The shock of covid-19 pandemic as an empowering factor of health system in prevention and hygiene: A qualitative study

Background: COVID-19, a universal crisis and a communicable disease with a super-spreading characteristic, has necessitated crucial prevention and control measures. Identifying the challenges and obstacles in this process can help in addressing and resolving them. Objectives: This study aimed to explore healthcare providers' experiences of the preventive measures and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in 2020. Data collection was performed by in-depth face-to-face interviews with 23 Healthcare Providers (HCPs) who were recruited purposefully. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis with the Graneheim and Lundman approach using the constant comparison technique. Qualitative data management was performed in MAXQDA 10. Results: The qualitative data analysis yielded 5 categories, 10 subcategories, 29 ancillary categories, and 1,479 meaning units. Two themes that emerged in this study were “COVID-19 as a Shock” and ‘COVID-19 as an empowering challenge”. Conclusion: In this study, HCPs perceived the COVID-19 pandemic within the health system as both a devastating shock and a promoting factor, an experience that opened their eyes to the future. According to this lesson, policy and decision makers have to predict other crises like COVID-19 and have a well-defined plan to manage them.