Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Jun 2021
The Lived Experience of ICU Clinicians During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak: A Qualitative Study.
During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, frontline healthcare professionals were asked to reorganize the provision of critical care in unprecedented ways. Our aim was to gain insight into the lived experience of clinicians who worked in ICUs during the surge. ⋯ Among ICU clinicians, there was a sense of total professional engagement during the surge. Caring for critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients was fraught with challenges and generated a strong feeling of responsibility, as clinicians felt they had to compensate for the absence of family members. Rethinking policies about family visits and safeguarding positive relationships among colleagues are two important priorities for future healthcare crises.