Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.

Understanding the experiences of frontline healthcare workers across different national and resource contexts is important for learning how to best support these providers to optimize their services during extended health emergencies. Using qualitative methods, we conducted 20 semi-structured interv...

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Main Authors: Kimesha Grant, Holly Sims, Alexis Carbine, Jessica Walczak, Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, Thomas Hinneh, Fred Stephen Sarfo, Lisa A Cooper, Carmen Alvarez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004992
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author Kimesha Grant
Holly Sims
Alexis Carbine
Jessica Walczak
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah
Thomas Hinneh
Fred Stephen Sarfo
Lisa A Cooper
Carmen Alvarez
author_facet Kimesha Grant
Holly Sims
Alexis Carbine
Jessica Walczak
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah
Thomas Hinneh
Fred Stephen Sarfo
Lisa A Cooper
Carmen Alvarez
author_sort Kimesha Grant
collection DOAJ
description Understanding the experiences of frontline healthcare workers across different national and resource contexts is important for learning how to best support these providers to optimize their services during extended health emergencies. Using qualitative methods, we conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with frontline nurses and community healthcare workers to understand their working conditions, challenges, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghana was selected as a leader in healthcare reform among African nations. Thematic analysis revealed the following themes: challenges and stressors, government support, overcoming challenges, and recommendations for leadership in healthcare organizations. Overall, healthcare workers experienced a plethora of challenges both at work and in their personal lives, including decreased access to food and medical care. They also contended with limited personal protective equipment and higher patient volumes. Despite these challenges, support from employers and the government remained limited. Participants provided several recommendations for healthcare systems and leadership to better support their workforce.
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spelling doaj-art-c22b8bc8c2be4d85be421ea95c84c7f52025-08-03T00:52:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752025-01-0157e000499210.1371/journal.pgph.0004992Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.Kimesha GrantHolly SimsAlexis CarbineJessica WalczakYvonne Commodore-MensahThomas HinnehFred Stephen SarfoLisa A CooperCarmen AlvarezUnderstanding the experiences of frontline healthcare workers across different national and resource contexts is important for learning how to best support these providers to optimize their services during extended health emergencies. Using qualitative methods, we conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with frontline nurses and community healthcare workers to understand their working conditions, challenges, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghana was selected as a leader in healthcare reform among African nations. Thematic analysis revealed the following themes: challenges and stressors, government support, overcoming challenges, and recommendations for leadership in healthcare organizations. Overall, healthcare workers experienced a plethora of challenges both at work and in their personal lives, including decreased access to food and medical care. They also contended with limited personal protective equipment and higher patient volumes. Despite these challenges, support from employers and the government remained limited. Participants provided several recommendations for healthcare systems and leadership to better support their workforce.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004992
spellingShingle Kimesha Grant
Holly Sims
Alexis Carbine
Jessica Walczak
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah
Thomas Hinneh
Fred Stephen Sarfo
Lisa A Cooper
Carmen Alvarez
Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
PLOS Global Public Health
title Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
title_full Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
title_fullStr Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
title_full_unstemmed Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
title_short Experiences of Ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations.
title_sort experiences of ghanaian frontline healthcare workers during the covid 19 pandemic and healthcare leadership recommendations
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004992
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