95 Experiences of healthcare and administrative staff working with asylum seekers in the current polycrisis context: a qualitative study

Abstract OP 3: Health Services 5, B304 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 14:30 - 15:30 Aims: Healthcare and administrative staff working with asylum seekers are at risk of burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization. Moreover, they face a series of crises (refugee crisis in 2015-2016, the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate change), complexifying their daily practice, in addition to an increase in the number of asylum seekers. Despite this alarming context, scarce research explored the personal experiences of healthcare and administrative staff working with asylum seekers, with no studies conducted in Switzerland. In response, this study aimed to qualitatively explore their work-related experiences, resources and needs in the current polycrisis context in Switzerland. Methods: Participants (N = 24) were part of the front-line care team working with asylum seekers in the Canton of Vaud (Switzerland), which included nurses, administrative staff, physicians and psychologists. They participated in semi-structured interviews exploring the personal experiences of their work, difficulties and challenges encountered and their resources and needs. Inductive thematic analysis was used to organize data and identify themes. Results: Main findings highlighted a significant emotional burden for staff related to their patients’ migratory journey and experiences in the asylum system. Participants expressed various challenges, such as heavy workload, lack of partners in the healthcare network, communication barriers and the polycrisis context. Further, findings demonstrated that participants’ strong intrinsic motivation and personal and institutional resources support them in overcoming these difficulties. Finally, participants suggested improvements to their working environment, including the promotion of experience-sharing among peers, collaboration with network partners and hiring additional staff. Conclusions: Healthcare and administrative staff working with asylum seekers are exposed to multiple challenges and emotional difficulties linked to their patients’ experiences. Findings suggest the need to address the well-being of this population by developing measures that enhance support at individual and structural levels, particularly within the current polycrisis context.