Attitudes Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Experience of healthcare professionals at the Makiso General Reference Hospital on nursing-related accidents

Introduction: In our hospitals, nursing-related accidents are frequent. It is not uncommon for minor incidents and near misses to occur before a serious accident occurs. The main aims of this study are to explore the experience of healthcare professionals of nursing-related accidents; to determine what to do about nursing-related accidents; and to analyze the attitudes of healthcare professionals to nursing-related accidents. Methods: We conducted a qualitative, phenomenological study based on free, face-to-face interviews. It involved 3 care providers working at the Makiso General Referral Hospital from March 2 to 31, 2024. Results: In terms of experience, respondents identified risk factors, managing emotions during the accident and the consequences of a nursing-related accident. In terms of what to do in the event of a care-related accident, the subjects identified teamwork to prevent care-related accidents, taking precautions before administering care and ensuring patient safety. Finally, with regard to the attitude of nursing staff to accidents attributable to care, respondents expressed their views on reassuring patients that their health would be restored in the event of an accident attributable to nursing care, identifying problems linked to the accident and ways of preventing accidents attributable to care. Conclusion: To prevent nursing-related accidents, it is necessary to put into practice preventive measures that should be taken to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents attributable to nursing care. Nurses should regularly undergo medical training to prevent nursing-related accidents

Perceptions of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence among Internal Medicine Physicians as a Step in Social Responsibility Implementation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as an essential tool in healthcare for optimizing healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes. This study is motivated by using AI in healthcare as a step for social responsibility implementation. The research aimed to investigate the attitudes of healthcare professionals on this issue, and it assessed physicians’ opinions regarding their perceptions of AI and their intention to use and implement AI tools in their activity. An electronic survey was proposed during February–June 2024 to a sample of healthcare professionals (309 were admitted into the study, 62 males and 247 females, with a mean age of 42). The results of the survey highlighted both groups’ excellent perceptions of AI and the low perceived knowledge of AI, which arises from more technical questions. The use of AI in healthcare represents a step for social responsibility implementation; it is an unstoppable process, and stakeholders should take into consideration investing more in monitoring and training activities.

Health care professionals expectations on mobile exergaming to decrease sedentary time in patients with heart failure

Abstract Background Exergaming is a promising intervention to decrease sedentary time in patients with Heart Failure (HF). For the implementation for mobile exergaming in clinical practice it is important to assess the expectations Health Care Professionals (HCPs) for this new technology for patients with HF. Purpose To explore the expectations of HCPs on mobile exergaming to decrease sedentary time in patients with heart failure. Method A qualitative design was used. Data on expectations HCPs have with exergaming for patients with HF were collected between September to October 2023 with semi-structured interviews. A total of 17 interviews including nine cardiologists, two rehabilitation physicians, five nurses and one physiotherapist. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results In total five themes were found: (1) Exergaming can be complementary or alternative; (2) Exergaming benefit from familiarization and socialization; (3) Exergaming support adherence and motivation; (4) Technology knowledge and skills is required; (5) The patients sex influenced expectations on exergaming. HCPs expected that exergaming could be a complementary technology following cardiac rehabilitation. HCPs expressed that exergaming should not be used as an alternative for physical activity advice or cardiac rehabilitation. The importance of a good familiarization to exergaming was seen as important and express that increased social interaction e.g. family involvement when introducing exergaming to a patient could make the familiarization easier. Exergaming was expected to be a motivator and increase adherence to physical activity and potential reduce sedentary time. Mobile phone reminders for physically activity were seen as important for patients’ motivation. The lack of technology knowledge was seen as a barrier for exergaming. HCPs expects that exergaming will be harder for older patients with HF. There was a divergence of opinions on the ease of exergaming between men and women, with some expecting it to be easier for men, while others believe that women possess more technology knowledge, especially concerning mobile phones. Conclusion HCPs expected that exergaming could motivate and improve adherence to physical activity and be a complementary technology to use for decreasing patients’ sedentary time in clinical settings. Implementation should involve adequate time for familiarization, family engagement, and additional support to master technology for older patients with heart failure. Future research should further explore HCP attitudes and potential differences in exergaming prescription and adoption with regard to the patient’s sex.

