Internal Organisational Communication during COVID-19 Pandemic: Interviews with Frontline Healthcare Workers
2022 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Background: The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus is to be well-informed about the virus and its transmission mechanisms. Healthcare organisations are highly interdependent; therefore effective communication is essential, which is further accentuated in crisis.
Aim: The aim of the dissertation was to describe the healthcare workers’ needs and views regarding internal organisational communication during COVID-19 pandemic in an English hospital organisation. In specific, the interest was in internal organisational communication from the trust, hospital management and managers to the healthcare workers in relation to the employees' ability to carry out their work.
Method: The design was qualitative descriptive and used semi-structured interviews. Eight interviews were carried out and analysed with thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke (2006).
Findings: The analysis showed there were formal communication channels, but their utilisation was inconsistent, and the employees had issues with accessing the information. Constant changes in the guidance created challenges for communication and the staff having the up-to-date information. Furthermore, there were experiences of lack of support and incomplete two-way communication.
Conclusions: It is advisable to enforce the processes affecting access and continuity of information to secure timely and accurate communication. Ensuring adequate support for the staff through communication could be beneficial to enhance the internal communication.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. , p. 57
Keywords [en]
Knowledge mobilisation; Crisis communication; Interdependence; Care quality; Employee engagement
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-478364OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-478364DiVA, id: diva2:1675024
Subject / course
Public Health
Educational program
Master Programme in Public Health
Supervisors
Examiners
2022-06-232022-06-222025-02-20Bibliographically approved