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. 2021 Jan-Dec:12:21501327211004738.
doi: 10.1177/21501327211004738.

Determinants of Workforce Preparedness during Pandemics Among Healthcare Workers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michelle D Balut  1 , Claudia Der-Martirosian  1 , Aram Dobalian  1   2
Affiliations

Determinants of Workforce Preparedness during Pandemics Among Healthcare Workers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Michelle D Balut et al. J Prim Care Community Health. 2021 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Objective: An infectious disease outbreak can place a significant burden on healthcare systems, however, our understanding of the broader healthcare workforce's preparedness during a pandemic is limited. This study examines factors that influence perceived workforce preparedness at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during a pandemic.

Methods: The VA Preparedness Survey was a random, anonymous, web-based survey fielded nationwide October to December 2018. Multivariate statistical analyses examined the effects of study relevant factors (sociodemographic, work-related, general health, and household-related characteristics of VA employees) on perceptions of workforce preparedness, including institutional readiness and understanding of individual roles during a pandemic.

Results: Four thousand and twenty-six VA employees responded. Overall, 55% were confident in their VA medical facility's ability to respond; 49% understood their role; and 68% reported their role to be important during a pandemic. After controlling for study-relevant factors, household preparedness, having plans that address the health care needs of family members, and higher self-reported health status were associated with all 3 workforce preparedness variables. Clinical staff (compared to non-clinical staff) were less likely (OR:0.80, 95% CI:0.68-0.94, P < .01) to have confidence in their medical facility's ability to respond but more likely (OR:1.77, 95% CI:1.49-2.10, P < .001) to believe their role was important. Employees who have been at the VA longer (OR:1.07, 95% CI:1.01-1.14, P < .05) or have experienced a disaster while working at the VA (OR:1.29, 95% CI:1.04-1.59, P < .05) were more likely to understand their role during a pandemic.

Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest the need for identifying ways to increase VA employees' confidence in their medical facility's ability to respond to a pandemic; develop trainings to improve understanding of their different yet critical roles, for both clinical and non-clinical staff, during a pandemic; create different workforce trainings for newly hired employees; and identify ways to improve household preparedness for a pandemic outbreak.

Keywords: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; determinants; healthcare worker; pandemics; workforce preparedness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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