• Anna Tran, Clare Wallner, de WitKerstinK0000-0003-2763-6474Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada kerstin.dewit@queensu.ca.Health research methodology, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Emergency Medicine, Qu, Caroline Gérin-Lajoie, Kerri Ritchie, Mathew Mercuri, Natasha Clayton, Mary Boulos, Patrick Archambault, Lisa Schwartz, Sara Gray, Teresa Man-Yee Chan, and Network of Canadian Emergency Researchers.
• Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
• Emerg Med J. 2023 Feb 1; 40 (2): 869186-91.

BackgroundThe pandemic has upended much clinical care, irrevocably changing our health systems and thrusting emergency physicians into a time of great uncertainty and change. This study is a follow-up to a survey that examined the early pandemic experience among Canadian emergency physicians and aimed to qualitatively describe the experiences of these physicians during the global pandemic. The study was conducted at a time when Canadian COVID-19 case numbers were low.MethodsThe investigators engaged in an interview-based study that used an interpretive description analytic technique, sensitised by the principles of phenomenology. One-to-one interviews were conducted, transcribed and then analysed to establish a codebook, which was subsequently grouped into key themes. Results underwent source triangulation (with survey data from a similar period) and investigator-driven audit trail analysis.ResultsA total of 16 interviews (11 female, 5 male) were conducted between May and September 2020. The isolated themes on emergency physicians' experiences during the early pandemic included: (1) disruption and loss of emergency department shift work; (2) stress of COVID-19 uncertainty and information bombardment; (3) increased team bonding; (4) greater personal life stress; (5) concern for patients' isolation, miscommunication and disconnection from care; (6) emotional distress.ConclusionsCanadian emergency physicians experienced emotional and psychological distress during the early COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when COVID-19 prevalence was low. This study's findings could guide future interventions to protect emergency physicians against pandemic-related distress.© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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