Table 3. Content analysis of open-ended responses throughout survey.

Code	Type of HCW	State	Corresponding Quotes
PPE training	Doctor working in the community	QLD	We all need training in correct donning and doffing
	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	The anxiety about being redeployed to Covid ward as theatres were quiet, that was the only thing that fuelled anxiety, not knowing if you’re going to be sent and being responsible for correct infection control as being a spotter when we have only had 30 min instructions ourselves
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	As a GP, I have had zero training in PPE. In March, I had to very quickly learn everything about correct donning and doffing of PPE and taking of NP (sic nasopharyngeal) swabs myself from YouTube videos which were by nurses from other countries. At the time, I could not find any official Australian or otherwise training videos.
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	The staff at the aged care facility received personal training but it was assumed doctors like myself knew what to do even though I never had formal training except maybe many years ago when working in a hospital.
Fit-testing	Pharmacist working in the community	VIC	I haven’t had any face to face training or fit testing and I don’t think the masks fit me properly.
	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	Despite my best efforts to advocate for correct fitting N95 masks and quantitative fit testing, my manager has stating that fit checking is at the responsibility of each nurse (and not the healthcare provider to their employees).
	Nurse working in a hospital	WA	No staff have been fit tested or provided access to N95. We have asked and been denied. This has contributed to staff worrying that if/when we have community transmission we will not be prepared or adequately protected.
	Doctor working in a hospital	VIC	The lack of fit testing for N95 (and lack of availability) is mind blowing.
Access to PPE (for example, hoarding PPE, rationing its use)	Doctor working in the community	NSW	It is provided to the group of practices run by our owner GP but was not getting dispersed to us as readily as his main practice. Was my initiative that started to access but gowns and goggles rationed significantly. Surgical masks unavailable unless considered high risk.
	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	I feel like access was limited and made difficult by power hungry management team. I felt insulted by the insinuation that clinical staff were stealing.
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	Our local PHN (public health network) has been useless, zero support, zero information and very limited supplies which were delayed getting to us.
	Doctor working in the army	QLD	There was initial well founded concern that PPE would be stolen which resulted in a rationing mentality making PPE less accessible. There is frequent wastage with inappropriate PPE being supplied eg surgical masks with face shields being supplied to patients instead of staff. My workplace has a low tolerance for criticism so people tend to keep their thoughts to themselves.
Poor experience with PPE, including poor processes and re-use/extended use of PPE)	Doctor working in a hospital	NSW	The majority of the time when we have a patient being screened and isolated for COVID-19, the PPE put outside their room is inadequate and/or incorrect, with no rubbish bin for disposal and no hand sanitiser to wash hands. What’s the point?
	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	We had nearly nothing during the first wave, we were keeping used gowns, N95 masks etc and salvaging every drop of hand sanitiser from bottles. It was far below the standards we would’ve liked for ourselves and our patients.
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	I’m dismayed at how unprepared Victoria was in terms of PPE stockpile. Our practice had to find our own PPE and wear them longer than we should and reuse masks so that we would have any PPE at all.
Inconsistent or contentious guidelines	Doctor working in the community	QLD	Conflicting advice about which mask to use & difficulty accessing N95 & surgical masks
	Midwife working in a hospital	NSW	It was frustrating receiving so many variations on what was appropriate for use of PPE, from my employer, the union, the state and federal government. This caused me much anxiety and stress during the initial stages of the pandemic.
	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	Frustrating that rules varied significantly between different hospitals and workplaces.
	Nurse working in a hospital	Not stated	The DHHS guidelines have not kept up with growing evidence of airborne transmission. All organisations write their policies with reference to these guidelines. When challenged, all refer back to the DHHS and say ‘we are following the most current advice’. But when dealing with a Novel coronavirus we cannot be reliant on evidence as there is no time gather and study the evidence. There has been anecdotal evidence of airborne transmission from the outset. Preventative and cautious guidelines need to be adopted in this situation rather than the reactive policy that has resulted in such great numbers of HCW infections. Policy should also be nationally written so that individual health services are not interpreting or applying guidelines as suits them.
	Doctor working in a hospital	VIC	Workplace guidelines appear to constantly lag behind what should be standard.
Feeling deprioritised	Nurse working in a hospital	NSW	So many health workers getting infected, it seems the PPE does not work. How do we protect ourselves!
	Nurse working in a hospital	QLD	I am very concerned by the numbers of health professionals who have been infected by COVID in areas where COVID has significant community transmission. These people are being asked to risk death. . .Why is any level of transmission acceptable? Why are health care workers not supported to ensure they are not at risk of significant illness and/or long term effects and death.
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	General Practitioners totally forgotten by everyone and struggled enormously to get PPE. Still some struggling going on.
	Doctor working in the community	VIC	GPs have been largely ignored, everyone focuses on hospital workers as though we don’t count as frontline.
	Doctor working in a hospital	VIC	Health care workers have not been protected. The infection numbers confirm this.
	Doctor working in the community	QLD	Not taken seriously by employers, feel very under-supported in this area—profit before people!
Workplace bullying	Nurse working in a hospital	VIC	My employer has been providing non-medical grade N95 masks. I informed my managers, told to stop making trouble.
	Doctor working in a hospital	VIC	Bullying by the executive whenever PPE issues are raised is a huge problem.
	Doctor working in a hospital	VIC	Significant harassment, bullying, accusations, and coercion around PPE use occurred outside the workplace from colleagues from other healthcare services in response to me stating I was following the national, state, and organisation PPE guidelines.