Availability Of Protective Equipment Research Articles

Predictors of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Nurses during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Occupational Stressors, Personality Traits, and Availability of Protective Equipment

Purpose: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare professionals were more frequently affected by post-traumatic stress disorder than the general population. The purpose of this historical, prospective study was to determine the influence of occupational stressors and personality traits on the magnitude of post-traumatic stress symptoms in nurses. The secondary objective was to examine the mediating role of protective equipment use on the relationship between exposure to pandemic-related stressors and levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms in nurses. Methods: The study was conducted after the first wave of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic among nurses working at the University Hospital of Split, Croatia. A total of 380 nurses completed the web-based survey. Among them, 217 (57.1%) worked with COVID-19 patients and 163 (42.9%) worked in non-COVID departments. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative design was used. Results: Personality traits (introversion, neuroticism, and openness), along with exposure to work stressors (public criticism, workplace hazards and harms, and work conflicts) and direct exposure to work with patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection, may serve as significant risk factors for the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms (p < 0.05). The use of protective equipment did not alter the effect of exposure to pandemic-related stressors on the amount of trauma experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Personality characteristics and levels of work stress are the most important predictors of the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms in nurses who worked during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare facilities and their leaders need to make more efforts to provide better psychosocial support services for nurses.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental practice in Serbia - prospective study

Introduction/Objective. The COVID-19, pandemic had a great impact on all spheres of dental practice. Dentists are the most affected category, due to their line of work. Studies conducted worldwide have shown a range of repercussions in dentistry including lockdowns, limited access to dental services, changes in prices, working hours and availability of protective equipment, increased anxiety levels, changes in the protocols and personnel fear of contracting the disease at work. The aim of this prospective observational survey study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dental practices in Serbia, as well as the challenges and consequences faced by dentists since the beginning of the pandemic, via an anonymous questionnaire. Methods. Multi layered questioner was used divided in to 4 sections: 1. Demographic, 2. Dental office professional experience, 3. Epidemiological professional experience, 4. Personal pandemic experience. Results. In total, 459 members of the Serbian Dental Chamber participated, gender distribution was 34.4% men and 65.6% women, age range was 26 to 81 years, of which76.4% were immunized against COVID-19. Professional, epidemiological and personal experience showed high level of preventive measures, overcoming professional limitations in order to lower the probability of contracting and spreading the disease. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic had a large influence on the dental practice in Serbia. Many dentists had to overcome the professional, economic and personal limits. The immunization made all the difference and created a safer environment for dentists and patients.

A study on Instinctive Feelings, Perceived Stressors and Factors that helped in reducing Stress during COVID 19 pandemic among Health Care Workers

Background: Healthcare workers at the forefront of the battle against COVID 19 are not only putting their own health and lives at risk but are also fighting to keep their own worries and emotional stress at bay. Aim & Objective: To evaluate emotions, perceived stressors, and factors that helped in reducing stress of healthcare workers who worked during a COVID19 pandemic. Settings and Design: This cross sectional study was conducted among Health Care staff involved in COVID 19 duty in tertiary care hospital of Gujarat. Methods and Material: Google form link was shared though what’s up and mail. The questionnaire was completed online. Consent for voluntarily participation was also obtained through online Google form. Statistical analysis used: Data was entered and analysed through Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: Total 106 participants responded to the questionnaire. It was extremely stressful for health care workers to see their colleagues getting infection, as well as the fear that they could transmit the disease to their families or friends. Main factors that helped to reduce the stress were positive attitude from colleagues, improvement of patients conditions and availability of protective equipment. Conclusions: Personal safety, the protection of family members and unpredictability of pandemic were the main concerns. Hospitals should prioritise stress monitoring for health care workers and provide targeted psychological guidance for HCWs during the pandemic.

