Patient Experience Under Pandemic Pressure

There is no shortage of stress in any healthcare setting due to the complexities around diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, and preventing illness and injury. Caregivers in all roles are used to the daily need to balance the often conflicting priorities from patients, families, regulations, training, technology, finances and staffing. The COVID-19 pandemic has now rushed to the top of the priority list while most ongoing priorities remain in place. The unprecedented pressure on all caregivers to respond to a highly contagious disease with no current cure adds a crucial need for staff to balance new complexities while maintaining the commitment to do no harm and provide exceptional care experiences. Although there is no playbook for this current virus crisis, the commitment to providing the best care experience, one that is first safe and that exceeds the expectations of each patient remains in place. As the pandemic pressures unfold over the coming months, caregivers will likely have times where they feel depleted physically, emotionally, and psychologically. A workforce that’s depleted typically has difficulty tending to the diverse needs and wishes of patients. The following are some suggested imperatives that when implemented, can help protect the patient experience in a time of new…