Impact of simulation-based teamwork training on COVID-19 distress in healthcare professionals

Abstract

Context Non-technical skills such as leadership, communication, or situation awareness should lead to effective teamwork in a crisis. This study aimed to analyse the role of these skills in the emotional response of health professionals to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Before the COVID-19 outbreak, 48 doctors and 48 nurses participated in a simulation-based teamwork training program based on teaching non-technical skills through simulation. In May 2020, this group of professionals from a COVID-19 referral hospital was invited to participate in a survey exploring stress, anxiety, and depression, using the PSS-14 (Perceived Stress Scale) and the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) measures. A control group that did not receive the training was included. We conducted a logistic regression to assess whether having attended a simulation-based teamwork training program modified the probability of presenting psychological distress (PSS-14 > 18 or HADS> 12). Results A total of 141 healthcare professionals were included, 77 in the intervention group and 64 in the control group. Based on the PSS-14, 70.1% of the intervention group and 75% of the control group (p = 0.342) had symptoms of stress. Having contact with COVID-19 patients [OR 4.16(1.64–10.52)]; having minors in charge [OR 2.75 (1.15–6.53)]; working as a doctor [0.39(0.16–0.95)], and being a woman [OR 2.94(1.09–7.91)] were related with PSS14 symptoms. Based on the HADS, 54.6% of the intervention group and 42.2% of the control group (p = 0.346) had symptoms of anxiety or depression. Having contact with COVID-19 patients [OR 2.17(1.05–4.48)] and having minors in charge [OR 2.14(1.06–4.32)] were related to HADS symptoms. Healthcare professionals who attended COVID-19 patients showed higher levels of anxiety and depression [OR 2.56(1.03–6.36) (p = 0.043)]. Conclusion Healthcare professionals trained in non-technical skills through simulation tended towards higher levels of anxiety and depression and fewer levels of stress, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Nurses and Auxiliary Nursing Care Technicians—A Voluntary Online Survey

“…These factors include: the measurement instrument used, the country where the study was conducted, the incidence of COVID-19 in that country, the type of healthcare system, the pressure of care in healthcare facilities, the time period of data collection and the study population. The spread of the pandemic in each territory has determined the magnitude of the emotional response [9]. In addition, most studies have been conducted in physicians or healthcare professionals in general, and our research has been conducted in nurses and ANCTs, who report a higher psychological burden [39].Furthermore, the scores obtained in the HADS by other authors are lower than those obtained in our study, with the anxiety scale value in our study being 12.91 in the first period and 10.60 in the second period, and adepression scale value of 10.66 and 8.87 in the first and second periods, higher than those reported by Tan et al (6.9 and 5.7, respectively) [13].…”

“…Healthcare professionals were considered an essential group for the management of this pandemic. These professionals are a high-risk population group, as they are directly involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 [9]. The risk of infection in these professionals was high during the first wave, with the number of healthcare professionals infected with COVID-19 in Spain being 50,000 (21% of the total number infected in that period), compared to 30,000 in France and Italy and 15,000 in Germany [10,11].…”

Psychological Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic – the Voice of the Young Doctors’ Generation: an International Survey.

“…The adverse impact of increasing work hours and reduced salaries as well as the bene cial effect of e cient organizational support and adequacy of training were previously identi ed as relevant modifying factors of psychological wellbeing among healthcare workers during the pandemic [15,[40][41][42][43][44][45]. However, these factors seem to be of paramount importance for young professionals.…”

Construct Validity and Differential Item Functioning of the PHQ-9 Among Health Care Workers: Rasch Analysis Approach

“…Several tools have been used for screening depression including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), 16 Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 17 self-rating depression Scale (SDS), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21). 18 While some have included anxiety, CES-D and The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measure only depressive symptoms.…”