Healthcare worker stress when treating Long Covid patients

Summary:

This study found that healthcare workers who had Long Covid experienced greater psychological distress when treating Long Covid patients.

Uhlig-Reche, H. (2025) summarised by Graciela Maitland

Introduction

Healthcare workers caring for patients with chronic diseases are at a higher risk of experiencing compassion fatigue. This research examined the impact of caring for Long Covid patients on healthcare workers’ feelings of fatigue, motivation to work and mental health. It also examined how personal experiences with Long Covid, combined with factors such as age, gender and job roles, could intensify these challenges. This study was conducted from March to June 2023, using an online survey of 116 healthcare workers who treat patients with Long Covid.

Summary

Compassion fatigue is a deep sense of tiredness that can happen when people are repeatedly exposed to the suffering of others. It is especially common among healthcare workers, such as doctors and nurses, who care for patients going through difficult times. In 2023, a global study found that more than 60% of these workers experienced compassion fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This research examined the compassion fatigue factors for healthcare workers and their experiences while caring for patients with Long Covid. It found that those who were just starting their careers often felt less engaged and more emotionally exhausted. These early-career workers might have faced challenging situations during their training, such as caring for seriously ill COVID-19 patients, which contributed to their feelings of burnout. Meanwhile, healthcare workers who were more established in their careers also faced increased stress and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Those who specifically cared for patients with Long Covid felt a lot of psychological pressure because they didn’t have enough resources or easy access to specialised care. Interestingly, healthcare workers with personal experience of Long Covid reported feeling even more stressed, drained and disconnected from their work when taking care of Long Covid patients.

These factors could make it more challenging to find healthcare providers willing to treat Long Covid, due to the high demand for their services. Since Long Covid is still a relatively new condition, the ongoing search for the most effective ways to manage Long Covid exacerbates the complexity of providing care. All of this can increase fatigue and stress among healthcare workers.

Conclusion

This study found that healthcare workers with Long Covid often experience higher stress and burnout at work. They felt less connected to their jobs than those who hadn’t got Long Covid. Additionally, healthcare workers who cared for many patients with Long Covid reported feeling emotionally drained. Early-career healthcare workers usually felt less engaged and experienced more burnout, while those with more experience faced significant mental strain. To better support these healthcare professionals, future research should explore ways to enhance their job satisfaction and overall wellbeing while caring for patients with Long Covid.

Read the study here