Staff wellbeing
Innovations to improve staff wellbeing were implemented in both
countries in response to reports of high levels and exhaustion and
stress amongst maternity care providers. In the NL, the KNOV COVID-19
taskforce stated that, while staff had initially been stimulated by the
unique and pressing nature of the situation, as the crisis progressed
they had become fatigued. Organisations in both countries produced
manuals and strategies to prevent stress and to stimulate staff
wellbeing. These included so-called ‘wobble rooms’ where staff could
relax if they were feeling they could not cope during a shift, and
broader policies, such as not to message colleagues after 6pm.