Knowledge and attitudes toward artificial intelligence in nursing among various categories of professionals in China: a cross-sectional study.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is an important public health issue. However, few studies have investigated the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare professionals toward its applications in nursing. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and concerns of healthcare professionals, AI-related professionals, and others in China toward AI in nursing. We conducted an online cross-sectional study on nursing students, nurses, other healthcare professionals, AI-related professionals, and others in China between March and April 2024. They were invited to complete a questionnaire containing 21 questions with four sections. The survey followed the principle of voluntary participation and was conducted anonymously. The participants could withdraw from the survey at any time during the study. This study obtained 1,243 valid questionnaires. The participants came from 25 provinces and municipalities in seven regions of China. Regarding knowledge of AI in nursing, 57% of the participants knew only a little about AI, 4.7% did not know anything about AI, 64.7% knew only a little about AI in nursing, and 13.4% did not know anything about AI in nursing. For attitudes toward AI in nursing, participants were positive about AI in nursing, with more than 50% agreeing and strongly agreeing with each question on attitudes toward AI in nursing. Differences in the numbers of participants with various categories of professionals regarding knowledge and attitudes toward AI in nursing were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Regarding concerns and ethical issues about AI in nursing, every participant expressed concerns about AI in nursing, and 95.7% of participants believed that it is necessary to strengthen medical ethics toward AI in nursing. Nursing students and healthcare professionals lacked knowledge about AI or its application in nursing, but they had a positive attitude toward AI. It is necessary to strengthen medical ethics toward AI in nursing. The study's findings could help develop new strategies benefiting healthcare.

Nursing students' pain management self-efficacy and attitude towards patients with chronic pain: What can be done better in education? A cross-sectional study

AimThis study has been conducted to determine nursing students' pain management self-efficacy and attitudes towards patients with chronic pain. BackgroundPain is a significant phenomenon that often leads individuals to seek medical attention, influenced by various factors and commonly encountered by healthcare professionals. Adequate knowledge and positive attitudes among nurses play a crucial role in the thorough assessment and effective management of pain, resulting in favorable outcomes for hospitalized individuals. DesignThis study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. MethodsThe research was conducted with 322 undergraduate students who were continuing their education in the autumn semester of the 2023–2024 academic year at Aksaray University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing. Data have been collected by using Student Information Form, Pain Management Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PMSEQ) and the Attitude of Healthcare Professionals towards Patients with Chronic Pain Scale. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis significance test and Spearman Correlation analysis have been used to evaluate the data. ResultsThe mean total score of the PMSEQ was 62.91 (SD 15.58) and the mean total score of the Attitude of Healthcare Professionals Towards Patients with Chronic Pain Scale was 3.94 (SD.52). Those students who willingly opted for the nursing profession, perceived themselves as proficient in managing chronic pain, administered care to patients experiencing pain during clinical placements, believed they received sufficient education in pain management throughout their studies and rated their overall health status as "very poor" demonstrated higher levels of self-efficacy in pain management (p<0.05). As a result of the analysis performed according to the mean scores of the Attitude of Healthcare Professionals Towards Chronic Pain Patients Scale and its sub-dimensions of the students participating in the study, a statistically significant difference has been found according to their gender, academic year and self-sufficiency in pain management (p<0.05). It has been determined that there is a weak positive correlation between the total mean scores of the participants' PMSEQ and the Attitude of Healthcare Professionals Towards Patients with Chronic Pain scale (r=.260; p<0.01). ConclusionsIn this study, as nursing students' self-confidence in pain management self-efficacy increased, their attitudes towards patients with pain also increased positively. In the nursing curriculum, there is a necessity for integrating pain management education and fostering awareness to adequately equip nursing students in addressing the pain requirements of patients.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF EMERGENCY NURSES REGARDING MEDICATION ERRORS

