Group Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

The "oldest and the newest of nurses": Nursing and the Professionalization of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

When in the late nineteenth century American physicians increasingly replaced midwives in the care of obstetrical and gynecological patients, they could do so only because they were aided by another emerging group of healthcare professionals: nurses. Nurses were instrumental in assisting physicians in the care of patients in labor and during recovery. They were also necessary for male physicians because the vast majority of nurses were women and their presence during gynecological and obstetrical treatments made it more socially acceptable for men to examine female patients. In hospital schools in the northeast and through long-distance nursing programs, physicians taught students about obstetrical nursing and instructed them to protect the modesty of female patients. They also tried to instill strict professional hierarchies between nurses and physicians, emphasizing that nurses should never attempt to deliver a patient without a physician. But as nursing emerged into a unique professional practice separate from that of physicians, nurses were able to negotiate better education in the care of laboring patients. In order to take over women's sexual and reproductive health care from traditional providers, physicians conceded to nurses' demands for more authority in patient care.

Design Validation of a Relational Agent by COVID-19 Patients.

Relational agents (RAs) have shown effectiveness in various health interventions with and without doctors and hospital facilities. In situations such as a pandemic like the COVID-19 when healthcare professionals (HCPs) and facilities are unable to cope with increased demands, RAs may play a major role in ameliorating the situation. But they have not been well explored in this domain. To design a prototypical RA in collaboration with Covid-19 patients and HCPs and test it with the potential users, for its ability to deliver services during a pandemic. The RA is designed and developed in collaboration with infected patients (n=21) and two groups of HCPs (n=19 and n=16 respectively) to aid COVID-19 patients at various stages by performing four main tasks: testing guidance, support during self-isolation, handling emergency situations, and promoting post-recovery mental well-being. A design validation survey with 98 individuals was used to evaluate the usability of the prototype by system usability scale (SUS) and feedback on the design was collected from them. In addition, the RA's usefulness and acceptability were rated on Likert Scales by the participants. From the design validation survey, the prototypical RA received an average SUS score of 58.82. Moreover, 89.65% of participants perceived it to be helpful, and 68.97% of participants accepted it as a viable alternative to HCPs. The prototypical RA received favorable feedback from the participants, and they were inclined to accept it as an alternative to HCPs in non-life-threatening scenarios despite the usability rating falling below the acceptable threshold. Based on participants' feedback, we recommend further development of the RA with improved automation and emotional support, ability to provide information, tracking, and specific recommendations.

Pediculosis capitis and scabies in nurses from Eastern Poland - occupational risk and environmental determinants.

Nurses are a group of healthcare professionals particularly vulnerable to infestations by Pediculus humanus capitis and Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis contracted from patients under their medical care. The cross-sectional study included 322 professionally active nurses within public healthcare units in eastern Poland. The research tool was a questionnaire collecting anonymized data on the occurrence of pediculosis capitis and scabies in nurses, and their patients, concerning the environmental determinants in the period 2001-2013. The study was retrospective and participation of nurses was voluntary. The obtained results indicated that 24.8% and 9.9% of the 322 respondents were infested by head lice and scabies mites, respectively. During their professional work, most nurses contracted head lice once (76.2%) while others (23.8%) were infested twice or more. The respondents did not declare repeated occupational scabies. The risk of contracting pediculosis capitis and scabies was not related to the length of service, but increased with the rise in the number of patients provided with nursing care. In the head lice-infested patients, the majority were aged 6-10 years (31.3%), while in the case of scabietic patients, children aged 0-5 years prevailed (26.4%). In medical care facilities, regular hygienic checks of both patients and medical staff, covering the condition of the skin and scalp, should be mandatory. The spread of pediculosis capitis and scabies among nurses can be reduced by the implementation not only of protective procedures mitigating occupational risk, but also the improvement of working conditions in medical facilities.

What Matters Most? How to Find Joy at Work in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

What Matters Most? How to Find Joy at Work in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

The Impact of Psychological Interventions with Elements of Mindfulness on Burnout and Well-Being in Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review.

