A new booklet for colleagues recovering from COVID-19 is helping staff of St Mary’s Hospital in the Phoenix Park returning to work and encouraging camaraderie among frontline workers.

Health and social care professionals (HSCP) staff came together to design the booklet to help colleagues in their recovery. Positive feedback was received from staff members who were navigating their return to work but also who were at home recovering. 

“As some staff contracted COVID-19 while working on the front-line in St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park it became apparent to members of the HSCP team that our skill mix would greatly assist our colleagues in their recovery,” explained senior physiotherapist Kate Bradley.

“Staff who were off or returning to work had identified that some resources were long, difficult to navigate and often did not address their needs. We co-ordinated a working group to design a user-friendly booklet that gave advice on the specific COVID-19 related symptoms reported by staff. The compilation of the booklet was a multi-disciplinary approach and feedback was sought from the staff members that were post COVID-19 to ensure we were targeting information on those reported symptoms.”

The booklet was circulated via email, copies provided to wards and the staff COVID-19 clinic on site.

Staff worked particularly hard to get this booklet completed in a short timeframe which was especially challenging at the time with staffing levels impacted by COVID-19.

“Team work and support is essential to aid the recovery post COVID-19 in frontline staff.  Supporting each other in practical ways using the depth and breadth of our experience across the multi-disciplinary team can help staff returning to work and recovering at home,” added Kate.