Study protocol to test the efficacy of self-administration of dexmedetomidine sedative therapy on anxiety, delirium, and ventilator days in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients: an open-label randomized clinical trial

BackgroundAdministration of sedative and opioid medications to patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support in the intensive care unit is a common clinical practice.MethodsA two-site randomized open-label clinical trial will test the efficacy of self-management of sedative therapy with dexmedetomidine compared to usual care on anxiety, delirium, and duration of ventilatory support after randomization. Secondary objectives are to compare self-management of sedative therapy to usual care on level of alertness, total aggregate sedative and opioid medication exposure, and ventilator-free days up to day 28 after study enrolment. Exploratory objectives of the study are to compare self-management of sedative therapy to usual care on 3- and 6-month post-discharge physical and functional status, psychological well-being (depression, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder), health-related quality of life, and recollections of ICU care. ICU patients (n = 190) who are alert enough to follow commands to self-manage sedative therapy are randomly assigned to self-management of sedative therapy or usual care. Patients remain in the ICU sedative medication study phase for up to 7 days as long as mechanically ventilated.DiscussionThe care of critically ill mechanically ventilated patients can change significantly over the course of a 5-year clinical trial. Changes in sedation and pain interventions, oxygenation approaches, and standards related to extubation have substantially impacted consistency in the number of eligible patients over time. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mandated extended pauses in trial enrolment as well as alterations in recruitment methods out of concern for study personnel safety and availability of protective equipment. Patient triaging among healthcare institutions due to COVID-19 cases also has resulted in inconsistent access to the eligible study population. This has made it even more imperative for the study team to be flexible and innovative to identify and enrol all eligible participants. Patient-controlled sedation is a novel approach to the management of patient symptoms that may be able to alleviate mechanical ventilation-induced distress without serious side effects. Findings from this study will provide insight into the efficacy of this approach on short- and long-term outcomes in a subset of mechanically ventilated patients.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02819141. Registered on June 29, 2016.

Determinants of latent tuberculosis infection among nurses at public health centers in Indonesia.

The incidence of latent tuberculosis among healthcare workers, especially nurses, at public health centers in Indonesia has been increased. Therefore, factors related to the tuberculosis incidence need to be further investigated. This study aimed to identify the determinants of latent tuberculosis infection among nurses at public health centers in Indonesia. This non-experimental, cross-sectional study included 98 nurses. Data on the determinants of latent tuberculosis infection were collected using validated questionnaires, and the infection status was confirmed by Interferon Gamma Release Assay or IGRA test. Logistic regression was used for statistical analysis, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Health facilities for tuberculosis transmission prevention were available in all public health centers (100%). Protocols for preventing tuberculosis transmission including occupational health and safety training (OR = 13.24, 95% CI [2.29-58.55]; p = 0.001), handwashing after contact with patients or specimens (OR = 20.55, 95% CI [4.23-99.93]; p = 0.000), and wearing of medical masks (OR = 9.56, 95% CI [1.99-45.69]; p = 0.005) were found to be significant determinants of latent tuberculosis infection among nurses. The availability of protective equipment and implementation of health protocols among nurses at public health centers are the main determinants of latent tuberculosis infection. Hence, they should be maintained by all nurses to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

Behavioral and Emotional Reactions of the Russian Population to the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An On-Line Survey Results.

The study aimed to identify the patterns of adaptive and behavioral strategies in different population groups, also to evaluate their association with the infection prevention strategies and the distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were obtained from the on-line survey of 1958 respondents (mean age 31±12 years) from March 30, 2020 to April 5, 2020. 578 respondents reported a history of affective disorders; 884 respondents - a history of somatic disease. The level of anxiety distress was evaluated with the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM-25). The analysis of variance was used for statistics. p<0.05 was considered significant. The effect sizes (ES) were evaluated according to Cohen's d and Cramer's V criteria. The average PSM-25 score corresponded to moderate stress intensity. An increased level of psychological stress was associated with the young age of the respondents, the history of affective disorders and somatic diseases, the compliance with self-isolation, the practice of social distancing, and the use of sanitizer. Concerns about the availability of protective equipment were specifically associated with the self-isolation compliance (ES=0.1); the combination of concerns about the contagiousness of the virus (ES=0.12) and the inaccessibility of daily medications (ES=0.11) - with the principles of social distance. Moreover, the concerns about the lack of specific treatment, the danger to one's own life, the contagiousness of the virus, and the lack of protective equipment were associated with the protective behavior resulting in increased hand hygiene. The history of affective disorders was rarely associated with wearing masks and gloves, but more often - with the use of self-isolation strategies. The psychological reactions of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic are specifically associated with adaptive behavior in the process of anti-epidemic measures. Respondents with affective disorders experienced specific patterns of anxiety about coronavirus infection in combination with high rates of psychological stress.