Healthcare professionals are highly likely to experience various causes of work-related stress, which often leads to burnout. This became even more obvious during the Covid-19 pandemic. This systematic review aimed to analyze articles where psychological interventions with elements of mindfulness (PIM) were used to support healthcare professionals to foster well-being and reduce burnout levels. Compared to other recently published reviews, it is unique, due to its focus on a wide group of healthcare professionals, a broader selection of psychological interventions, and the evaluation of any sustained effects. Systematic searches were carried out in February 2021 with different combinations of Boolean operators within six electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost, MEDLINE, PsycArticles, Cochrane Library, JSTOR and Cobiss. We included articles that had been published in the last ten years (2011 to 2021) and which reported on original research focused on evaluating the influence of PIM on healthcare professionals. MERSQI was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Of 1315 identified studies, 15 were included in this systematic review. Regardless of the specific type, duration and setting (individual vs group) of PIM applied, the results demonstrated a positive impact on well-being and burnout in participating healthcare professionals. The most studied interventions involved MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) and other mindfulness training programmes, in online as well as in-person versions. Given the new reality with the presence of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, it is of the utmost importance to offer feasible, effective interventions for burnout reduction to vulnerable groups of healthcare professionals. By focusing on their needs, several key aspects of burnout and mindfulness could be efficiently improved; this review demonstrates that short, online interventions could be as effective as longer, in-person ones.

Prevalence of laboratory-related musculoskeletal disorders among biomedical scientists.

Laboratory- related musculoskeletal disorders (LMSDs) are injuries resulting from working in the laboratory. Biomedical scientists (BMSs) play an important role in any health care system. However, they are at high risk of exposure to the LMSDs. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and the associated risk factors of LMSDs among this group of healthcare professionals. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to estimate the prevalence of the LMSDs among the BMSs. BMSs with occupational or non-occupational accidents that affected their musculoskeletal system were excluded from the study. A Chi-square test was performed to measure the significant association between different risk factors (age, gender, weight, height, nationality, specialty, educational level, nature of the job, and the number of experience years) and the prevalence of the LMSDs among the BMSs. The study included 83 BMSs. Females represented 63.9% and 36.1% were in the age group of 35- 44. The overall prevalence of the LMSDs was 77.1%. The most prevalent LMSDs were neck, shoulders, and lower back with 50.6%, 49.4%, and 43.4%, respectively. A total of 65.57% of BMSs had irregular symptoms of LMSDs. The study found that the prevalence of LMSDs among the BMSs was high. Good practice and training in ergonomics may minimize the prevalence of LMSDs among the BMSs.

YouTube® in Spanish as a source of information for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Introduction and aimThe majority of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) seek information about their disease on the Internet. The reliability, comprehensiveness, and quality of said information in Spanish has not previously been studied. Materials and methodsAn analytic observational study was conducted that included YouTube® videos on IBD available in Spanish, describing general characteristics, engagement, and sources. Standard tools for evaluating reliability (DISCERN), comprehensiveness, and overall quality (Global Quality Score, GQS) were employed. ResultsOne hundred videos were included. Eighty-eight videos consisted of information produced by healthcare professionals (group 1) and 12 included patient opinions (group 2). There were no differences in the median scores for reliability (DISCERN 3 vs 3, p = 0.554) or comprehensiveness (3 vs 2.5, p = 0.768) between the two groups, but there was greater overall quality in the group 2 videos (GQS 3 vs 4, p = 0.007). Reliability was higher for the videos produced by professional organizations (DISCERN 4; IQR 3–4), when compared with healthcare information websites and for-profit agencies (DISCERN 3; IQR 2.5–3.5) (p < 0.001), but the videos with healthcare information website and for-profit sources had a higher quality score (GQS 3 vs 4, p < 0.001). Comprehensiveness scores were similar. ConclusionThe majority of YouTube® videos in Spanish on IBD have good reliability, comprehensiveness, and quality. Reliability was greater for the videos produced by professional organizations, whereas quality was higher for those created from healthcare information websites and for-profit agencies.

