The experiences of emergency care practitioners working at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Western Cape, South Africa

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease created unprecedented challenges for health care workers who worked within the direct milieu of the virus. The plight of emergency care practitioners, who were at the frontier of treating COVID-19 patients, has however remained an under researched area. Their personal fragility within a turbulent health environment, during the pandemic, indicates that they were more likely to have experienced deep psychological distress and other health related problems. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of emergency care practitioners in the Western Cape, South Africa, through a qualitative research lens. Using non-probability sampling strategies, thirty emergency care practitioners were recruited for in-depth interviews. These interviews which were thematically analyzed revealed that they had experienced significant levels of mental health distress, stigmatization, burnout and a lack of emotional support from family. Moreover, the study uncovered the interventions they used to help bolster their physiological and psychological strength.