Health attacks and protection strategies during Gaza's Great March of Return: a mixed methods study using data from WHO's Surveillance System for Attacks on Healthcare

BackgroundWHO defines an attack on health care as “any act of verbal or physical violence or obstruction or threat of violence that interferes with the availability, access and delivery of curative and/or preventive health services during emergencies.” Gaza's Great March of Return (GMR) began on Mar 30, 2018, with 322 Palestinians killed and 33 141 injured by December, 2019, and first-response health-care teams exposed to high levels of violence. The aims of this study were threefold: to explore the vulnerabilities of health workers to attacks during the GMR; to understand the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of systems for monitoring health attacks; and to identify potential strategies and interventions to improve protection. MethodsWHO's Surveillance System for Attacks on Healthcare (SSA) verifies and records health attacks. We analysed SSA data for the Gaza Strip from Mar 30, 2018, to Dec 31, 2019, examining the number and type of attacks, the mechanisms of injury, and the distribution of attacks by gender, time, and location. We analysed the correlation of health worker injuries and deaths with total injuries and deaths of Palestinians during the GMR. We held interviews and focus groups with individuals working for organizations defined as partners contributing to the SSA in the Gaza Strip, to understand data comprehensiveness, the nature and impact of violence, and protection gaps and strategies. FindingsDuring the study period, there were 567 confirmed incidents, in which three health workers were killed, 845 health workers were injured, and 129 ambulances and vehicles and 7 health facilities were damaged, including one hospital and three medical field stations. Of the total health personnel killed and injured, 166 of 848 (20%) were in the Gaza governorate, 274 (32%) were in the Khan Yunis governorate, 119 (14%) were in the middle governorate, 192 (22%) were in North governorate, and 96 (11%) were in the Rafah governorate. Of 845 injuries, 743 (88%) were in men, 45 (5%) were live ammunition injuries, 62 (7%) were rubber bullet injuries, 151 (18%) were gas canister injuries, 41 (5%) were shrapnel injuries, and 533 (64%) were gas inhalation injuries. Injuries and deaths among health workers correlated moderately (R2=0·54) with and accounted for 2% of the total. Qualitative findings highlighted the incidental and structural nature of violence, normalisation and under-reporting of attacks, the need for improved coordination of protection for health care, and gaps in the availability of protective equipment. InterpretationHealth-care workers function at great personal risk. The correlation of attacks against health care with total injuries and deaths points to the need for alignment of efforts to protect health care with strategies to safeguard civilian populations, including protection of populations living under occupation and those engaged in civil demonstrations. Health-care workers identified the need for systemic measures to improve protection through training, monitoring, and coordination, and through linking of monitoring and documentation of health attacks with stronger accountability measures for prevention. FundingIn 2017 and 2018, WHO's Right to Health Advocacy programme received funding from the Swiss Development Cooperation and the oPt Humanitarian Fund.

Resilient care in times of covid: The stress buddy

IntroductionThe COVID-19 outbreak poses a challenge for health care professionals due to a surge in care demands, overwork, fear of contagion and concerns on the availability of protective equipment, and coping with distress of patients and their families. Although there is emerging evidence on prevalence of stress and its predictors, less is known on the trajectory of stress symptoms and the differences between cohorts of health care professionals.ObjectivesTo sustain and restore health care professionals the Leiden University Medical Center has launched the Digital Stress Buddy, a mobile app, to assess psychological stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms.MethodsParticipants fill in a 14-item questionnaire on stress and resilience resources, followed by a COVID-related questionnaire and finally a set of validated questionnaires on depression and anxiety (DASS-21), posttraumatic stress-symptoms (IES-R), burn-out (CBI) and resilience (RES).ResultsTo date, 959 health care workers have completed the stress monitor, of whom 223 (23%) showed relevant stress levels. Within this group, anxiety and posttraumatic symptoms were most prevalent (45%), followed by depressive symptoms (15%). Predictors of stress were being female, coping with distress of patients and their families, teleworking, and overwork.ConclusionsBy identifying vulnerabilities and resilience for psychological distress, we are able to tailor the support interventions for health care workers within our hospital. This is an ongoing study and future follow-up during the second wave of the pandemic will provide more insight on the trajectories of stress-related symptoms.Conflict of interestNo significant relationships.