YouTube® in Spanish as an information source for patients with autoimmune hepatitis

Introduction and aimA large number of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AH) seek information about their disease on the Internet. The reliability, comprehensiveness, and quality of said information in Spanish has not been studied. Our aim was to describe the characteristics of the information about AH on YouTube®. MethodsAn analytic observational study evaluated videos in Spanish about AH available on YouTube®, describing their general characteristics, viewer engagement, and information sources. Standardized tools were utilized to analyze reliability (DISCERN), comprehensiveness, and overall quality (Global Quality Score [GQS]). ResultsOne hundred videos were included, 93% of which provided information from healthcare professionals (group 1), and 7% of which reflected patient opinions (group 2). There were differences in the median reliability (DISCERN 4 vs 2, p ≤ 0.05) and comprehensiveness (4 vs 2, p ≤ 0.05) scores between groups, but equal overall quality (GQS 3 vs 2, p = 0.2). Reliability (DISCERN 4; RIC 3–4) and comprehensiveness (4.5; IQR 3–5) were higher in videos by professional organizations, compared with those by independent users, healthcare information websites, and for-profit organizations (DISCERN 3; IQR 2.5–3.5) (p < 0.001). Reliability (DISCERN 2; IQR 1.5–3), comprehensiveness (2; IQR 1.5–2.5), and quality (GQS 2.5; IQR 1.5–3.5) were lower for videos made by for-profit organizations. ConclusionThe majority of videos about AH in Spanish on YouTube® have good reliability, comprehensiveness, and quality. Videos created by academic organizations had higher scores, thus their collaboration, with respect to patient opinion videos, is suggested.

Costs, consequences and value for money in non-medical prescribing: a scoping review

ObjectivesNon-medical prescribing (NMP) is a key feature of the UK healthcare system that refers to the legal prescribing rights granted to nurses, pharmacists and other non-medical healthcare professionals who have...

Top studies of 2022 relevant to primary care: From the PEER team.

To summarize 10 high-quality medical articles published in 2022 that are relevant to primary care physicians. Routine surveillance of tables of contents in relevant medical journals and EvidenceAlerts was conducted by the PEER (Patients, Experience, Evidence, Research) team, a group of primary care health care professionals with an interest in evidence-based medicine. Articles were selected and ranked based on relevance to practice. Published articles from 2022 most likely to influence primary care practice examined the following subjects: reducing dietary sodium for heart failure; timing of blood pressure medications to reduce cardiovascular outcomes; adding as-needed corticosteroids to rescue puffers for asthma exacerbations; influenza vaccination after myocardial infarction; comparing various medications for diabetes management; tirzepatide for weight loss; low FODMAP diet for irritable bowel syndrome; prune juice for constipation; impact of regular acetaminophen use on patients with hypertension; and time required to care for patients in primary care. Two "honourable mention" studies are also summarized. Research published in 2022 yielded several high-quality articles on various conditions relevant to primary care, including hypertension, heart failure, asthma, and diabetes.

Coconstruction of adjunct behavioral interventions to bariatric surgery: The INTER-Change program.

The INTER-Change program aims to use systematic frameworks to develop adjunct behavioral interventions to enhance long-term behavior change and improve outcomes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery (BS). This paper details the program strategies and how engagement of interested parties is shaping the research. The core elements of this work include: (a) A living systematic review of behavioral weight management (BWM) interventions adjunct to BS; (b) Focus groups of interested parties, including patients, healthcare professionals, and administrators, on different aspects of designing and implementing adjunct behavioral interventions; (c) A patient-generated survey to assess needs for behavioral interventions to support BWM; (d) An international eDelphi study involving interested parties to prioritize intervention components and delivery structures; and (e) An international consensus meeting to construct testing intervention protocol(s). The systematic review revealed that delivering BWM interventions during the postoperative period resulted in better weight maintenance; however, most interventions reviewed were poorly developed, and none included interested parties. Initial themes from ongoing focus groups highlighted nonweight-related outcomes as being key goals of adjunct behavior change interventions, with a strong emphasis on psychological well-being and health-related behaviors. The patient survey will add patients' feedback on current interventions and expectations. Finally, the eDelphi process and international consensus meeting will integrate all the findings to develop more efficient behavioral interventions and appropriate testing protocol(s). This integrated knowledge translation approach will help ensure that the behavioral adjunct interventions are relevant to interested parties' needs, well-designed, effective, and more likely to be implemented successfully. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of a core outcome set for open lower limb fracture

