Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic extensively disrupted the management dynamics and stretched the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers. Their workload was increased, and they also had to deal with the grief of losing colleagues, family members...

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Main Authors: Sanele E. Nene, Siyabulela N. Wopula
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: AOSIS 2025-01-01
Series:Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2786
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author Sanele E. Nene
Siyabulela N. Wopula
author_facet Sanele E. Nene
Siyabulela N. Wopula
author_sort Sanele E. Nene
collection DOAJ
description Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic extensively disrupted the management dynamics and stretched the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers. Their workload was increased, and they also had to deal with the grief of losing colleagues, family members and patients in large numbers as a result of the pandemic. Aim: This study sought to explore and describe the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting: This study was conducted in the primary healthcare clinics of Ekurhuleni region in Gauteng province. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was adopted in this study. The sample size comprised 14 clinic managers. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants, and in-depth semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to collect data. The descriptive thematic analysis method was used to analyse data. Results: Four themes emerged from the study: (1) unbearable level of stress because of the new management dynamics, (2) fear and anxiety because of a sudden escalating death rate, (3) unresponsive employee wellness programmes and (4) lack of support from senior management. Conclusion: The senior management of primary healthcare clinics should safeguard the mental well-being of clinic managers during the pandemic by giving support and ensuring that the existing employee wellness system is responsive. Contribution: This study revealed that a strong support from senior management and responsive employee wellness programmes can strengthen the mental health of the primary healthcare clinic managers. Thus, this enables them to be future ready for possible pandemics like COVID-19.
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2071-9736
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spelling doaj-art-afb32b3283364c5697c0d3b0b5f4c7bd2025-02-11T13:23:20ZafrAOSISHealth SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences1025-98482071-97362025-01-01300e1e710.4102/hsag.v30i0.27861210Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19Sanele E. Nene0Siyabulela N. Wopula1Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic extensively disrupted the management dynamics and stretched the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers. Their workload was increased, and they also had to deal with the grief of losing colleagues, family members and patients in large numbers as a result of the pandemic. Aim: This study sought to explore and describe the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting: This study was conducted in the primary healthcare clinics of Ekurhuleni region in Gauteng province. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was adopted in this study. The sample size comprised 14 clinic managers. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants, and in-depth semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to collect data. The descriptive thematic analysis method was used to analyse data. Results: Four themes emerged from the study: (1) unbearable level of stress because of the new management dynamics, (2) fear and anxiety because of a sudden escalating death rate, (3) unresponsive employee wellness programmes and (4) lack of support from senior management. Conclusion: The senior management of primary healthcare clinics should safeguard the mental well-being of clinic managers during the pandemic by giving support and ensuring that the existing employee wellness system is responsive. Contribution: This study revealed that a strong support from senior management and responsive employee wellness programmes can strengthen the mental health of the primary healthcare clinic managers. Thus, this enables them to be future ready for possible pandemics like COVID-19.https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2786mental well-beingprimary healthcareclinic managersstresscovid-19.
spellingShingle Sanele E. Nene
Siyabulela N. Wopula
Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
mental well-being
primary healthcare
clinic managers
stress
covid-19.
title Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
title_full Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
title_fullStr Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
title_short Exploring the mental well-being of Ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during COVID-19
title_sort exploring the mental well being of ekurhuleni primary healthcare clinic managers during covid 19
topic mental well-being
primary healthcare
clinic managers
stress
covid-19.
url https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2786
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AT siyabulelanwopula exploringthementalwellbeingofekurhuleniprimaryhealthcareclinicmanagersduringcovid19