Some Reflections On The Health Workforce In A Time Of Pandemic
Surges of COVID-19 patients have influenced state officials across the nation to take numerous steps to remove health workforce barriers. An example is a significant expansion of scopes of practice for various clinicians who were and are being educated today in institutions belonging to ASAHP, e.g., physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, and speech‐language pathologists. Other key changes have included:
Allowing some students in professions, such as medicine and nursing, to perform services they are competent to provide by lessening restrictions involving education requirements.
Granting temporary licenses or allowing certain kinds of students to provide services without a license.
Suspending prohibitions that prevent clinicians from other states from providing care via telemedicine.
Advances in technology will influence how health care services are delivered. For example, articles in issues of the journal Science Robotics in July 2020 and in the July/August 2020 issue of MIT’s Technology Review discuss the enhanced potential for the use of assistive robots during infectious disease outbreaks. Hospitals in Texas are using them to help nurses with tasks involving disinfection, patient intake, and delivery of supplies, such as laboratory samples, intravenous pumps, medications, and protective gear during the current pandemic. As technological developments progress, it becomes increasingly likely that robots not only will assist, but might even replace health workers in the performance of other routine tasks.
As described in an a manuscript in the November 2020 issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented stress on health care systems throughout the world. Health care workers are bearing the burden of caring for those afflicted with COVID-19, a consequence of which is direct and sustained infection risk. As essential workers are compelled to confront these increased infection risks, they also are faced with a risk of experiencing higher rates of stress from the pandemic.
A tool recently developed that is called COVID Stress Scales categorizes stressors from the pandemic into five categories: danger and contamination fear, social and economic stress, traumatic stress symptoms, checking and reassurance seeking behavior, and xenophobia. In the general population, each factor can contribute to increased substance use and abuse risk. Also of significance is that these factors can be compounded in essential workers, placing this group at particularly high risk for these problems.
This constellation of stressors is viewed as warranting unique programs of intervention to manage drug use and abuse. Research to develop such programs is needed, particularly in consideration of the broad impact of COVID-19. Researchers are encouraged to tackle these important issues systematically in preparation for challenges that individuals may face with substance use and abuse in the face of current pandemic-related circumstances, post-COVID-19, and for future pandemics. It also would seem prudent for faculty members who provide instruction for and clinical supervision of health professions students to consider ways in which education programs can assist these individuals in being better prepared to meet the challenges of working in highly stressful circumstances when they enter the workplace.
TV and the Internet have provided vivid examples of many different kinds of allied health professionals leaving the safety of their homes to commute via public transportation to furnish care for patients in hospitals who are being treated for COVID-19 infection. They place their own lives at risk in order to save the lives of individuals stricken with this disease. Today’s children are witnesses to the efforts being made by these first responders to help others who are less fortunate. It is worth pondering the extent to which these images will inspire the youth of today to desire to become part of the future health workforce.
More July-August 2020 TRENDS Articles
ANHEDONIA AND MORE PLEASURABLE TIMES
Indicates the kinds of changes that have occurred since COVID-19 made its appearance, including the flood of scientific papers about this disease that have been produced since January of this year. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
ASAHP President Phyllis King presents some reflections on impacts that the coronavirus has had on the health workforce. Read More
LEGISLATION VS. EXECUTIVE ORDERS
contains information about steps taken by the Trump Administration in response to Congressional deadlock in reaching agreement on a new coronavirus relief package. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
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DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Describes financial aspects related to closing schools because of COVID-19, mental health services for students, and a new grant program aimed at enabling higher education institutions to emerge from the current pandemic better able to expand educational opportunities for students. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
The COVID-19 Pandemic And Exacerbation Of Intimate Partner Violence
Mental Health, Substance Use, And Suicidal Ideation During The Coronavirus Pandemic
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AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
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National Inpatient Hospital Costs: The Most Expensive Conditions By Payer, 2017
Racial And Ethnic Disparities Among COVID-19 Cases In Workplace Outbreaks Read More
RACIAL DISPARITIES AND NOMENCLATURE IN NEUROSCIENCE
Early life adversity, exposure to toxins throughout life, and racial discrimination are factors contributing to psychiatric disorders, while differences in how nomenclature is used by clinicians and family caregivers may compromise the quality of treatment for Alzheimer’s patients. Read More
AUTOPSIES, HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND INFORMED CONSENT
Differences in autopsy rates between blacks and whites may reflect health disparities while the incorporation of genetic testing in the performance of autopsies raises important questions pertaining to informed consent by relatives of decedents. Read More