'I didn't feel like I was a doctor': a qualitative interview study exploring the experiences and representations of healthcare professionals' capacity to deliver compassionate care and to practice self-care during the Covid-19 pandemic

ObjectiveThe increased demand on healthcare professionals (HCPs) during the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic reduces opportunities for HCPs to deliver compassionate care to patients and to maintain self-care. This study explored how HCPs understand and experience compassionate working practices during the Covid-19 pandemic to better support HCPs' wellbeing and to sustain quality of care.DesignAll nineteen participants worked as an HCP during the Covid-19 pandemic, resided in the United Kingdom (UK) and took part in individual semi-structured interviews.Main outcome measuresUsing a thematic analysis approach, we developed three themes: (a) The art of compassionate care: Feeling and action, (b) The impact of Covid-19 on compassionate care and (c) Suffering during Covid-19: The importance of self-compassion and self-care.ResultsOverall, the analysis illustrated the strong and negative impact that Covid-19 had on the ability to deliver compassionate care, resulting in moral injury and psychological and behavioural difficulties for HCPs, particularly in terms of self-care.ConclusionsThis research demonstrates an imperative need for organisations to better support HCPs' health and wellbeing, through a self-care system that promotes self-compassionate and self-care practices.