Professional Health Care Workers Research Articles

Evidence Gaps in the Management of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) by Non-specialist Healthcare Professionals (HCPs): Results from the Real-World Assessment Survey for SCD in Saudi (ROARS)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) exhibits an extremely high prevalence of SCD and is regarded as one of the worst-affected countries in the world. Up to 2.6% of the population diagnosed with SCD in parts of KSA, and the Real-World Assessment Survey for SCD in Saudi (ROARS) was conducted to obtain insights on the disease landscape in the country. Here, we present data on the SCD management strategies employed by both specialist and non-specialist HCPs in KSA. Between September and December 2021, HCPs (>2 years SCD experience, SCD load >50 patients, >50% of practice time spent treating SCD patients) completed the survey using the structured, bilingual ROARS questionnaires (English/Arabic) through personal quantitative web-assisted telephone interviews. These HCPs were asked a series of questions covering topics such as patient caseload, patient management strategies, and perceptions of SCD treatment. A total of 64 HCPs responded to the survey, including 31 specialists (adult hematologists, n=24; pediatric hematologists, n=7) and 33 non-specialists. Non-specialist professions included general practice/family medicine/primary care (n=16), internal medicine (n=7), pediatrics (n=9), and medical oncology (n=1). On average, the monthly patient caseload was greater with specialist HCPs than non-specialist HCPs (74 vs 59 patients, respectively). Specialist HCPs were more likely to treat patients with more severe SCD genotypes: 72.3% of patients treated by specialist HCPs were diagnosed with HbSS SCD compared to 57.6% of patients treated by non-specialist HCPs. On average, targeted family screening was performed for 82.1% of patients in the hospitals where specialist HCPs work compared to 58.6% of patients in the hospitals where non-specialist HCPs work. Patients treated by specialist HCPs were also followed-up more frequently than patients treated by non-specialist HCPs (55% vs 33% followed up with their patients three/four times a year, respectively). Differences in the treatments received by patients were evident between HCPs; 72% of patients treated by specialists were receiving hydroxyurea compared to 44% of patients treated by non-specialists. However, no substantial differences in the proportion of patients treated by innovative therapies (L-glutamine, voxelotor, or crizanlizumab) were evident between specialists (7% of patients) and non-specialists (8% of patients). Screening for common SCD complications occurred more frequently in patients treated by specialists than those treated by non-specialists. This was particularly evident for avascular necrosis (45% of patients vs 21% of patients), liver sequestration (29% vs 9%), pulmonary hypertension (42% vs 24%), and nephropathy/renal insufficiency (39% vs 27%). Alloimmunization was screened for in 13% of patients treated by specialist HCPs and 3% of patients treated by non-specialist HCPs; the corresponding screening rates for vision problems/retinopathy were 13% and 12%, respectively. Overall, 65% of specialist HCPs and 36% of non-specialist HCPs reported that uncontrolled vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) had a high impact on their patients; the impact of other SCD burdens are presented in Figure 1. Both specialist and non-specialist HCPs noted the rarity of pediatric to adult transition programs for SCD patients within hospitals; 68% of specialist HCPs and 73% of non-specialist HCPs reported no program in their treatment center. Overall, 35% of specialist HCPs reported satisfaction with current treatment options for SCD compared to 60% of non-specialist HCPs (Figure 2). Reasons for specialist HCP dissatisfaction with current SCD treatment options included the limited number of treatment options (80%), inability to reach treatment goals set for patients (55%), and inability to provide long term symptomatic relief (35%). Differences in the management of SCD patients between specialist and non-specialist HCPs in KSA were evident in this study. Specialist HCPs perform SCD and SCD complication screening more frequently than non-specialist HCPs and follow up with their patients at more frequent intervals, highlighting the need for effective education and the implementation of clinical practice guidelines to improve patient management. These data also showcase the unmet need for transition programs, and the dissatisfaction with the capability of current treatment options to improve patients' outcomes. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

