Analysis of professional trajectories of nurses during the pandemic crisis:
For strategies aimed at optimizing nurse retentionand thequality of care
principal Investigators
Christian Rochefort
Marie-Eve Poitras
Funding
360 000$
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Study setting
Province of Quebec
Themes
COVID-19 , Professional trajectory, Nurses,
Quality of life at work
Why?
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted nurses' work, mental health and well-being in hospitals and long-term care centres. Many were already operating under challenging conditions, and the pandemic has only increased the risk of significant psychological impact.
Alongside these significant psychological impacts, many changes in professional trajectories have also been observed among nurses during the pandemic. Some of these changes were brought about by the nurses themselves, possibly to adapt to the pandemic; others have been forced by public health measures to ensure continuity and accessibility of care. In all cases, these trajectories are likely to generate disruptions in services that influence the ability of the health network to respond adequately to the health crisis.
However, we do not know what determinants are at the basis of the trajectories taken by nurses, as well as the strategies they use to adapt to these trajectories in a pandemic context. This knowledge is crucial to optimal management of the health network in the context of a health crisis in order to maintain a quality service offer while preserving the well-being at work and the psychological health of nurses.
Our research project, therefore, aims to better understand the professional career of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are our
GOALS?
Describe the professional trajectories of nurses during the COVID‑19 pandemic and identify the determining factors
Explain coping strategies nurses used
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Identify the strategies they would like to see implemented by their employer to ensure a balance between the maintenance of quality services, their well-being at work and their psychological health.
Ultimately, we want to improve access to services and the population's quality of life by allowing them to have the right professional at the right time, according to their needs.
How?
Using the Mixed Methods appraisal tool, we will conduct an explanatory mixed sequential study.
First, a provincial survey will describe the professional trajectories of nurses in the context of COVID-19 and their determinants. Then, a qualitative study will deepen the understanding of professional trajectories, their determinants and the adaptation strategies employed and desired by nurses to ensure a balance between the continuation of quality services to the population and the psychological well-being of nurses in a pandemic context.
What results are we aiming for?
The integration of the results will allow to:
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Understand the breadth and depth of indirect impacts of COVID-19 on nurses
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Identify strategies to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on nurses.
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Improve preparedness for future health emergencies.