Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Anesthesia and Critical Care Residents in Spain

Abstract

Background: The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has substantially changed the activity in Spanish healthcare centers. Residents who face pandemics are vulnerable physicians with different knowledge and experience. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Anesthesia and Critical Care residents and to establish its formative and personal consequences. Methods: A 35-question digital survey was developed, and was distributed among Anesthesia and Critical Care residents in Spain. The quantitative variable "Objective Formative Impact Score" (PIOF) was defined, being proportional to the impact on formative routines. Results: Several parameters were associated to a higher formative impact, such as the exposition to patients with COVID-19 (P = 0,020), an increase in the autonomy (P = 0,001), fear to contagion due to lack of protective equipment (P = 0,003), working in higher incidence areas (P < 0,001), being assigned to COVID-19 critical care units (P < 0,001), or to other departments different from Anesthesia and Critical Care. Residents experienced feelings of loneliness from the social distancing or ethical conflicts when working in suboptimal conditions. Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on Anesthesia and Critical Care residents both personally and formatively. The designed parameter PIOF brings an objective value about residents' formation.