Abstract
Aim
This study investigated the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners in the United Kingdom.
Background:
Advanced Clinical Practitioners are experienced healthcare professionals educated to master’s level who demonstrate expertise, professional judgement, and autonomy across four pillars of advanced practice. Normally, from nursing and the allied health professions, Advanced Clinical Practitioners provide clinical leadership and improve clinical continuity by providing high quality care to patients through complex decision-making and managing risk. The role contributes to workforce transformation enabling organisations to meet changing population, patient, and service delivery needs. Advanced Clinical Practitioners’ wellbeing and resilience was particularly at risk during the pandemic due to the increased workload, moral distress, redeployment into other clinical areas and isolation. Phase 1 of this study identified that Advanced Clinical Practitioners had worryingly low levels of wellbeing and resilience during the first 6 months of the pandemic. This paper reports phase 2 findings one year into the pandemic.
Method:
Three hundred and seventy-one respondents completed an on-line survey comprising three validated scales assessing resilience, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Results:
One year into the pandemic, Advanced Clinical Practitioners reported a continued decline in their wellbeing, with average scores on this measure being twelve percent lower compared to pre-pandemic levels Differences also emerged in the scores of Advanced Clinical Practitioners practising in primary and secondary care services.
Conclusion:
Our findings showed the ongoing deleterious impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners. As the attention of healthcare leaders shifts to the delivery of services post Covid-19, the longer-term impact of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce, alongside the on-going workforce crisis in the UK and globally, means the wellbeing and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners needs urgently addressing if these role holders are to continue to lead patient care, workforce transformation and service innovation. Tailored interventions to support Advanced Clinical Practitioners appear necessary to prevent significant workforce impact including absenteeism, long-term stress, sickness absence and loss to the healthcare workforce
This study investigated the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners in the United Kingdom.
Background:
Advanced Clinical Practitioners are experienced healthcare professionals educated to master’s level who demonstrate expertise, professional judgement, and autonomy across four pillars of advanced practice. Normally, from nursing and the allied health professions, Advanced Clinical Practitioners provide clinical leadership and improve clinical continuity by providing high quality care to patients through complex decision-making and managing risk. The role contributes to workforce transformation enabling organisations to meet changing population, patient, and service delivery needs. Advanced Clinical Practitioners’ wellbeing and resilience was particularly at risk during the pandemic due to the increased workload, moral distress, redeployment into other clinical areas and isolation. Phase 1 of this study identified that Advanced Clinical Practitioners had worryingly low levels of wellbeing and resilience during the first 6 months of the pandemic. This paper reports phase 2 findings one year into the pandemic.
Method:
Three hundred and seventy-one respondents completed an on-line survey comprising three validated scales assessing resilience, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Results:
One year into the pandemic, Advanced Clinical Practitioners reported a continued decline in their wellbeing, with average scores on this measure being twelve percent lower compared to pre-pandemic levels Differences also emerged in the scores of Advanced Clinical Practitioners practising in primary and secondary care services.
Conclusion:
Our findings showed the ongoing deleterious impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners. As the attention of healthcare leaders shifts to the delivery of services post Covid-19, the longer-term impact of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce, alongside the on-going workforce crisis in the UK and globally, means the wellbeing and resilience of Advanced Clinical Practitioners needs urgently addressing if these role holders are to continue to lead patient care, workforce transformation and service innovation. Tailored interventions to support Advanced Clinical Practitioners appear necessary to prevent significant workforce impact including absenteeism, long-term stress, sickness absence and loss to the healthcare workforce
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Nursing Management |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 21 Nov 2024 |