Radiation Safety Knowledge and Practice in Urology Theaters: A Collaborative Multicenter Survey.

Objective: To evaluate the knowledge and current radiation safety practice among health care professionals undertaking fluoroscopic procedures in urology. Materials and Methods: A 14-question survey was disseminated to multidisciplinary urology theater staff. Questions included demographic data, usual radiation safety practice, and knowledge. The questions were selected based on guidelines from the International Commission of Radiological Protection and Health and Safety Executive. The survey was disseminated through regional collaborators and social media. Results: The survey received a total of 309 completed responses, including 272 from the United Kingdom. Responses from the United Kingdom multidisciplinary team included 164 (60.3%) urologic surgeons, 68 (25.0%) theater nurses, 27 (9.9%) from the anesthetic team, and 13 (4.7%) radiographers. Results from the United Kingdom demonstrated use of lead aprons and thyroid shields as 99.3% and 52.2%, respectively. Lead glasses and lead glove use were 7.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Lack of availability was cited as a reason for noncompliance with shielding guidelines in 208 (76.5%) of the respondents. No form of training in radiation safety was reported by 120 (44.1%) respondents. However, there was no association between answering knowledge questions correctly and having completed some form of radiation safety training (p = 0.41). There was an association between dosimeter use and those who had received radiation safety training (p = 0.02). Consultant urologists were also more likely to use a dosimeter than training grade urologists (p = 0.035). Conclusion: Suboptimal compliance with radiation safety guidelines is prevalent in contemporary urologic practice, and presents a significant occupational health concern. Availability of protective equipment needs to be urgently addressed.

Evaluation of infectious risk among biomedical agents in Morocco

Background: The Infectious risk among biomedical technicians and engineers is influenced by many variables like the health and immune status of the worker, the education and training they had, the suitability of the establishment for work with highly pathogenic agents, and availability of protective equipment. We report in this article the results of a survey carried out in the country and which was interested in the perception of the infectious risk by biomedical agents.Methods: It is a descriptive study of the infectious risk among BMTE in Morocco with an assessment of the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors by the use of a questionnaire transmitted to participants by google form.Results: 84 persons participated in the survey. Biomedical agents report that the risk is either direct because they handle microorganisms (20%; 23/84), but above all indirect, since these are situations where they handle contaminated instruments or waste produced during care activities (41.7%; 48/84). The cutaneous route contamination showed a slight predominance (71.6%; 60/84) because they use sharp tools (64.3%; 54/84). Only half know they have to report this kind of incident (56.8%; 48/84) and Less than one in five (17.9%; 15/84) reported these accidents.Conclusions: Moroccan law has not ignored occupational risk and equipment of protection is available in the workplace. However, most of the participants did not receive specialized training in infection risk management, they do not benefit from medical supervision, and immunization and accidents are underreported.

Geographic Distribution of COVID-19: Lesson from the First Wave

COVID-19 continues to spread fast around world. Clearly, there are huge differences in the spread of COVID-19 from country to country. The paper analyses the spatial and temporal spread of COVID-19 on earth using Kriging spatial interpolation method in ARC GIS. From semi structure interview via online (email, conversation by messenger), existing studies and recent newspaper articles, I deduced that there are number of factors that could affect the spatial distribution of COVID-19 in different countries. These factors seem to be playing a significant role in the variation of transmission rates of COVDI-19 in different countries. To sum up, these could include; timely (or late) government responses, differences in citizen response, global frequent connectivity (due to mostly tourism and trade link), cultural norm, demographic factor (population density, youth/older population), access of public services, availability of protective equipment, the size of samples collected, the availability of testing kits, a lack of accurate data, asymptomatic transmission, metrological factor (temperature, humidity) and geographical isolated location. The paper does not explore any mutation processes or genome information of different countries, which is also important when it comes to spatial distribution by countries, which could vary the spread of the disease from country to country. However, analysis of first wave can be used by government and citizens to prepare and implement local and global measure for second and third wave (Cacciapaglia, Cot and Sannino, 2020).

