Dataset Information

Allied Health Surge Capacity in Australian Intensive Care Units During the COVID-19 Pandemic - A Cross Sectional Survey

ABSTRACT:

Background

Based on the early international COVID-19 experience, it was anticipated that intensive care services and workforces in Australia would be placed under similar pressure. While surge capacity of medical and nursing workforces was estimated, little was known about baseline allied health staffing making it difficult to estimate surge capacity and coordinate planning.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to 1) capture baseline allied health staffing levels in Australian adult ICUs prior to the COVID-19 pandemic emergence in Australia; and 2) describe the allied health pandemic planning and surge response in Australian ICUs during the early waves of the pandemic.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, investigator-devised, prospective survey study. The survey was administered via the national chief allied health network to a convenience sample of senior ICU allied health clinicians at hospitals throughout Australia.

Results

A total of 40 responses were received from tertiary and metropolitan hospitals; physiotherapists 12 (30%) and occupational therapists eight (20%) were the most frequent respondents. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 28 (70 %) of allied health respondents had a mean (IQR) of 1.74 (2.00) full-time equivalent (FTE) staff designated to the ICU, where these ICUs had a mean of 21.53 (15.00) ventilator beds. Few respondents serviced their ICU on a referral-only basis and did not have dedicated ICU FTE 12 (20%). Surge planning was mostly determined by discussion within the ICU, allied health department, and/or respective disciplines. This approach meant that allied health staffing and associated decision-making was ad hoc at a local level.

Conclusions

The baseline rate of allied health coverage in Australian ICUs remains unknown and the variability across allied health and within the specific disciplines is undetermined. Further research infrastructure to capture ICU allied health workforce data is urgently needed to guide future pandemic preparedness.

SUBMITTER: Paykel M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9468307 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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