Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study

Objective The objective of this research was to explore the lived experiences of long-term care facilities’ staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine if and how the pandemic played a role in their decision to leave their jobs.Design Qualitative study using thematic analysis of semistructured in...

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Main Authors: Ram Gopal, Niam Yaraghi, Ola Henfridsson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e065123.full
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author Ram Gopal
Niam Yaraghi
Ola Henfridsson
author_facet Ram Gopal
Niam Yaraghi
Ola Henfridsson
author_sort Ram Gopal
collection DOAJ
description Objective The objective of this research was to explore the lived experiences of long-term care facilities’ staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine if and how the pandemic played a role in their decision to leave their jobs.Design Qualitative study using thematic analysis of semistructured interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed using coding techniques based in grounded theory.Participants A total of 29 staff with various roles across 21 long-term care facilities in 12 states were interviewed.Results The pandemic influenced the staff’s decision to leave their jobs in five different ways, namely: (1) It significantly increased the workload; (2) Created more physical and emotional hazards for staff; (3) Constrained the facilities and their staff financially; (4) Deteriorated morale and job satisfaction among the staff and (5) Increased concerns with upper management’s commitment to both general and COVID-19-specific procedures.Conclusions Staff at long-term care facilities discussed a wide variety of reasons for their decision to quit their jobs during the pandemic. Our findings may inform efforts to reduce the rate of turnover in these facilities.
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spelling doaj-art-eff90a8ce1af40729a69e7bb3c0113292025-08-20T02:14:02ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-065123Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative studyRam Gopal0Niam Yaraghi1Ola Henfridsson2Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UKMiami Herbert Business School, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USAMiami Herbert Business School, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USAObjective The objective of this research was to explore the lived experiences of long-term care facilities’ staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine if and how the pandemic played a role in their decision to leave their jobs.Design Qualitative study using thematic analysis of semistructured interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed using coding techniques based in grounded theory.Participants A total of 29 staff with various roles across 21 long-term care facilities in 12 states were interviewed.Results The pandemic influenced the staff’s decision to leave their jobs in five different ways, namely: (1) It significantly increased the workload; (2) Created more physical and emotional hazards for staff; (3) Constrained the facilities and their staff financially; (4) Deteriorated morale and job satisfaction among the staff and (5) Increased concerns with upper management’s commitment to both general and COVID-19-specific procedures.Conclusions Staff at long-term care facilities discussed a wide variety of reasons for their decision to quit their jobs during the pandemic. Our findings may inform efforts to reduce the rate of turnover in these facilities.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e065123.full
spellingShingle Ram Gopal
Niam Yaraghi
Ola Henfridsson
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
BMJ Open
title Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
title_full Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
title_short Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff turnover at long-term care facilities: a qualitative study
title_sort impact of the covid 19 pandemic on staff turnover at long term care facilities a qualitative study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e065123.full
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