The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take an incalculable toll. Doctors and nurses are committed to caring for patients during the pandemic, and despite increased personal risks and an exceptionally high work volume, they are meeting extraordinary demands for healthcare.

In summer 2021, Pandemic Action Network partners conducted a study with doctors and nurses in the United States to learn what they need to feel more prepared for this pandemic and the next. Research findings highlight that nearly two years into the pandemic, frontline health workers still don’t have the tools they need to treat patients effectively and save lives while keeping themselves safe. The research also points the way toward better preparedness and response for a future pandemic.

 

The Data

• Notably, access to personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to be a problem — with nearly a third of doctors and nurses saying they did not have sufficient access to PPE, even as recently as summer 2021.
• Sixty-one percent of doctors and nurses said that they did not have sufficient early warning to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic, despite best efforts.
• A third of doctors and nurses felt it was challenging to follow changing workflows and protocols.

 

Read our factsheet to learn more about the survey results and click below to take action and share the results.