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. 2022 Mar 9;11(6):1487.
doi: 10.3390/jcm11061487.

Impact of the Organizational Model Adopted during the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Perceived Safety of Intensive Care Unit Staff

Elena Conoscenti  1 , Maria Campanella  1 , Antonino Sala  2 , Maria Cristina Di Stefano  3 , Dario Vinci  3 , Rosario Lombardo  1 , Giuseppe Arena  1 , Angelo Ginestra  4 , Rosario Fiolo  5 , Fabio Tuzzolino  2 , Alessia Ippolito  1 , Gennaro Martucci  6 , Giuseppe Enea  1 , Angelo Luca  2
Affiliations

Impact of the Organizational Model Adopted during the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Perceived Safety of Intensive Care Unit Staff

Elena Conoscenti et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a devastating health, social, and economic effect on the population. Organizational, technical and structural operations aimed at protecting staff, outpatients and inpatients were implemented in an Italian hospital with a COVID-19 dedicated intensive care unit. The impact of the organizational model adopted on the perceived safety among staff was evaluated.

Methods: Descriptive, structured and voluntary, anonymous, non-funded, self-administered cross-sectional surveys on the impact of the organizational model adopted during COVID-19 on the perceived safety among staff.

Results: Response rate to the survey was 67.4% (153 completed surveys). A total of 91 (59%) of respondents had more than three years of ICU experience, while 16 (10%) were employed for less than one year. Group stratification according to profession: 74 nurses (48%); 12 medical-doctors (7%); 11 physiotherapists (7%); 35 nurses-aides (22%); 5 radiology-technicians (3%); 3 housekeeping (1%); 13 other (8%). The organizational model implemented at ISMETT made them feel safe during their workday. A total of 113 (84%) agreed or strongly agreed with the sense of security resulting from the implemented measures. A vast majority of respondents perceived COVID-19 as a dangerous and deadly disease (94%) not only for themselves but even more as vectors towards their families (79%). A total of 55% of staff took isolation measures and moved away from their home by changing personal habits. The organizational model was perceived overall as appropriate (91%) to guarantee their health.

Conclusion: The vast majority of respondents perceived the overall model applied during an unexpected, emergency situation as appropriate.

Keywords: COVID-19; fear; intensive care unit; safety management; survey.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Plant of the unit.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Training stratified by age (Q13)—(Frequency response “Strongly disagree”, “Disagree”, “Irrelevant”, “Agree”, “Strongly agree”; 20–30 years: 0, 6, 3, 11, 4; 31–40 years: 0, 1, 1, 25, 10; 41–50 years: 3, 3, 3, 22, 18; >50: 0, 0, 0, 13, 12).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Q23. In the first few days after your access to the COVID-19 area, did you take isolation measures upon returning home to protect your family?
Figure 4
Figure 4
Q25. I returned to normal daily habits because I felt sufficiently reassured by the implementation of the corporate organizational model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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