Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 affected healthcare settings across the globe and required emergency departments to adapt to the situation and receive patients that were presented. Therefore, emergency physicians face significant physical and mental stress caring for COVID-19 patients.
Objective: To assess the experience and perspective of Saudi emergency physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted on Saudi emergency department physicians during the period from April to june. The study was conducted using an online questionnaire.
Results: A total of 405 emergency physicians were included in the current study; more than half (56.5%) reported feeling proud during the first wave of the pandemic. The pandemic’s impact on worldwide solidity and cooperation was a major concern, and 98.5% reported being very concerned about this issue. The major problem encountered to date by the physicians was balancing the personal risk of contracting COVID-19 with the responsibility to care for patients 399 (98.5%).
Conclusion: Emergency physicians had great and several concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a significant proportion felt proud during the first wave.
Key words: Emergency physicians, experience, perspective, COVID-19.
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