COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff in the intensive care unit (ICU) was materially, physically and emotionally challenged. This qualitative study investigated the effects that ICU staff experienced and were considered of value to be permanently implemented. SETTING: ICU in an university medical centre during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: An opportunity-centric approach was applied in individual semi-structured interviews to optimise the achieved results and was guided by the theoretical model of appreciative inquiry (AI). PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen ICU staff members (8 nurses and 7 intensivists) participated. RESULTS: Working during the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed interprofessional collaboration and team learning in the ICU on an individual and team level, centred around a common goal: taking care of critically ill patients with COVID-19. The effect of interprofessional collaboration was that provisions were taken care of quicker than usual, without bureaucratic delays. However, this effect was experienced to be transient. Also, ICU staff perceived limited possibilities to help patients and families around the palliative phase, and they perceived a lack of appreciation from higher management. This is a point of future attention: how to make this perceived lack of appreciation more visible to all (ICU) staff. CONCLUSION: Regarding our primary question, the ICU staff voiced that the direct communication and collaboration are the most important elements of the COVID-19 peak they would like to preserve. Furthermore, it was learnt that consolation and support for family members should not be forgotten. Considering the results, we believe that further research concerning team reflexivity might contribute to (or enhance) our knowledge about working together during and after a crisis.