Medication errors in emergency departments can lead to significant patient harm. Understanding the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding these errors is critical for developing effective prevention strategies. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of emergency department nurses regarding medication errors. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Emergency Department of Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, from March 2023 to March 2024. A total of 150 nurses participated in the study. Data were collected using a 43-item questionnaire available in both Urdu and English. The questionnaire comprised six sections, focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding medication errors. Responses were recorded on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics to summarize the responses. Results: The mean age of the nurses was 43.6 ± 16.6 years, with 70% being female and 30% male. A majority of nurses agreed that medication errors can be reduced by calculating drug dosages beforehand (76%), using prepackaged drugs from the pharmacy (62%), and utilizing informative brochures and guidebooks (66%). Attitudes towards error reduction were positive, with recommendations for systematic training of healthcare staff (94%), raising awareness about risk management and prevention (90%), evaluating staff for eligibility (90%), and the importance of reporting and assessing errors (94%). Conclusion: Nurses in the emergency department possess sufficient knowledge and exhibit positive attitudes toward medication errors in the management and administration of IV drugs. However, ongoing training programs and awareness initiatives are essential to update nurses' knowledge and enhance patient safety.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF EMERGENCY NURSES REGARDING MEDICATION ERRORS

Medication errors in emergency departments can lead to significant patient harm. Understanding the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding these errors is critical for developing effective prevention strategies. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of emergency department nurses regarding medication errors. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Emergency Department of Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, from March 2023 to March 2024. A total of 150 nurses participated in the study. Data were collected using a 43-item questionnaire available in both Urdu and English. The questionnaire comprised six sections, focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding medication errors. Responses were recorded on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics to summarize the responses. Results: The mean age of the nurses was 43.6 ± 16.6 years, with 70% being female and 30% male. A majority of nurses agreed that medication errors can be reduced by calculating drug dosages beforehand (76%), using prepackaged drugs from the pharmacy (62%), and utilizing informative brochures and guidebooks (66%). Attitudes towards error reduction were positive, with recommendations for systematic training of healthcare staff (94%), raising awareness about risk management and prevention (90%), evaluating staff for eligibility (90%), and the importance of reporting and assessing errors (94%). Conclusion: Nurses in the emergency department possess sufficient knowledge and exhibit positive attitudes toward medication errors in the management and administration of IV drugs. However, ongoing training programs and awareness initiatives are essential to update nurses' knowledge and enhance patient safety.

Effect of Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge and Attitude Towards Reporting Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) in Military and Paramilitary Hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria

The study evaluated the effect of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on knowledge and attitude towards reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in military and paramilitary hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to determine if the level of knowledge and attitude has any significant effect on reporting ADRs. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires from the healthcare professionals (Doctors, Pharmacists, and Nurses) because of the position they occupy in the implementation of pharmacovigilance procedures. The technique employed in the data analysis is regression and the following results were obtained: the level of knowledge of HCPs on pharmacovigilance had a P- value of 0.027 &lt; 0.05 while HCPs attitude had p-value of 0.010 &lt; 0.05. Hence, the study concludes that knowledge level and attitude significantly affect ADR reporting. The following recommendations were made in line the findings: the need to improve training programs across all strata of HCPs as a means of updating their knowledge of pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting procedures. Similarly, it is important to develop a culture of ADR Reporting amongst healthcare professionals in these hospitals; by raising the recognition of the importance of reporting both tolerable and moderate ADRs as well as previously unknown or severe ADRs, this strategy aims to promote a culture of ADR reporting.

The Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals in an Autonomous Community in Spain towards Paediatric Influenza Vaccination.

In the 2022-2023 influenza season, three autonomous communities anticipated the document approved by the Public Health Commission recommending influenza vaccination for all children aged 6 to 59 months. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the attitude of healthcare professionals towards the first universal vaccination campaign in our region, as well as the acceptability of the vaccines used and their attitude towards pilot school vaccination. This was a cross-sectional, survey-based, descriptive study. All healthcare professionals involved in the campaign were invited to participate. Overall, 91.9% of surveyed professionals thought that influenza vaccination from 6 to 59 months was important or very important, and 89.8% had previous experience regarding the intramuscular vaccine. Healthcare professionals rated the intranasal vaccine significantly more positively, but there were no differences when asking about each vaccine without comparison. The inhaled vaccine was preferred by 97.5% for the following campaign. Pilot school vaccination had a 75% acceptance rate. The inhaled vaccine was preferred by most professionals, and pilot school vaccination was highly accepted and independently associated with the importance of vaccination as considered by physicians, being a medical doctor, and participation in the pilot programme.

Patient safety culture and medication safety in European intensive care units: a focus group study

BackgroundPatients in intensive care units (ICUs) are susceptible to medication errors (MEs) for many reasons, including the complexity and intensity of care. Little is known about patient safety culture, its...

