Impact of public health restrictions in the workplace

The implementation of public health restrictions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus affected residents living in Canada. Restrictions included social distancing, quarantining, and wearing masks. As a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (TRS), it is important to explore the positive and negative impacts of these restrictions to explore perceptions of these restrictions. This research study was guided by the research question: From a TRS perspective, what is the impact of public health restrictions at the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative research approach was used to gather four one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling. Inclusion criteria include completion of a Diploma or Degree program in TR; having a minimum of five years of professional experience; and, holding a full-time position. The four interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. One theme included the “impact of mask mandates, social distancing protocols, and technology use on TRS- client relationships.” The second theme was the “impact of the public health restrictions on TRS’ quality of life,” specifically, “higher workloads.” Results showed significant impacts on TRS relationships with their clients. It was reported that wearing masks decreased understanding, especially for elderly clients with hearing impairment, and that social distancing protocols limited clients’ access to programs. Positive and negative implications were reported for the impact of technology use. Interestingly, the impact of higher workloads allowed the TR professionals to be more recognized for their efforts in the healthcare system. Poster submission was sponsored by Dr. Colleen Reid, (Applied Community Studies Department) for course THRT 3710 and was presented at the Coquitlam campus on April 5, 2023, for Student Research Days 2023.