Abstract

Relevance (context) of the subject of the article. Many fi rstline healthcare workers feel high levels of stress due to excessive workload, problems of adapting to new conditions, fear of infection and discrimination and feeling of inadequate support while working with coronavirus infection. Also, an additional burden is placed on the medical staff due to increased anxiety for their health and patients who are afraid to die. On the other hand, the presence of psychologists in the staff of the institution allows them to perform new work tasks, adhering their specialty and workplace.

The aim of the study is to identify the most effi cient new types of work for a medical psychologists in the FSBI “FCB&N” FMBA of Russia functioning as an infectious diseases hospital.

Description of the research progress. The study was conducted from April to June 2020 and included informational, methodological, diagnostic and advisory forms of work, the content of which was revised depending on its relevance and the dynamics of interaction with target groups.

Research results. Th e most popular and eff ective types of work turned out to be psychological counseling for patients in the “red” zone, work with relatives at the transfer point and remote monitoring of the medical staff condition, the latter being on duty at the exit from the “red” zone and leading a group of patients via WhatsApp. The opportunities for emergency contact with a psychologist, the availability of several methods of communication and regular monitoring of the psychological state of medical staff signifi cantly reduced the level of distress and its consequences.

Conclusions. Creating conditions for organizing psychological assistance in an institution reorientated to work with a new coronavirus infection is an important task to reduce the stress level of medical staff , overcome the nonadaptive behavior of patients and their relatives, as well as preserve resources of the institution’s psychologists.