Developing Wellness Pathway of Health Care Workers (HCW) During COVID-19 Pandemic

The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic takes a heavy toll on health care workers’ (HCW) well-being. Front liners were overwhelmed by tremendous responsibility and expectations to meet health demands. Deaths from disease contagion were staggeringly high, while wellness was set aside. This study aimed to explore the level of holistic wellness of health care workers in the Qassim Cardiac Center during the Covid-19 pandemic which composed of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions. Their skills and knowledge, together with their lived experiences, paved a comprehensive pathway for maintaining their well-being. A mixed-method convergent design was employed, and a non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to recruit both respondents and participants in the study, following the ethical standard of research. The online questionnaire was disseminated, and interviews were conducted after obtaining informed consent. The results of the study revealed that despite conscious awareness of the risk and exposure to infection, more than half of the respondents perceived a good level of health. In addition, the HCWs pillars of wellness that were physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual were significantly different when variables such as occupation and past medical history were considered, while there was no direct relationship between HCWs’ individual practices and control of hazards in the workplace. They also showed that demographic profiles significantly affected their level of health. In the qualitative part, themes generated from the participants were infection control measures, a positive outlook in life, divine providence, and healthy lifestyle practices. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded that the pathway towards wellness defense of health care worker (HCW) during the pandemic was dependent on five focal points: the balance of the five pillars of wellness, their good perception of health status, their positive outlook toward difficulties, their healthy self-care habits, and adherence to safety guidelines such as infection control measures. Moreover, this study disclosed the relevance of proactive engagement of hospital administrations towards achieving resilience and preserving wellness during the pandemic.