Open lower limb fracture is life-changing, resulting in substantial morbidity and resource demand, while inconsistent outcome-reporting hampers systematic review and meta-analysis. A core outcome set establishes consensus among key stakeholders for the recommendation of a minimum set of outcomes. This study aims to define a core outcome set for adult open lower limb fracture. Candidate outcomes were identified from a previously published systematic review and a secondary thematic analysis of 25 patient interviews exploring the lived experience of recovery from open lower limb fracture. Outcomes were categorized and sequentially refined using healthcare professional and patient structured discussion groups. Consensus methods included a multi-stakeholder two-round online Delphi survey and a consensus meeting attended by a purposive sample of stakeholders, facilitated discussion, and voting using a nominal group technique. Thematic analysis and systematic review identified 121 unique outcomes, reduced to 68 outcomes following structured discussion groups. Outcomes were presented to 136 participants who completed a two-round online Delphi survey. The Delphi survey resulted in 11 outcomes identified as consensus 'in' only. All outcomes were discussed at a consensus meeting attended by 15 patients, 14 healthcare professionals, 11 researchers, and one patient-carer. Consensus was achieved for a four-core outcome set: 'Walking, gait and mobility', 'Being able to return to life roles', 'Pain or discomfort', and 'Quality of life'. This study used robust consensus methods to establish a core outcome set that should be measured in all future research studies and audits of clinical practice without precluding the measurement of additional outcomes.

Analysis of headache management in Andalusia

Introduction and objectiveHeadache is a frequent reason for consultation between primary care physicians, emergency services physicians, and neurology specialists; however, it is not always well managed. The Andalusian Society of Neurology’s Headache Study Group (SANCE) aimed to analyse headache management at different levels of care. Material and methodsWe conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study with data gathered through a retrospective survey in July 2019. Participants completed a series of structured questionnaires on different social and work-related variables from 4 different groups of healthcare professionals (primary care [PC], emergency departments, neurology departments, headache units). ResultsA total of 204 healthcare professionals completed the survey: 35 emergency department physicians, 113 PC physicians, 37 general neurologists, and 19 neurologists specialising in headache. Eighty-five percent of PC physicians reported prescribing preventive drugs, which were maintained for at least 6 months (59%), with flunarizine and amitriptyline being the most commonly used. Most patients attended at neurology consultations (65%) are referred by PC physicians, with changes in the headache pattern being the main reason for referral (74%). Healthcare professionals across all levels of care showed great interest in headache and in receiving training in headache management (97% of PC physicians, 100% of emergency services physicians, 100% of general neurologists). ConclusionsMigraine sparks great interest among healthcare professionals from different levels of care. Our results also reveal a lack of resources for headache management, which is reflected in the long waiting times. Other means of bilateral communication between different levels of care should be explored (eg, e-mail).

The Effectiveness of the Interventions to Reduce Sound Levels in the ICU: A Systematic Review.

Databases of PubMed, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science were systematically searched from inception to September 14, 2022. Two independent reviewers assessed titles and abstracts against study eligibility criteria. Noise mitigating ICU studies were included when having at least one quantitative acoustic outcome measure expressed in A-weighted sound pressure level with an experimental, quasi-experimental, or observational design. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus, and a third independent reviewer adjudicated as necessary. After title, abstract, and full-text selection, two reviewers independently assessed the quality of each study using the Cochrane's Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tool. Data were synthesized according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, and interventions were summarized. After screening 12,652 articles, 25 articles were included, comprising either a mixed group of healthcare professionals (n = 17) or only nurses (n = 8) from adult or PICU settings. Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was low. Noise reduction interventions were categorized into education (n = 4), warning devices (n = 3), multicomponent programs (n = 15), and architectural redesign (n = 3). Education, a noise warning device, and an architectural redesign significantly decreased the sound pressure levels. Staff education and visual alert systems seem promising interventions to reduce noise with a short-term effect. The evidence of the studied multicomponent intervention studies, which may lead to the best results, is still low. Therefore, high-quality studies with a low risk of bias and a long-term follow-up are warranted. Embedding noise shielding within the ICU-redesign is supportive to reduce sound pressure levels.

