The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethical Committee of the Talavera de la Reina Integrated Management Area (CEIm del AGI de Talavera de la Reina in Spain, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, ref: 23/2020).

El texto explora el folklore estudiantil en su interconexión con el mundo digital y con el mantenimiento de anteriores formas de expresión del folklore. Mediante un estudio cualitativo que ha sido desarrollado a través de una etnografía colaborativa complementada con entrevistas semidirigidas a grupos de estudiantes de bachillerato y Universidad, se analiza el papel de los juegos juveniles, como los de beber y fumar, los llamados retos virales, cuyo relato va dirigido a jóvenes adolescentes, para terminar abordando la comunicación con memes como práctica social dentro del contexto de los grupos de Whatsapp.