How to introduce interprofessional education (IPE) to cardiac arrest simulations for final year undergraduate medical and nursing students

Healthcare professionals work in a diverse community of different specialities and skills. However, most healthcare professional courses are insular and isolating in their training methods. This results in highly trained individuals, who are unfamiliar with the true multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach in health services [1], leaving them unprepared for working in the NHS. One specific area where teamwork, good communication and appreciation of others’ skills sets are crucial is during medical emergencies and cardiac arrests, where multiple professions (including: Doctors, Nurses, Resuscitation officers, Operating Department Practitioners) work together to achieve the best outcome patients. We aimed to introduce Interprofessional Education (IPE) to cardiac arrest simulations for final year undergraduate medical and nursing students to improve their understanding of working as part of a MDT, to enhance their confidence in dealing with cardiac arrests and prepare them for work in the NHS. Reviewing the literature, there are several key components required to successfully instil IPE including: commitment to IPE, expert facilitation, understanding of roles in different professions, and positive role modelling [2]. When designing the course, we obtained each profession’s learning outcomes for cardiac arrest and planned them into the course; paying particular attention to equal weighting of learning outcomes for both professions and mutual learning outcomes. Furthermore, we identified key skills which we wanted students to demonstrate and designed simulations to incorporate these. For example, nursing students using the defibrillator in manual mode independently and medical students to independently use the defibrillator in automatic mode. To add value to the course we wanted high quality role modelling and profession specific feedback. To do this, we ensured both qualified nurses and doctors with experience in delivering feedback and real-life cardiac arrest cases were present for all sessions. Feedback collated from students and faculty positively supported the introduction of IPE in cardiac arrest simulation, with students specifically commenting on the benefits of teamwork, understanding each other’s competencies, and benefits of workings as an MDT. Due to these simple changes and keeping IPE at the centre of our design and implementation of the cardiac arrest simulation course, we were able to successfully introduce IPE to final year undergraduate medical and nursing students. 1. Choudhury RI, Mathur J, Choudhury SR. How interprofessional education could benefit the future of healthcare–medical students’ perspective. BMC Medical Education. 2020;20(1):1–4. 2. Buring SM, Bhushan A, Broeseker A, Conway S, Duncan-Hewitt W, Hansen L, Westberg S. Interprofessional education: definitions, student competencies, and guidelines for implementation. American journal of pharmaceutical education. 2009;73(4).

Effectiveness of a novel augmented reality cardiopulmonary resuscitation self-training environment for laypeople in China: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objectives: The training rate of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among the general population in China is relatively low. Augmented reality (AR) may be an effective method of CPR training, especially where in-person interactions may not be possible. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of AR CPR self-training for people who are not professional health care workers. Methods: A 2-arm and prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were recruited via advertisements from August to October 2021 in Beijing and were randomly assigned to either an AR self-training CPR group (n=82) or an instructor-led training group (n=81). Participants in the AR group spent 25 minutes in a simulated environment using HoloLens to engage them in immersive multisensory CPR self-training. Participants in the instructor-led group received 25 minutes of CPR instruction with the guidance of a certified instructor. The outcomes, including the mean chest compression depth (centimeter) and rate (/min), the proportion of correct positioning of hands, correct rescue breaths, compression accuracy, and the proportion of participants that adhered to the American Heart Association’s CPR guidelines, were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The median age of the participants was 23 years old (interquartile range: 22–25) and the median weight was 55 kg (interquartile range: 51–63). The mean difference (95% CI) in the compression rate between the 2 groups [mean (SD): AR 109.03 (2.68)/min vs. instructor-led 110.88 (3.03)/min] was −1.85 (−2.74 to −0.96)/min. The mean difference (95% CI) in the depth of compressions between the groups [mean (SD): AR 5.59 (0.59) cm vs. instructor-led 5.55 (0.47) cm] was 0.04 (−0.13 to 0.20) cm. The AR self-training was noninferior to the instructor-led CPR training, as measured by the rate and depth of compressions (P<0.001). The proportion of participants that adhered to the AHA guideline for compression depth (AR: 65.85% vs. instructor: 72.84%, χ2=0.935, P=0.334) was similar in the 2 groups. The proportion of correct rescue breaths [AR: 64 (78.05%) vs. instructor: 74 (91.36%), P<0.001] were significantly higher in the instructor-led group. Heterogeneity of the effect of AR self-training on the chest-compression rate were found in subgroups of sex (P=0.03 for the interaction) and weight (P=0.03 for the interaction). Discussion: The AR self-training and instructor-led training are comparable in terms of both groups’ compression rate and depth. This study may have important implications to improve the CPR training rates in China.