NEONATAL HIP ASSESSMENT: PREDICTABLE FAILURE

The UK falls behind other European countries in the early detection of Developmental Dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and there remains controversy surrounding screening strategies for early detection. Clinical detection of DDH is challenging and recognised to be dependent on examiner experience. No studies exist assessing the number of personnel currently involved in such assessments.Our objective was to study the current screening procedure by studying a cohort of new-born babies in one teaching hospital and assess the number of health professionals involved in neonatal hip assessment and the number of examinations undertaken during one period by each individual.This was a retrospective observational study assessing all babies born consecutively over a 14-week period in 2020. Record of each initial baby check was obtained from Maternity or Neonatal Badger. Follow-up data on ultrasound or orthopaedic outpatient referrals were obtained from clinical records.1037 babies were examined by 65 individual examiners representing 9 different healthcare professional groups. The range of examinations conducted per examiner was 1- 97 with a mean of 15.9 examinations per person. 49% individuals examined 5 or less babies across the 14 weeks, with 18% only performing 1 examination. Of the 5 babies (0.48%) treated for DDH, one was picked up on neonatal assessment.In a system where so many examiners are involved in neonatal hip assessment the experience is limited for most examiners. It is unsurprising that high current rates of late presentation of DDH are observed locally, which are in accordance with published national experience.

Ethical and legal considerations influencing human involvement in the implementation of artificial intelligence in a clinical pathway: A multi-stakeholder perspective.

Ethical and legal factors will have an important bearing on when and whether automation is appropriate in healthcare. There is a developing literature on the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in health, including specific legal or regulatory questions such as whether there is a right to an explanation of AI decision-making. However, there has been limited consideration of the specific ethical and legal factors that influence when, and in what form, human involvement may be required in the implementation of AI in a clinical pathway, and the views of the wide range of stakeholders involved. To address this question, we chose the exemplar of the pathway for the early detection of Barrett's Oesophagus (BE) and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, where Gehrung and colleagues have developed a "semi-automated", deep-learning system to analyse samples from the CytospongeTM TFF3 test (a minimally invasive alternative to endoscopy), where AI promises to mitigate increasing demands for pathologists' time and input. We gathered a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders, including developers, patients, healthcare professionals and regulators, to obtain their perspectives on the ethical and legal issues that may arise using this exemplar. The findings are grouped under six general themes: risk and potential harms; impacts on human experts; equity and bias; transparency and oversight; patient information and choice; accountability, moral responsibility and liability for error. Within these themes, a range of subtle and context-specific elements emerged, highlighting the importance of pre-implementation, interdisciplinary discussions and appreciation of pathway specific considerations. To evaluate these findings, we draw on the well-established principles of biomedical ethics identified by Beauchamp and Childress as a lens through which to view these results and their implications for personalised medicine. Our findings are not only relevant to this context but have implications for AI in digital pathology and healthcare more broadly.

Mindfulness for people with chronic pain: Factors affecting engagement and suggestions for programme optimisation.

Chronic pain is a common, multifactorial condition and pharmacological treatments have limited benefits. Mindfulness is a holistic approach that might be of value in the management of chronic pain. However, attrition rates from mindfulness-based interventions are high and factors affecting engagement are unknown. The aim of this study was to inform the design of a mindfulness programme that would be accessible and acceptable for people with chronic pain. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of interview data from people with chronic pain who had taken part in an 8-week mindfulness programme based on mindfulness-based stress reduction revealed factors affecting engagement with and suggestions for tailoring the programme. Factors were grouped into physical, psychological and social domains. Further suggestions for tailoring the programme to address these factors were generated through a nominal group of healthcare professionals and a focus group with service users who had chronic pain. Physical factors included disability and discomfort with some practices; psychological factors included expectations of the mindfulness programme and understanding the relationship between mindfulness and pain; and social factors included loneliness and support from others. The proposed modifications to the mindfulness programme supported by healthcare professionals and/or service users to address these are described in this paper. This study involved public contributions at a number of stages. The University of Aberdeen Division of Applied Health Sciences Service User Group (who were members of the public with chronic pain) was involved in the design of the study. Patients with chronic pain recruited from general medical practice who took part in the mindfulness programme were interviewed on their experience of the programme. Patients with chronic pain who attended the mindfulness programme, and healthcare professionals with expertise in chronic pain and/or mindfulness, attended meetings to design a tailored mindfulness programme for people with chronic pain.

