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Willingness to Work amongst Australian Frontline Healthcare Workers during Australia’s First Wave of Covid-19 Community Transmission: Results of an Online Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2021

Michella Hill Open the ORCID record for Michella Hill [Opens in a new window] ,
Erin Smith Open the ORCID record for Erin Smith [Opens in a new window]  and
Brennen Mills Open the ORCID record for Brennen Mills [Opens in a new window]
Michella Hill*
Affiliation:
School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Western Australia
Erin Smith
Affiliation:
School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Western Australia
Brennen Mills
Affiliation:
School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Western Australia
*
Corresponding author: Michella Hill, Email: michela.hill@ecu.edu.au.
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Abstract

Objectives:

The majority of research investigating healthcare workers’ (HCWs) willingness to work during public health emergencies, asks participants to forecast their perceptions based on hypothetical emergencies, rather than in response to the actual public health emergencies they have experienced. This research explored frontline HCWs willingness to work during Australia’s first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among frontline HCWs.

Methods:

Participants (n = 580) completed an online questionnaire regarding their willingness to work during the pandemic.

Results:

A total of 42% of participants reported being less willing to work during the pandemic compared to before. Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), concern expressed by family members, and viral exposure were significant barriers. A third of participants disagreed that some level of occupational risk for exposure to infectious disease was acceptable while a quarter of participants had received communications from their workplace concerning obligations to work during COVID-19.

Conclusions:

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Australian frontline HCWs’ willingness to work. Scarcity of PPE and exposure to the virus were the most cited reasons impacting on willingness to work. Appropriate policies and practices should be implemented and communicated efficiently to frontline HCW’s. This research provides insight into the lived experiences of Australian healthcare professionals’ willingness to work during a pandemic.

Keywords

emergency medical servicesdisaster medicinepandemicsprotective devicesemergency responders
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e44
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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