An exploratory study of knowledge, attitudes, practice and barriers towards adverse drug reaction reporting among healthcare professionals in Malta.

Understanding knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals (HCPs) towards adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting can inform educational interventions promoting ADR reporting. To explore knowledge, attitudes, practice, and barriers of local HCPs towards ADR reporting. Focus groups involving HCPs from different settings were organized to help develop a questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated and disseminated to pharmacists, physicians, dentists and nurses practicing in Malta. A review of ADR reports reported in Malta from 2004 to 2021 was carried out to contextualise questionnaire findings. Overall, HCPs (n = 374) had good knowledge on pharmacovigilance and a positive attitude towards ADR reporting however nurses were found to be less knowledgeable than physicians, dentists, and pharmacists. The main barrier for not reporting ADRs was difficulty to understand whether an adverse event occurred (n = 187). A total of 2581 ADR reports were reported in Malta. Among HCPs, physicians and dentists reported most ADRs (1060 reports), followed by pharmacists (307 reports) and nurses (257 reports). Further ADR educational and promotional efforts are needed to increase awareness on the importance of quality ADR reporting and increase the number of ADR reports reported by local HCPs.

An exploration of the experiences and attitudes of healthcare professionals towards enteral tube feeding for adults living in the community following stroke.

Guidelines recommend enteral feeding via gastrostomy should be considered for adult survivors of stroke with dysphagia who cannot eat or drink sufficiently for >4 weeks. Many people continue long-term tube-feeding via this route in the community where healthcare professionals contribute to their care and nutritional management, although little is known about their experiences of or attitudes towards enteral feeding in this situation. The present study aimed to explore the experiences and attitudes of healthcare professionals working with this patient group. Healthcare professionals were invited to complete a questionnaire devised for the study which comprised closed and open questions about tube-feeding including their patients' participation in feeding processes and mealtimes and how these might be improved. Responses to closed questions were analysed descriptively and free-text responses analysed using thematic analysis. Fifty-seven participants met the inclusion criteria. They identified patients' quality of life (77% of respondents) and nutritional support (75%) as the most important aspects of tube-feeding. Good communication and training with healthcare teams and carers were considered important. Their patients' participation in tube-feed administration and mealtime involvement were described as variable and potentially beneficial, but both were related to patients' choice and health impairment. Blended tube-feeding was considered an option by 89% provided practical and safety conditions were met. Participants' experiences of and attitudes towards tube feeding in adults living with stroke in the community in the sample in the present study are varied and focussed on individual patients' needs, safety and professional standards.

Attitudes toward uncertain results from prenatal exome sequencing: a national survey among healthcare professionals working in the prenatal setting.

The objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes of healthcare professionals (HPs) working in the prenatal setting toward uncertain results (UR) from prenatal exome sequencing (pES) in China. We conducted a national survey among HPs working in the prenatal setting. UR in our study include variants of uncertain significance (VUS), variants with variable penetrance/expressivity (VVPE), and secondary findings unrelated to the indication for testing (SFs). A total of 285 questionnaires that met the inclusion criteria were collected. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. When performing the pre-test counseling, only 7.4% of HPs mentioned the possibility of VUS, 6.3% discussed the possibility of VVPE, and 7.4% introduced the SFs with parents with the option to not report these variants. In post-test counseling, 73.0-82.8% HPs discussed with the parents but did not make any recommendations for managing the pregnancy after reporting UR (73.0% for VUS, 82.8% for VVPE, 74.7% for SFs, respectively). Most parents did not have the option of opting out of reporting UR from pES in pre-test counseling. UR did not influence the pregnancy recommendation made by most HPs. Establishing national guidelines for reporting UR from pES and developing strategies to improve counseling skills may help HPs manage UR.