Prevalence and factors associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a survey applied on a Portuguese General Hospital

IntroductionPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) consists of an intense, prolonged, and occasionally delayed reaction to a deeply stressful event. PTSD is associated with risk of suicide and chronic psychological impairment. The continued exposure to stress suffered by Healthcare Workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered a mass traumatic event and contribute to higher rates of PTSD in this population.ObjectivesTo study the rates of PTSD in a sample group of healthcare professionals working in a Portuguese general hospital and its relationship with a number of individual variables considered to be relevant by the existing literature on the subject.MethodsWe devised a survey to assess the prevalence of PTSD among HCWs in a general hospital and its relationship with sex, social support, profession, work experience in healthcare, time spent caring for COVID-19 patients and place in which the COVID-19-related activities were carried out. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PCL-5, Portuguese version.ResultsA total of 226 HCWs were included in the study. Provisional diagnosis of PTSD was made based on the PCL-5 responses, considering DSM-5 criteria and the cutoff score of 33.79 out of 226 (35.0%) HCWs had a provisional diagnosis of PTSD, and a significant association was found between PTSD and time spent working with COVID-19 patients and between PTSD and place of work, namely the COVID-19 Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit.ConclusionsOur results are in line with previous studies, highlighting the importance of a serious, wide, and honest discussion about mental health promotion among HCWs. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an undeniable source of stress for HCWs around the globe, and the consequences of this stress are beginning to manifest themselves. It is urgent that this reflection takes place, as it is of paramount importance that what we all have lived in the past years serves as a lesson, and not as a warning of a crisis doomed to repeat itself.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Health care professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward telemedicine.

The utilization of modern communication technology in the healthcare field is known as telemedicine, and it represents an advancement in the healthcare industry. For effective implementation of these technologies, healthcare professionals must possess the appropriate knowledge and hold a positive perspective toward the implementation of telemedicine. The current study aims to evaluate the knowledge and perspective of healthcare professionals in King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia toward telemedicine. This study was carried out in a diverse hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia and it was a cross-sectional study. The study took place from June 2019 until February 2020, during which 370 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals participated. The data was gathered by using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the healthcare professionals who participated in the study, 237 (63.7%), had limited knowledge of telemedicine. About 41 (11%) participants had a good understanding of the technology, and 94 participants (25.3%) had extensive knowledge. The overall attitude of the participants toward telemedicine was positive, with a mean score of 3.26. The mean attitude scores varied significantly (P < 0.001) among the different professions, with physicians scoring 3.69, allied healthcare professionals scoring 3.31, and nurses scoring 3.07. The coefficient of determination (R2) was used to evaluate the variation in attitude toward telemedicine and it was found that education (12.4%) and nationality (4.7%) had the least impact on the attitude toward telemedicine. Healthcare professionals are crucial to the successful implementation and continuity of telemedicine. However, despite their positive attitude toward telemedicine, most of the healthcare professionals who participated in the study had limited knowledge of it. There were differences in attitude among different groups of healthcare professionals. As a result, it is necessary to create specialized educational programs for healthcare professionals to guarantee the proper implementation and continuation of telemedicine.

Anxiety and Depression Levels and Coping Strategies among Polish Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical staff were commonly exposed to stress, work under pressure, and long shifts, and may have experienced a fear of infecting loved ones or a fear for their own health. All of these factors may have increased the likelihood that healthcare workers will experience the symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders. In this cross-sectional study, a group of respondents was gathered from the employees of 78 hospitals in Poland. A questionnaire was completed electronically by 282 people, aged between 20 and 78 years. The study used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the MiniCOPE questionnaire to examine anxiety and depression symptoms, and coping strategies, respectively. With age, the respondents declared fewer symptoms of anxiety and tended to have milder symptoms of depression. Participants with chronic illnesses, mood disorders, or anxiety disorders also reported higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. More than 20% of healthcare workers felt the need to consult with a psychologist. In the entire group of healthcare professionals surveyed, the most commonly used strategies for coping with stress were "denial", "psychoactive drug and alcohol use", and "cessation of activities", while the least used strategy was "acceptance". Given the most commonly used strategies in the surveyed group of healthcare professionals, they may be predictors for a deterioration in mental state in the long run. The obtained results also suggest that it is likely that pre-existing health problems had a greater impact on the mental health of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic than the profession itself. Therefore, taking care of the well-being and mental health of healthcare workers should be a priority for employers.