Documenting Successful Experiences of Reorganizing the Hospital and Human Resource Management in an Iranian Referral Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Human resource provision in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis is a challenge for nursing managers. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has made a major challenge of staff for health organizations.Aim: The present study was conducted with aim to provide managerial methods in crisis management in the field of the COVID-19 pandemic.Method: This study was conducted during the COVID- 19 pandemic in Shariati Hospital. Facing the crisis was done in two steps: "reorganization of the physical environment of the hospital" and "reorganization and provision of the staff". Step 1: integrating the medical wards from 17 wards to 5 wards and classification of units into three levels of care. Step 2: “Transfer of high-risk staff from the hospital to other centers”, “Classification of operational and middle-level managers”, “Providing appropriate staff based on levels of patient care needs”, “Review of job descriptions of head nurses at the crisis stage”, “Working shift scheduling, reviewing the staff planning” and “Rehabilitation of the staff”.Results: Shariati Hospital had 151 beds, 88 of which were used during the COVID crisis. A total of 88 nurses resigned from the hospital because of high risk conditions, and 117 nurses began cooperating with the hospital on permanent shift or voluntary basis.Implications for Practice: Early response to the crisis in terms of reorganizing medical departments and predicting staff needs in the hospital could lead to staff protection and provision of appropriate staff ratio. Based on this study, crisis management can be done in similar situations.

Keywords

• covid-19
• human resource
• management
• nurse
• staff