ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 173
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
A
B
C
Crisis debriefing: An emotional balm during
COVID-19 lockdown
Dr Doris Joan Dela Cruz, A/Prof MA Teresa Tricia Bautista
D
Quirino Memorial Medical Center
E
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise. This brought an unprecedented burden on an
already loaded healthcare system, and consequently its workers. There were unexpected resignations
and high rates of absenteeism. Crisis debriefing became an avenue to facilitate catharsis, self-learning
and personal action.
F
G
H
I
J
K
Objective
To describe the lived experiences and most distressing emotions of healthcare workers as they faced
the COVID-19 crisis during the three-month lockdown.
Methodology
This is a qualitative study exploring the individual struggles of 152 healthcare workers during a series of
crisis debriefing. Participants were guided by three semistructured questions.
Results
Because of the lockdown, public transportation was halted – people had to walk to work. Families
were separated. Burnout became a byword. Aside from these, healthcare workers were stigmatised
by discrimination in public places and even in their own neighbourhoods. These circumstances evoked
responses like incessant worrying about family safety and welfare, a sustained depressed mood and
constant fear for life. Such personal turmoils manifested physically as appetite changes, rise in blood
pressure and palpitations.
Conclusion
In stressful events, debriefing could spell the difference between self-awareness amidst the disturbing
experiences and facing one’s emotions in isolation. These various cognitive, physiological, emotional
and behavioural responses during the COVID-19 lockdown emphasised the need to draw out these
occurrences, in order to identify, validate and process into meaningful experiences.
171