Engaging with the Suffering Other

Commentary: Standard of Care During a Crisis: What Should a Surgeon Know (and Do)?

Addressing Shortcomings in Contingency Standards of Care

Defining nurses' ethical practices in the 21st century.

After Childbirth: Better Data Can Help Align Postpartum Needs with a New Standard of Care.

Review Question: This review aims to answer the following specific question: What are nurses’ experiences of preparing for and managing the ethical challenges posed by catastrophic public health emergencies and health care disasters? Review Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review is to systematically review and synthesise research literature reporting nurses’ experiences of ethical preparedness for dealing with catastrophic public health emergencies and health care disasters and the ethical quandaries that may arise during such events. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Types of Participants: The review will consider publications that include nurses registered or authorised under a given country’s state of emergency provisions to practice in jurisdictions in which a public health emergency (e.g. pandemic influenza) or sudden‐onset mass casualty health care disaster (e.g. flood, hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, terrorist attack) have occurred, or may occur. Phenomena of interest: This review will examine the phenomenon of nurses’ experiences of preparing for and/or managing ethical issues arising during a public health emergency or health care disaster. Consideration will be given to, but not be limited to nurse preparation for and management of ethical issues associated with: development of local public health emergency (including pandemic influenza) and sudden‐onset health care disaster plans provision of first health care contact for the general public personal protection and correct use of safety equipment providing front line clinical care providing community and primary health care assistance with containment measures triaging in a range of settings, including general practices, community health centres, and local hospitals maintaining infection control vaccinations informing the public work attendance.

Ethical values underpin the health promotion discipline and profession, and competencies required for professional practice. Understanding how ethical values are translated into professional practice is critical. The aim of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to explore Australian health promotion stakeholder perspectives about ethical health promotion practice. A face-to-face group-based workshop (n=15), online survey (n=77) and in-depth individual interviews (n=15) collected qualitative and quantitative data from health promotion stakeholders. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative and thematic analysis to analyse qualitative data. Tensions emerged regarding the nomenclature of ethical health promotion practice, with ethics framed largely by participants as related to formal approval for research. A range of barriers and enablers to ethical practice were identified. Barriers related to obtaining ethical approvals and working with specific population groups and communities. Enablers included professional development opportunities, access to a specialised human research ethics committee and a better understanding of what is meant by 'ethical practice'. Findings suggest the need for an ethical health promotion practice framework and resources for practitioners and organisations throughout Australia. We propose a framework comprising two pillars: (a) developing critical practice; and (b) building the evidence-based for health promotion. SO WHAT?: This study recognises the need for increased dialogue about the ethical foundations of health promotion. The development of a health promotion ethics framework can better support the development of ethical practice in the Australian health promotion discipline and profession.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic, as a global crisis, has had profound impacts on all aspects of social and economic life. In this context, official document registration offices, as part of Iran’s legal system, have faced unprecedented challenges. This research examines the role of official document registration offices in maintaining and strengthening public trust during the pandemic, with an emphasis on how these offices can act as key institutions in consolidating social and legal foundations. Methods. This study was conducted using qualitative methods and contractual content analysis, focusing on the experiences of clients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the cities of Tehran and Tabriz. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and field observations and were carefully examined using thematic analysis techniques. Results. During the pandemic, official document registration offices faced numerous issues, including an increased need for digital services, changes in communication patterns with clients, and the need for precautionary health measures. These conditions, in turn, have impacted public trust in these institutions and highlighted the necessity for a review of existing laws, regulations, approaches, and processes. Conclusion. This research emphasizes that official document registration offices must undergo structural and procedural reforms to preserve and enhance public trust, especially in crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the development of digital services, improvement of communications and interactions with clients, and increased transparency and accountability.

Spiritual needs during COVID 19 pandemic in the perceptions of Spanish emergency critical care health professionals

Safety measures for nurses working abroad

Purpose – This research aims to analyze the application of cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability (CHSE) certification in the hotel business sector during the COVID-19 pandemic from the managers’ perspective. Methodology/Design/Approach – A qualitative research method was adopted and data were collected through in-depth interviews with 35 hotel managers. Six main themes were identified in the thematic analysis, including hotel business conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, health conditions, cleanliness, safety measures and procedures, environmental sustainability practices, and perceptions of managers about CHSE certification. Findings – Results indicated that health protocol standards were the top priority of current management, followed by cleanliness and procedures to maintain guest and hotel employee safety. Originality of the research – This research provided theoretical implications regarding hotel business certification and standards during a pandemic, with cleanliness, health, safety, and environment being the top priorities. Operational implications showed that CHSE certification provided operational standards for the hotel industry during the pandemic and ensured guest safety and comfort. Based on these results, further research is recommended to obtain data from regulatory agencies that set certification policies, including the government, hotel guests, and hotel staff.

