Arbetssituationen under covid-19-pandemin : - socionomers och sjuksköterskors reflektioner

The purpose of the study was to gain knowledge about how nurses and social workers experienced their work situation during COVID-19 pandemic. The questions concerned what help support they had received from the employer in relation to work and health, what information, guidelines and routines which had facilitated during the pandemic, what might have been missing and what experiences could be important for the employees to bring with them to future pandemics. The empirical data consisted of answers to open-ended questions in an online survey in which 109 social workers and 67 nurses participated. The theoretical starting points were Antonovsky’s theory andRequirements-control and the support model. The answers were analyzed using content analysis. The results show that both social workers and nurses described different forms of support, both practical support and emotional support in work situation. Practical support was described as clarity, having functional work tools, protective equipment, information, routines and guidelines. Emotional support in the work situation was described as feeling understanding, dialogue, confirmation, sensitivity and receiving appreciation, rewards and praise in the work situation. The study concludes that it is important to work with social support for both managers and employees who are on the frontlines during a pandemic, in order to improve the work situation, the work environment and employees' health