PROPHYLACTIC USE OF ALLOPATHIC, COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) FOR COVID-19: A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY AMONG MEDICAL POST-GRADUATES OF TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITALS, GUJARAT

Introduction: COVID-19 infection was declared a global pandemic and public health emergency by WHO. In order to avoid getting infected with the virus, various preventive measures were followed including prophylactic medicine, particularly among health care professional working with patients. The current study aimed to evaluate pattern of prophylactic medicines consumed by post graduate doctors for prevention of COVID-19 infection. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among the post graduate resident doctors (1st year to 4th year) of various medical specialties working in COVID-19 at various tertiary care teaching hospitals across Gujarat. A questionnaire regarding prophylactic use of medicine was communicated through online tool. Results: Of 311 respondents, mean age was 28±2 years and male to female ratio was 0.94. 8% participants have history of recurrent respiratory infection. Out of 311 participants 233 (74.91%) consumed prophylaxis. Most commonly consumed prophylactic medicine was of allopathy (64%) followed by Complementary & alternative medicine and home remedies (63.02%). Vitamin C (56.27%), Multivitamins (33.11%), Zinc (27%), Azithromycin (21.86%), Hydroxychloroquine (16.72%) were most frequently consumed allopathic medicines. Turmeric (53.06%), Ayurvedic kadha (44.38%), lemon (43.36%) were frequently consumed CAM and home remedies. 20 participants reported Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) in which common ADRs nausea (65%) and Diarrhea (50%). 59.16 % participants developed COVID-19 out of 51.63 % participants had COVID-19 after taking prophylaxis. Occurrence of COVID-19 infection among post-Graduate doctors was not signicantly associated with prophylactic use of medicine. Conclusion: Vitamins, zinc, azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine (allopathic medicines) and turmeric and ayurvedic kadha (CAM) were commonly used prophylactic medicines. Occurrence of COVID-19 infection was not signicantly associated with intake of prophylactic medicine

Knowledge of Drug-Food Interactions Among Healthcare Professionals Working in Public Hospitals in Ethiopia.

Drug-food interactions can result in unfavorable outcomes during the treatment of patients. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) should advise patients on drug-food interactions. Knowledge of such interactions is crucial to avoid their occurrence. However, there is no information regarding the knowledge of HCPs about drug-food interactions in Harari Regional State. To assess knowledge of drug-food interactions and associated factors among HCPs working in public hospitals in Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia from April 15 to May 15, 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted in public hospitals in Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia, among 251 HCPs. After stratification was done based on profession (pharmacists, nurses, and doctors), the sample size was proportionally allocated for the respective groups. Data were collected using a standardized self-administered questionnaire, entered into Epi-Data 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences 26.0. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize variables. Multivariable logistic regression was done to determine factors associated with knowledge of drug-food interactions. P < 0.05 was used to declare significant association. Among the HCPs who completed the questionnaire, 56 (22.3%), 36 (14.3%), and 159 (63.3%) were doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, respectively. The majority of the HCPs were males (174 (69.3%)). The mean age of the HCPs was 27.6±3.8. The mean knowledge score±SD of the HCPs was 28.6±6.6 out of an overall score of 59. The HCPs poorly identified drug-food interactions and the correct administration time of drugs relative to meals. Being a pharmacist (AOR: 2.8, CI: 1.3-6.4, p-value=0.012), and working at a tertiary hospital (AOR: 3.9, CI: 2.1-7.3, p-value <0.001), were associated with higher knowledge of drug-food interactions. The HCPs in this study had inadequate knowledge of drug-food interactions. Thus, additional educational courses and training should be provided in order to improve knowledge regarding drug-food interaction.

