A qualitative study of leaders’ experiences of handling challenges and changes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in rural nursing homes and homecare services

0Citations
Citations of this article
24Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on healthcare services globally. In care settings such as small rural nursing homes and homes care services leaders were forced to confront, and adapt to, both new and ongoing challenges to protect their employees and patients and maintain their organization's operation. The aim of this study was to assess how healthcare leaders, working in rural primary healthcare services, led nursing homes and homecare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the study sought to explore how adaptations to changes and challenges induced by the pandemic were handled by leaders in rural nursing homes and homecare services. Methods: The study employed a qualitative explorative design with individual interviews. Nine leaders at different levels, working in small, rural nursing homes and homecare services in western Norway were included. Results: Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: “Navigating the role of a leader during the pandemic,” “The aftermath – management of COVID-19 in rural primary healthcare services”, and “The benefits and drawbacks of being small and rural during the pandemic.” Conclusions: Leaders in rural nursing homes and homecare services handled a multitude of immediate challenges and used a variety of adaptive strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. While handling their own uncertainty and rapidly changing roles, they also coped with organizational challenges and adopted strategies to maintain good working conditions for their employees, as well as maintain sound healthcare management. The study results establish the intricate nature of resilient leadership, encompassing individual resilience, personality, governance, resource availability, and the capability to adjust to organizational and employee requirements, and how the rural context may affect these aspects.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Glette, M. K., Kringeland, T., Samal, L., Bates, D. W., & Wiig, S. (2024). A qualitative study of leaders’ experiences of handling challenges and changes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in rural nursing homes and homecare services. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10935-y

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free