Table 4 Themes and interview results

Theme-1: physical health during COVID-19

 The HCWs expressed that during the pandemic, prolonged work with protective gear like gloves, masks, and protective clothing caused physical discomfort and exhaustion

Theme-2: stress during COVID-19

 Participants expressed that working in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in stress and fear of infection. Additionally, they noted that during the epidemic, conducting duties to treat patients was extremely stressful for oneself and colleagues

Theme-3: performance during COVID-19

 The HCWs stated that in terms of COVID-19, the increased fear of infection has had a negative influence on work performance. They stated that while working on the patient’s treatment, they were terrified of infection and were unwilling to work in such a dangerous condition. Furthermore, they stated that the usage of fully protective clothing created fatigue and difficulty in performing the job

Theme-4: psychological health during COVID-19

 Participants said that working in the hospital during the pandemic’s tumultuous period induced extreme dread of infection, and feelings of isolation, which were harmful to mental health. Moreover, throughout the patient’s treatment, a sense of self-infection anxiety, its influence on a family member, and the patient’s isolation had a greater unfavorable effect on psychological health

Theme-5: emergency facility during COVID-19

 Most of the participants stated that the emergency facility was inadequate as a shortage of rooms, beds, and related COVID-19 medicine. Further, they expressed that while the emergency rooms and beds are in shortage for present patients’ treatment, in this case, HCWs getting infections could be terrible to handle the COVID-19 pandemic treatment process in the public hospital. The study found unavailability of Emergency rooms and beds facilities in the public hospital of Sindh during a hard time of the COVID-19 pandemic

Theme-6: sleeping mood during COVID-19

 Healthcare workers report having trouble sleeping during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. During sleep, you may have thought about lonely patients, blamed yourself for failing to ensure the patients’ safety, worried about catching an illness, or reflected on the love you feel for another person. HWCs also reported that the negative effects of loneliness, such as not getting together with loved ones, had an impact on their ability to fall asleep

Theme-7: infrastructure and physical furniture during COVID-19

 The HCWs expressed that during the pic time of the pandemic, the public hospital buildings and rooms were short. In term of lack of rooms and beds caused difficulty to treat the patient. Further, they expressed a lack of furniture and other equipment for COVID-19 made a big problem in handling treatment with the patient and self-care in the public hospital sector in Sindh province of Pakistan