Protocol for the Swiss COhort of Healthcare Professionals and Informal CAregivers (SCOHPICA): Professional trajectories, intention to stay in or leave the job and well-being of healthcare professionals

Abstract

Introduction Healthcare professionals’ shortage, low job satisfaction, high levels of burnout, and excessive staff turnover are some of the challenges health systems face worldwide. In Switzerland, healthcare stakeholders have called to address the health workforce crisis and have pointed out the scarcity of data on the conditions of healthcare professionals (HCPs). Hence, the Swiss Cohort of Healthcare Professionals and Informal Caregivers (SCOHPICA) was developed to study the career trajectories, well-being, intention to stay in or leave the position/profession/health sector, and their determinants, of HCPs and informal caregivers, respectively. This paper describes the protocol for the HCPs cohort of SCOHPICA and discusses its implications. Methods SCOHPICA is a prospective open cohort using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. All types of HCPs working directly with patients and practicing in Switzerland are eligible, irrespective of their healthcare setting and employment status. Baseline and annual follow-up electronic surveys will take place once a year, featuring both core questions and modules developed according to information needs. While outcome variables are HCPs’ trajectories, well-being, intention to stay in or leave the position/profession/health sector, independent variables include organizational, psychosocial, and psychological determinants, as well as occupational (professional) and sociodemographic factors. The qualitative phase will be organized every two years, inviting participants who agreed to take part in this phase. The findings from quantitative analyses, along with the issues raised by healthcare stakeholders in the field, will guide the topics investigated in the qualitative phase.