Digitalization-induced changes in health and social care work - perceptions of professionals

Abstract Background Digitalization has increased rapidly in health and social care and plays an increasingly important role in the daily work of health and social care professionals. The effects of digitalization are often viewed from the societal and economic perspectives, and less from the perspective of the changing health and social care work. This study examined how health and social care professionals perceive the effects of digitalization on their work. Methods Eight semi-structured focus-group interviews were conducted in four Finnish health centers at the end of 2020. The participants (n = 30) were nurses, physicians, and social workers. Qualitative content analysis with inductive approach was used to analyze the data. Results Four main categories emerged from the perceived effects of digitalization: 1) two-way changes in workload and pace (reduced/increased work, accelerated/slowed pace of work, duplication of work/saved employee resources), 2) changes in the content and nature of work (reallocation of work, emergence of new tasks, new skills needs, diversification of service provision), 3) changes in work community communication and interaction (improved interaction and communication, strengthened multidisciplinary collaboration, complicated remote interaction, reduced encounters) and 4) improved flow of patient information and information security (improved data transfer, patient monitoring and data protection). Conclusions Digitalization-induced changes in health and social care work seem to be manifold and often two-sided. It has the potential to ease the work and offer other benefits, but at the same time it may complicate work in other respects, especially if the system does not support work tasks or the usability is poor. When implementing new digital services and pursuing benefits, more attention should be paid to assessing and considering the potential disadvantages to minimize additional strain among already burdened health and social care professionals. Key messages • The perceived effects of digitalization on health and social care work are often two-sided and can contribute to the well-being of professionals. • Monitoring the use of digital services and the experiences of professionals about them, as well as identifying their skills needs and training aspirations is crucial.

Awareness of Precancerous Lesions and Conditions among Dental Students and Fresh Graduates

The purpose of this article is to gauge the level of understanding regarding oral precancerous lesions and conditions of fresh graduates and underscore the underlying deficiencies present to amplify the early detection rate in a bid to decrease mortality associated with this disease. A precancerous lesion is a structurally altered tissue with an increased risk of conversion into cancer. Similarly, precancerous condition points toward such a multifaceted condition in which an individual has a predisposition to developing cancer. Both of these terms are linked with the statistical significance that points towards the potential of a precancerous lesion or condition to transform into a malignancy. Their timely diagnosis is the focal point that will dictate prognosis, treatment modality to be used and the morbidity associated with it. Oral cancers happen to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide and they are running rampant in Asian countries because of the increased frequency of adopting high-risk factor habits such as smoking tobacco. Dentists are a class of professional healthcare workers that are almost exclusively concerned with the head and neck region of the patient. Their advanced knowledge in regards to oral cancer can facilitate an opportune diagnosis which will substantially decrease the incidences of under-treatment and over-treatment. Diagnosing precancerous lesions is curative while a delay in interpreting the lesion timely can have far-ending consequences. Keywords: Pancreous lesions, dental students, fresh graduates

OA23 Celebrating the achievements and efforts of children, young people and their siblings – a charity award badge scheme for families living with paediatric rheumatological conditions in the UK

OA23 Celebrating the achievements and efforts of children, young people and their siblings – a charity award badge scheme for families living with paediatric rheumatological conditions in the UK

Healthcare Workers' Emotions, Perceived Stressors, and Coping Strategies at Workplace during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Palestine.

Evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Palestinian healthcare professionals is lacking and has been disregarded during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to describe Palestinian healthcare workers (HCWs) emotions and factors causing stress, and factors used to reduce the stress experienced at the workplace and to examine the relationships between HCWs level of stress and their coping strategies and motivational factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. A self-reported online survey was completed by 506 doctors and nurses working in healthcare facilities that provide COVID-19 care. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate regression models were developed to adjust for the association between HCWs coping and motivation factors with HCWs’ perceived stressors. The findings showed that 24.1% of the participants had a high-stress level, and 25.7% had a low level of stress. The participant’s main coping strategy was avoidance and the key emotional factor was the ethical and professional obligation to continue working. Additionally, a major cause of their stress was their personal safety and having the COVID-19 infection. Findings showed a positive association between stress and the younger age of participants, with physicians being less stressed than nurses. In addition, receiving no training on the treatment of COVID-19 was strongly associated with stress levels. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between stress scoring and coping strategies scoring but not with motivation score. In conclusion, this study shows that Palestinian healthcare workers experienced emotional turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic. These results indicate the necessity of providing supervision, psychological counseling and intervention to professional healthcare workers who work directly with COVID-19 patients in health settings during the current pandemic or in the event of future outbreaks. Policymakers and managers must also conduct training and provide interventions on how to cope with stress in pandemics, in order to assist HCWs in developing their adaptive coping strategies and increase their motivation

Effects of information sources in HPV vaccine acceptance: prospective randomized trial

ABSTRACT Background No study has evaluated the impact of written and visual resources in addition to information provided by healthcare workers on the acceptance of the HPV vaccine, which is the focus of the present research. Methods This prospective study was conducted between September 2020 and June 2021. The first group (Group 1) was given a 20-minute informative talk by professional healthcare providers about the benefits of HPV vaccination. For Group 2, the talk from the professional healthcare worker was supplemented with a 1200-word, three-page written information source about the HPV vaccine that was given to patients. In Group 3, participants again received information from professional healthcare providers, supplemented with video content. One week after the first visit, participants’ acceptance status of the HPV vaccination and concerns about the administration of HPV vaccine were reevaluated. Results At the end of the study period, 225 participants (75 for each group) were enrolled. After the education protocol, concerns about the HPV vaccination significantly decreased in Group 3 in compared with the other groups (p = 0.001). The HPV vaccine acceptance rate increased from 26.7% to 56.0% in group 1, from 24.0% to 58.7% in group 2, and from 28.0% to 82.7% in group 3 (p = 0.001). Conclusion The present study showed that information from the video supplementing the professional health worker’s talk was associated with significantly lower anxiety and concern level about the HPV vaccine, and significantly higher the HPV vaccine acceptance rate.

Immunity to Vaccine-Preventable Infections in Healthcare Professionals Working in Infectious Diseases Hospitals

