Covid-19 leading to Traumatic Stress in Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Amid Covid-19, all institutions of Pakistan were put under some kind of restrictions or lockdown according to newly formed SOPs but the healthcare sector was subjected to ceaseless workload and overburdened by the overwhelming amount of Covid-19 positive cases. This research explores the causes of Traumatic Stress caused due to Covid-19 in both frontline and non-frontline healthcare workers, and also identifies the symptoms of the traumatic stress caused. The term Traumatic stress is used for reactive anxiety and depression, and this research aimed to explore the nature of the traumatic stress experienced by the Healthcare workers in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. It was identified that the symptoms of traumatic stress were triggered due to various stress causing factors associated with the spread of Covid-19. The research is qualitative in nature and in-depth interviews were conducted with Doctors. The data collected through in-depth interviews explored various factors like lack of SOPs adoption by patients, close contact with patient, disturbed routine and isolation and death of patient, peer or family member due to Covid-19 as based off of various interpretations of traumatic stress by the doctors and how they experienced it. It also identified and proved that fear of infection and death, job burnout and sleep dysfunction were the major symptoms of traumatic stress exhibited in Doctors. This study is conducted from the doctor’s end and provides in-depth analysis of the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on them while analyzing and incorporating their concerns.