PERCEPTIONS OF DEATH AND ATTITUDES RELATED TO DEATH WITH DIGNITY OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND CAREGIVERS

Purpose: This descriptive research was conducted to determine the death perceptions and attitudes of healthcare professionals and caregivers. Method: The research was conducted with 56 health professionals and 65 caregivers working in the palliative care unit. As a data collection tool; descriptive characteristics form, "Attitudes Towards Death Scale", "Attitudes Evaluation Scale Towards Respectable Death Principles" were used. Results: The average score of health professionals on the Attitudes Towards Death Scale is 4.3849±1.29288, and the average score of caregivers is 4.4856±0.77818. The average score of health professionals on the Attitude Scale towards Dignified Death Principles is 3.9330±1.0221, and the average score of caregivers is 3.4936±1.4554. Perceptions of health professionals' Attitudes Towards Death and Principles of Dignified Death; It was found that it was affected by having children, education, and the previous loss of a relative, and caregivers were affected by the frequency of thinking about death and their level of education. It was determined that there was a positive, moderate relationship between the Escape Acceptance dimension, which is one of the sub-dimensions of the Health Professionals' Attitudes Towards Death Scale, and the Attitude Towards Respectable Death Principles (p

The effectiveness of virtual reality training on knowledge, skills and attitudes of health care professionals and students in assessing and treating mental health disorders: a systematic review

Background Virtual reality (VR) training can enhance health professionals’ learning. However, there are ambiguous findings on the effectiveness of VR as an educational tool in mental health. We therefore reviewed the existing literature on the effectiveness of VR training on health professionals’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in assessing and treating patients with mental health disorders.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO (via Ovid), the Cochrane Library, ERIC, CINAHL (on EBSCOhost), Web of Science Core Collection, and the Scopus database for studies published from January 1985 to July 2023. We included all studies evaluating the effect of VR training interventions on attitudes, knowledge, and skills pertinent to the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders and published in English or Scandinavian languages. The quality of the evidence in randomized controlled trials was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0. For non-randomized studies, we assessed the quality of the studies with the ROBINS-I tool.ResultsOf 4170 unique records identified, eight studies were eligible. The four randomized controlled trials were assessed as having some concern or a high risk of overall bias. The four non-randomized studies were assessed as having a moderate to serious overall risk of bias. Of the eight included studies, four used a virtual standardized patient design to simulate training situations, two studies used interactive patient scenario training designs, while two studies used a virtual patient game design. The results suggest that VR training interventions can promote knowledge and skills acquisition.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that VR interventions can effectively train health care personnel to acquire knowledge and skills in the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders. However, study heterogeneity, prevalence of small sample sizes, and many studies with a high or serious risk of bias suggest an uncertain evidence base. Future research on the effectiveness of VR training should include assessment of immersive VR training designs and a focus on more robust studies with larger sample sizes.Trial registrationThis review was pre-registered in the Open Science Framework register with the ID-number Z8EDK.

The supportive environment in SRH: characteristics that promote self-determination

Hospitalization is an important stage in the life of the elderly. All too often, this experience is accompanied by both physical and psychological decline. Based on self-determination theory, the aim was to qualitatively characterize support for self-determination in follow-up care and rehabilitation services (behaviours and attitudes of healthcare professionals, and patients' perception of them).

Maternal and child health care access to skilled delivery services among Ghanaian rural mothers

IntroductionMost new-born babies are born at home in rural communities which is not new phenomenon due to lack of access to primary healthcare services and trained skilled health attendants, exposing mothers and children to a high risk of labour complications. The purpose of this study was to better understand factors influence rural women's access to primary health care and skilled delivery services as well as their reasons for using or not using maternal health care and skilled delivery services.MethodsThe study employed a social survey design with a quantitative approach to data analysis. Cluster Sampling was used, possibly based on rural communities, to efficiently collect data from different geographic locations. Simple random sampling individuals from each cluster ensures that all eligible individuals have an equal chance of being included in the study. This enhances the representativity of the sample. A total of 366 mothers were selected from four rural communities in the North East Region of Ghana. The choice of sample size considered factors like the study's objectives, available resources, and the desired level of statistical power. Data was primarily gathered through the administration of a questionnaire to the respondents. Factors considered for achieving representativity include, geographic representation, accessibility, healthcare infrastructure and healthcare professionals’ attitudes.FindingsThe study found that distance to health centres limits women's access to skilled delivery services. Lack of primary health facilities in the rural communities hamper maternal and child care services delivery. The attitude of health care professionals determines a mother’s utilisation of maternal health care and skilled delivery services.ConclusionThe study contributes to the limited research on maternal health services and their impact on mother and child health in the study area. This study is one of the first to investigate into maternal health care as a key predictor of mother and child health in the study area. The study's theoretical lens was the Andersen and Newman Health Behavioural Model theory, which supports the explanation of distance, lack of primary health centres, attitudes and lack of skilled personnel to the non-utilisation of maternal and health services in rural communities. The study recommended that primary healthcare facilities and trained health professionals should be a priority of government in rural communities to promote maternal and child healthcare.