COVID-19 pandemic and legal issues

Covid-19의 현재상황에서 헌법과 개별법률의 법적 근거가 충분한 지 여부에 관계없이 자유에 대한 현재의 제한조치는 정당화될 수 있다. 특히 감염위험 증가, 긴 잠복기, 감염된 사람들의 증상 부족 및 때로는 치명적인 질병경과로 나타나는 Covid-19 대유행의 특수한 상황을 고려할 때 건강을 보호하기 위한 과감한 조치가 정당화 될 수 있다. 그러나, 대유행이 길어질수록 즉각적인 조치들뿐만 아니라 국가적 맥락을 넘어서는 다양하고 사회적, 경제적 결과를 고려해야 한다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 배경에서 코로나 19 전염병 시대에 기본권을 다루는 방법에 대한 논의의 맥락에서 여기에서 관련된 법적 문제를 검토하고 비례성의 원칙에 대한 고려도 필요하다는 점을 강조하고 있다. COVID-19 대유행은 한편으로는 우리 의료시스템의 부적절함을 보여줄 뿐만 아니라 보호장비의 가용성과 같은 재난통제의 결함과 다른 한편으로는 최악의 상황을 피하기 위해 노력하고 있다. 그럼에도 코로나 위기 상황에서도 새로운 비교형량도 우선 고려해야 한다. 하지만 특히 많은 사람들이 인류보다 안전에 더 중점을 두기 때문에 개별 사례에서 무게를 두는 것은 쉽지 않다. 이와 관련하여 우선 코로나 바이러스 위기를 극복하는 데 가장 중요한 감염병예방법의 규정에 대한 개요와 위기로 인한 각종 조치들로 인한 법적 분쟁사례들에 대해 실무적인 측면에서의 현황과 개별적인 조치들의 법적 측면에서의 문제점들을 나누어 검토하고 있다.In the current context of Covid-19, the current restrictions on freedom can be justified, regardless of whether the constitution and the legal basis of individual laws are sufficient. In particular, taking drastic measures to protect health can be justified given the specific circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, which manifests itself as an increased risk of infection, long latent period, lack of symptoms in infected people, and sometimes fatal disease progression. However, as the pandemic lengthens, it is necessary to take into account not only immediate measures, but also diverse social and economic consequences beyond the national context. Against this background, this study emphasizes the need to review the legal issues involved here and to consider the principle of proportionality in the context of discussions on how to deal with basic rights in the era of the Corona 19 epidemic. The COVID-19 pandemic not only shows the inadequacy of our healthcare system on the one hand, but also strives to avoid disaster control deficiencies such as the availability of protective equipment and the worst on the other. Nevertheless, even in the corona crisis situation, a new comparative sentence should also be considered first. However, it is not easy to weigh in individual cases, especially as many people put more emphasis on safety than humanity. In this regard, first of all, it is reviewed an overview of the regulations of the infectious disease prevention method, which is the most important in overcoming the coronavirus crisis. This issue was also discussed the current situation in the practical aspect of legal dispute cases caused by various measures arising from the crisis. In this careful analyses on the important legal problems of individual measures is also valuable for checking the legitimacy of actions taken regularly, especially taking into account ongoing emergencies, to evaluate lighter response options, and to readjust if necessary.

Proposed Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Care of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disproportionately affected patients with diabetes. Mounting evidence has shown that adequate inpatient glycemic control may decrease the risk of mortality. In critically ill patients, insulin drips are the most effective means of controlling blood glucose. However, resource limitations such as the availability of protective equipment and nursing time have discouraged the use of insulin drips during COVID-19. In this commentary, we review existing evidence on the importance of glycemic control in COVID-19 patients with diabetes and propose a protocol for utilizing continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to improve glycemic control by decreasing the need for bedside management in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Psychological reactions of the population as a factor of adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic

