The experiences of cooperation among healthcare workers who participated in COVID-19 aid mission in China: A qualitative study.

Aims and objectives To assist future offsite planning for pandemics, we documented lived experiences of cooperation among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Background The COVID-19 pandemic poses a global health crisis. Most recent studies on the COVID-19 focus on frontline HCWs' physio-psychological experiences, with few studies examining their experiences of cooperation. Design A descriptive phenomenological design reported based on COREQ checklist. Methods 25 HCWs (17 nurses and eight physicians) were interviewed, selected through convenience and purposive sampling, who participated in a medical aid mission in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected via semi-structured online video interviews, and the transcripts were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results The HCWs experienced stressed and anxious, but rated their overall cooperation experience as positive. We categorised the reported experiences in five themes: (1) a multi-level management structure; (2) nurse managers as internal and external team coordinators; (3) high morale and a mutual supportive context; (4) a continuous streamlined workflow; and (5) the value of multidisciplinary collaboration in care. Reasonable management structure and division of work were the basis for successful aid mission. High morale and a mutual supportive context were foundational for growth and stress mitigation. The HCWs continuously streamlined workflow through communication and met patients' individual need through multidisciplinary collaboration. Conclusions Planning for a pandemic aid mission is challenging, given the unpredictable nature of the working circumstances. Our results underline the importance of supportive strategies for COVID-19 aid mission. Relevance to clinical practice Recommendations for future pandemic planning: (1) positive morale and supportive working text should be paid prioritised attention; (2) sufficient experienced and ancillary staff should be recruited; (3) multiple communication channels such as regular handover meetings, online chat applications and electronic recording devices are essential, and (4) multidisciplinary cooperation are is necessary in COVID-19 wards.