Centre for Children and Adolescents of Hospital CUF Descobertas: Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic Vivências do Centro da Criança e do Adolescente do Hospital CUF Descobertas Durante a Pandemia COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Portuguese society into an effort to reorganize and prepare for the containment and mitigation of the virus. The Centre for Children and Adolescents of Hospital CUF Descobertas was no exception. It was necessary to adapt the department in order to respond to emergent situations, ensuring quality of care and prevention of contagion between patients and healthcare workers. In this article, the authors describe the entire adaptation process that forced, in a short period of time, to rethink spaces, circuits, protocols, procedures, personal protective equipment, integration of new elements in the team, in difficult conditions, from the point of view of management and team leadership. The implementation of an agile and committed crisis office was instrumental in ensuring strong and assertive leadership
throughout the evolution.