One of the many negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the “secondary epidemic” of negative psychological effectsThe aim of the study was to identify socio-psychological factors associated with adaptive behavior in the population.Materials and methods: an on-line survey of 1957 Russian-speaking respondents over 18 years old was performed from 30.03.2020 to 05.04.2020. The level of anxiety distress was verified with the psychological stress scale (PSM-25). Dispersion analyses were used (p&lt;0.05). The size of the effects (SE) was evaluated according to Cohen’s d and Cramer’s V criteria.Results: Increased levels of psychological stress were associated with self-isolation (SE=0.13), social distanc- ing (SE=0.14) and antiseptic usage (SE=0.11). The scores of psychological stress were higher in individuals who search the media for coronavirus news more than once or twice a day (SE=0.11). At the same time, the fre- quency of requests for information about COVID-19 was not linearly associated to the individuals fears for their own lives. The concerns about the availability of protective equipment were specifically associated to compliance with self-isolation measures (SE=0.1). The combination of concerns about the contagiousness of the virus and the unavailability of medication for daily intake were associated with the principles of social distance (SE=0.12 and SE=0.11 respectively). Moreover, concerns about the lack of specific treatment for COVID-19, the danger to one’s own life, the contagiousness of the virus and the lack of protective equipment were associated with the protective behaviours related to hand hygiene (SE=0.12, SE=0.12, SE=0.11, SE=0.11 respectively). Wearing a mask was characterized by the same anxiety patterns as hand hygiene, but their association was inverse (respectively SE=0.13, SE=0.12, SE=0.14, SE=0.15). The most common type of anxious experience—fear for the health of relatives—was not specifically associated with certain types of behavior and accompanied each of its variants.Conclusion: Psychological reactions of the population to the COVID-19 pandemic are specifically associated with adaptive behavior in the dynamics of anti-epidemic measures.

Satisfaction of Tunisian Healthcare Staff Towards Preparedness of Covid-19

Introduction : Since December 2019, china, where the first cases appeared, has declared that it is fighting a new generation of Betacoronavirus from the corona family. She was shocked at the speed of transmission of this virus (Zhang, 2020; Li, 2020; Zhu et al, 2020; Misra, 2020). The start of this pandemic was sudden for everyone but all health systems must be well prepared to fight this health emergency (Zhang, 2020). Tunisia recorded its first case in 02 March 2020, three months after the onset of infection in China. According to INEAS (2020), it important to prevent the transmission of this virus by protecting hospitals and health care workers. To discover what happened in the practice side, this survey will conducted. Aim : To describe the satisfaction of health professionals with the strategy adopted by the Ministry of Health and the new measures taken by hospitals, as well as the availability of protective equipment and the dissemination of information. Methodology: This survey is a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study which will study satisfaction among healthcare staff. It was carried out in multiple hospitals in Tunisia in 21 days from March 2020 until April 2020. Finally, 454 healthcare professionals agreed to participate in our study (n = 454). An auto-administrative questionnaire was distributed to the participants. Results: Most of the respondents are young people, which explains why 83,3% of them have professional experience &lt;10 years. More than 50% were not involved in decision-making either in the hospital or in the department in which he works. More than 70% did not participate either in training on hygiene measures or on triage of patients or on the white plan and the precision of the role of each. More than 60% of the participants were not satisfied with the availability of protection material except for the disposable gutters and for the liquid soap. Conclusion: Despite the fact that Tunisia has experienced the pandemic of SARS-Cov-2 late in comparison to other countries, the health professionals were not satisfied with the procedures and preconceptions put in place. Keywords: SARS-Cov-2, professional health care, satisfaction, pandemic DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/76-09 Publication date: June 30th 2020

Management of newborns exposed to mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

There is limited information about newborns with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Particularly in the hospital after delivery, clinicians have refined practices in order to prevent secondary infection. While guidance from international associations is continuously being updated, all facets of care of neonates born to women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are center-specific, given local customs, building infrastructure constraints, and availability of protective equipment. Based on anecdotal reports from institutions in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic close to our hospital, together with our limited experience, in anticipation of increasing numbers of exposed newborns, we have developed a triage algorithm at the Penn State Hospital at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center that may be useful for other centers anticipating a similar surge. We discuss several care practices that have changed in the COVID-19 era including the use of antenatal steroids, delayed cord clamping (DCC), mother–newborn separation, and breastfeeding. Moreover, this paper provides comprehensive guidance on the most suitable respiratory support for newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also present detailed recommendations about the discharge process and beyond, including providing scales and home phototherapy to families, parental teaching via telehealth and in-person education at the doors of the hospital, and telehealth newborn follow-up.