Clearing the air: Assessing healthcare professionals' awareness of air pollution's health consequences

Air pollution (AP) significantly jeopardises health, with the Royal College of Physicians accepting the adverse effects of AP are not being sufficiently communicated to patients by healthcare professionals (HCP). To explore HCPs' understanding and attitudes toward AP and its health impacts, we conducted a service evaluation survey in a group of hospital doctors.A questionnaire comprising 20 questions about AP and its health associations was completed by 133 hospital doctors working at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK.While 65% (n = 86) of respondents strongly agreed that AP is relevant to health, 79% (n = 105) felt insufficiently trained on AP and its health associations.The survey shows that HCPs' knowledge of AP and its connection to poor health is a major barrier in discussions with patients. Further research is needed to understand whether these views are nationally shared among HCPs and to explore the most effective strategies for enhancing AP awareness.

A multicentre survey investigating the knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes of surgical healthcare professionals to frailty assessment in emergency surgery: DEFINE(surgery).

Screening for frailty in people admitted with emergency surgical pathology can initiate timely referrals to enhanced perioperative services such as intensive care and geriatric medicine. However, there has been little research exploring surgical healthcare professionals' opinions to frailty assessment, or accuracy in identification. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes of healthcare professionals to frailty assessment in emergency surgical admissions. We designed a cross-sectional multicentre study developed by a multiprofessional team of surgeons, geriatricians, and supported by patients. A semi-structured survey examined attitudes and behaviours. Knowledge was assessed by comparing respondents' accuracy in scoring twenty-two surgical case vignettes using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Eleven hospitals across England, Wales, and Scotland participated. Two hundred and eleven clinicians responded-20.4% junior doctors, 43.6% middle grade doctors, 24.2% senior doctors, 11.4% nurses and physician associates. Respondents strongly supported perioperative frailty assessment. Most were already assessing for frailty, although frequently not using a standardised tool. There was a strong call for more frailty education. Participants scored 2175 vignettes with 55.4% accurately meeting the gold standard; accuracy improved to 87.3% when categorised into "not frail/mildly frail/severely frail" and 94% when dichotomised to "not frail/frail". Frailty assessment is well supported by healthcare professionals working in surgery. However, standardised tools are not routinely being used, and only half of respondents could accurately identify frailty. Better education around frailty assessment is needed for healthcare professionals working in surgery to improve perioperative pathway for people living with frailty.

Knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals regarding birth preparedness of women in labour at selected Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A qualitative study

Introduction Low and middle-income countries account for the largest proportion of women’s deaths as a result of pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. The sub-Saharan region is the most affected with approximately 70% (202 000) of maternal deaths between 2000 and 2020. These deaths could have been prevented if expectant mothers were prepared for childbirth. Birth preparedness is perceived as a better strategy that helps attain a substantial reduction in maternal mortality. This is achieved by attending early antenatal classes, receiving skilled care during childbirth, and care and support right after birth. The latest survey on antenatal class attendance conducted in South Africa provides an estimated 30.8% of expectant mothers in public healthcare facilities. Methods Based on the action research method, this study employed a qualitative approach to collect data, as a result, one focus group discussion with five (N=5) participants and two others with six (N=6) participants each (n=6X2=12) and twenty individual interviews were conducted. The study sought to explore and describe the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding the birth preparedness of women in labour at selected Hospitals in Durban KwaZulu-Natal. Results It was found that expectant mothers were unprepared for both labour and postnatal care. The unprepared expectant mothers were uncooperative and made the task of midwives difficult to the extent of endangering the life of their expected newborn and their own. Factors such as finance, heterogeneity, staff shortage, language barrier, lack of family support, lack of interest, cultural beliefs, and confusion caused by various sources of information were responsible for birth unpreparedness. Conclusion Therefore, the synergy between expectant mothers and midwives appears to be an important factor in achieving better birth preparedness.