Work-related distress and coping experienced by emergency and health care personnel

In response, implications and recommendations for future research are provided. Large Scale Research

Project

Work-related Distress experienced by Healthcare Staff within a Regional Plastic Surgery Team: <br><br><br>A Multiple

Method

Study Objective: Despite exposure to a high level of patient trauma, limited research has investigated work-related distress (WRD) within medical plastic surgery (MPS) teams. This study aimed to broaden the knowledge base, with the objective of informing effective occupational support.<br>Methods and measures: All multi-disciplinary MPS employees on a single hospital site, were invited to complete a quantitative questionnaire.

This included demographic questions and three pre-established measures (ProQOL, PCL-V, Brief COPE). Thirteen semi-structured interviews followed, with a sub-set of MPS employees specialising in treating hand injuries. <br>Results: Questionnaire findings suggested that on average, staff were functioning and coping well. Quantitative results provided context for in-depth qualitative interview analysis, which highlighted similarities and differences across surgical and non-surgical populations.Conclusion: This study offered initial insight into the WRD and coping mechanisms utilised by multi-disciplinary MPS staff.

It is essential that the challenges and opportunities, and associated similarities and differences across specialities are considered, when tailoring workplace support. The importance of assisting staff in continuing to utilise peer communication is vital, with priority placed on extending this to strengthen cross-speciality relationships.