CRT-300.05 Impact of Table Height on Radiation Dose Exposure for the Female Interventional Cardiologist

Radiation dose has widely been studied, focusing on the impacts of source distance, patient access site, type of imaging used, and availability of protective equipment. However, as more female operators come into practice, the impact of lower table and operator height during cardiac catheterization

COVID-19 pandemic spread across geographical and social borders: Can we face it?

The global health threat of the novel coronavirus virus SARS-CoV-2 has been the most severe virus since the (A) H1N1 influenza pandemic of 1918–1920. The aim of this paper is to document the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, on the basis of daily WHO and Chinese CDC data, from the time of the first recorded outbreak of the epidemic. Furthermore, the aim of the paper, based on knowledge of the epidemic cycle in the province of Hubei, is to attempt to simulate the future development of the epidemic in the Czech population. According to the optimistic prediction model, it is expected that the epidemic peak could occur in Czechia in mid-April with a daily number of 700–750 new cases. The total number of people with confirmed disease could reach roughly 20,000 (20% of people may experience serious health complications). The conclusion of the article points to the need for Czechia to build its own infrastructure to cover the needs of the state – especially in the areas of preparedness of medical facilities, medical staff, and the availability of protective equipment and medicines.

Utilization of personal protective equipment and associated factors among textile factory workers at Hawassa Town, Southern Ethiopia.

BackgroundUse of personal protective equipment is one of the important measures to safeguard workers from exposure to occupational hazards, especially in developing countries. However, there is a dearth of studies describing personal protective equipment utilization in Ethiopia. The present study has determined the magnitude of personal protective equipment utilization and identified associated factors among textile factory workers at Hawassa Town, southern Ethiopia.MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among textile factory workers at Hawassa Town, southern Ethiopia from January to March 2014. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling techniques was used to select the total of 660 study participants. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Multivariate analyses were employed to see the effect of explanatory variables on dependent variable.ResultsThe magnitude of personal protective equipment utilization was 82.4 %. Service duration of >10 years [AOR: 0.23, 95 % CI: (0.09, 0.58)], availability of personal protective equipments [AOR: 21.73, 95 % CI: (8.62, 54.79)], shift work [AOR: 2.28, 95 % CI: (1.12, 4.66)], alcohol drinking [AOR: 0.26, 95 % CI: (0.10, 0.66)], and cigarette smoking [AOR: 0.20, 95 % CI: (0.05, 0.78)] were factors significantly associated with use of personal protective equipment.ConclusionIn this study a relatively higher personal protective equipment utilization rate was reported compared to other studies in developing countries. However, this does not mean that there will be no need for further strengthening the safety programs as there are significant proportion of the workers still does not use all the necessary personal protective equipment during work. Interventions to promote use personal protective equipment should focus on areas, such as service duration, availability of protective equipment, presence of shift work, and control of substance abuse.

Reporting for Duty During Mass Casualty Events: A Survey of Factors Influencing Emergency Medicine Physicians

Academic medical centers play a major role in disaster response, and residents frequently serve as key resources in these situations. Studies examining health care professionals' willingness to report for duty in mass casualty situations have varying response rates, and studies of emergency medicine (EM) residents' willingness to report for duty in disaster events and factors that affect these responses are lacking. We sought to determine EM resident and faculty willingness to report for duty during 4 disaster scenarios (natural, explosive, nuclear, and communicable), to identify factors that affect willingness to work, and to assess opinions regarding disciplinary action for physicians unwilling to work in a disaster situation. We surveyed residents and faculty at 7 US teaching institutions with accredited EM residency programs between April and November 2010. A total of 229 faculty and 259 residents responded (overall response rate, 75.4%). Willingness to report for duty ranged from 54.1% for faculty in a natural disaster to 94.2% for residents in a nonnuclear explosive disaster. The 3 most important factors influencing disaster response were concern for the safety of the family, belief in the physician's duty to provide care, and availability of protective equipment. Faculty and residents recommended minimal or no disciplinary action for individuals unwilling to work, except in the infectious disease scenario. Most EM residents and faculty indicated they would report for duty. Residents and faculty responses were similar in all but 1 scenario. Disciplinary action for individuals unwilling to work generally was not recommended.