Background This study explores nurses’ experiences amid the dual challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and public mass shootings, highlighting the emotional and professional strains they faced while providing care in crisis situations. Methods This qualitative study used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a sample of 16 nurses caring for patients who were either injured during a public mass shooting or were infected with COVID-19. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling. Thematic analysis was undertaken, and themes derived from structural understanding illuminated nurses’ perceptions of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Qualitative data analysis revealed five main themes: stressful life events, flashbulb memories, service-oriented mindsets, team collaboration keys, and professional needs. The theoretical interpretation points to multidimensional perceptions of nurses and the need to confirm these perceptions and reconcile them with the psychological impact of stressful life events, making future adjustments and adaptations possible. These results build upon our previous work, first presented as a preprint, which highlighted initial themes and set the foundation for this expanded analysis. Conclusions The study underscores how crises impact nurses’ perceptions, highlighting the need for improved support, teamwork, and ongoing training to address their psychological needs during emergencies.

The paper discusses the problem of triaging the elderly in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis by analyzing the triage process, caused by lack of resources, in Germany, Holland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. We apply inductive, deductive, and normative bioethical methods, comment on various recommendations for the indication of intensive care during a crisis, and discuss the utilitarianism of benefit maximization. As it follows from the evaluation of the elderly by the frailty parameter, medically inappropriate treatment, as a result of limited resources, is characterized by clinical and bioethical uncertainty. If the main bioethical objective of general bioethics for the COVID-19 pandemic is, in the case of limited resources, based on the non-utilitarian consequentialism paradigm, from the perspective of medical ethics, we face a borderline situation closely related to the topic of dying and death. Such a situation requires social, ethical, and professional reflection. An algorithm for intensive care indication in the situation of crisis and limited resources in the period of the pandemic requires a definition of criteria that identify an acceptable reason for abandoning the treatment in the context of the autonomy of the elderly and by respecting their human dignity and humanity. A global objective of general bioethics in the situation of the pandemic crisis should be based on the paradigm of social justice.

Managing Unemployment under COVID-19 Conditions (States of Emergency or Crisis)

In the era of COVID-19, travel decisions are influenced by social norms, which is a deciding factor between one’s perception of risk and their travel intention. Moreover, serious safety measures, such as increased aircraft cleaning, social distancing during the boarding process, and the use of face masks are critical factors that influence passengers’ trust in air travel. This study examines the direct effects of safety and preventive measures and social norms on passengers’ trust in travelling with airlines. A total of 210 responses were obtained online. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the study hypotheses. Based on the result, social norms are the most influential predictors of passengers’ trust, followed by safety and preventive measures. Furthermore, the study suggests that media coverage and social circle influence can be critical elements in transferring information to passengers, influencing their decision, and instill trust to travel during the pandemic. Notably, apart from exercising social norms, the airline industry also needs to focus on safety and preventive measures consisting of staff safety practices towards the passenger and new standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study findings assist the airline industry in understanding passengers’ post-pandemic travelling behaviour. Notably, the implementation of health security protocols at airports, supported by the provision of continuous safety information, is indeed an important feature for passengers.

Like other developing countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the public’s mental and physical health in Bangladesh. People, especially, in the country’s capital city, Dhaka, have suffered as a serious consequence of the pandemic in various ways, for instance, fear, stress, sadness, isolation, and loneliness. The study investigates parents’ perceptions of sending their children to kindergarten or primary school during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dhaka North City (DNCC), Bangladesh. The research employs several qualitative tools for answering the stated questions and objectives. Adopting a purposive sampling procedure, 30 informants from two wards were selected in the DNC area. We examine the “Field Theory” approach developed by Brager and Holloway to prepare the interview guide administered to these 30 informants. Apart from in-depth interviews, the study utilizes focus group discussions (FGDs) to obtain comprehensive data from them. The study reveals that parents have various perceptions about sending their children to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, making decisions based on psychological state, behavior patterns, quality education, and school safety measures. Parents feel insecure about sending their children to school as the institutional authorities are unaware of sanitizing the premises. As well, quality education greatly concerns the parents making such decisions about sending their children to school. The study recommends that the government, school authorities, and guardians take safety measures seriously inside the homes and the schools’ premises to help ensure children can safely attend primary schools.