Relevance. During the ongoing pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), assessment of humoral immunity to vaccine preventable diseases in healthcare workers is crucial to estimate the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Aim. To assess the humoral immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases: whooping cough, influenza A, viral hepatitis A and B, new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), in healthcare professionals working with infectious patients. Materials and methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study enrolling 252 healthcare workers, which included a survey and assessment of immunoglobulins G to Bordetella pertussis, influenza A virus, hepatitis A virus, HBsAg and HBcAg of hepatitis B virus, and SARS- COV-2 by enzyme immunoassay. Results. The proportion of healthcare workers seronegative to pertussis was 46.8%, to influenza – 31.4%, to hepatitis A – 52.4%, to hepatitis B – 27.5%, to the SARS-CoV-2 virus – 29.8%. In 8.0% of cases the level of antibodies to Bordetella pertussis indicated a recent infection. The largest proportion of seronegative to pertussis (55.2%) was among individuals younger than 30 years. More than 80% of healthcare workers were vaccinated against seasonal influenza A during the previous year, 67.6% of them were seropositive. More than half (51.8%) of vaccinated but seronegative to influenza A health workers were older than 50 years. The odds of being seropositive to influenza A decreased with age, while the odds of being seropositive for viral hepatitis A increased with age. Vaccination against viral hepatitis B was received by 86.9% of people, 78.5% of them were seropositive to HBsAg, the remaining 21.5% needed revaccination. The proportion of healthcare workers seropositive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus was 57.5%, equivocal results were obtained in 12.7% of cases. The proportion of seronegative among those who had previously had COVID-19 was 40%, while among those who were vaccinated – 17.4%. Conclusion. The study showed a complex assessment of humoral immunity to the most common vaccine-preventable diseases: pertussis, influenza A, viral hepatitis А, B and novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in healthcare workers during the ongoing pandemic and allowed to make the following conclusions: 1. The proportion of healthcare workers susceptible to pertussis was 46.8% that required regular vaccination/revaccination of the seronegative healthcare workers to reduce the risk of infections healthcare-associated infections. 2. The proportion of healthcare workers vaccinated against influenza was 80% and exceeded the proportion of seropositive – 68.7%. 3. The proportion of healthcare workers seronegative to viral hepatitis B was 27.5%, to viral hepatitis A – 52.4%. 4. The COVID-19 seroprevalence among healthcare workers was 57.5%, regardless of whether it was obtained naturally or via vaccination. The proportion of seronegative healthcare workers among those having COVID-19 was 40%, among vaccinated – 17.4%, which confirms the necessity of vaccination / revaccination either after the infection or after the vaccination.

Immune disruptions and night shift work in hospital healthcare professionals: The intricate effects of social jet-lag and sleep debt.

ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the effects of circadian and sleep rhythm disruptions on immune biomarkers among hospital healthcare professionals working night shifts and rotating day shifts.MethodsHospital nurses working either as permanent night shifters (n=95) or as day shifters rotating between morning and afternoon shifts (n=96) kept a daily diary on their sleep and work schedules over a full working week. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the last shift during the week, and participants were categorized into three groups based on work shift: morning shift (39 day shifters sampled at 7:00 and 14:00), afternoon shift (57 day shifters sampled at 14:00 and 21:00), and night shift (95 night shifters sampled at 21:00 and 7:00). Circulating blood counts in immune cells, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein concentrations as well as total sleep time per 24 hours during work days (TST24w) and free days (TST24f), sleep debt (TST24f — TST24w) and social jet-lag (a behavioral proxy of circadian misalignment) were assessed.ResultsCompared with day shifters, night shifters had shorter sleep duration (TST24w=5.4 ± 1.4h), greater sleep debt (3.2 ± 1.4 h) and social jet-lag (6.7 ± 2.4 h). Variations of immune biomarkers concentrations were consistent with the expected diurnal variations among day shifters (i.e., low level in the morning, increase during the day, peak value in the evening). By contrast, in night shifters, blood concentrations of total lymphocytes, T-helper cells, cytotoxic T-cells, memory B-cells and interleukin-6 were lower at 21:00, increased during the night, and reached higher values at 7:00. Multivariate analyses ruled out significant impact of TST24w, sleep debt, and social jet-lag on immune biomarkers concentrations among day shifters. In contrast, among night shifters, multivariate analyses indicated a combined effect of total sleep time (TST24w), sleep debt and social jet-lag for total lymphocytes and T-helper cells but only a social jet-lag effect for interleukin-6 and a single total sleep time effect for neutrophil and B-Cells.ConclusionsAltogether, our results point to intricate response patterns of immune rhythms to circadian misalignment and sleep debt in night shifters. Specifically, these altered pattern expressions of immune cells may increase vulnerability to infections and reduce vaccination efficiency in night workers.

A Study to Assess the Compliance on Hand Hygiene during Bundle of Care Interventions among Healthcare Professionals Working in ICU of a Tertiary Care Hospital.

ABSTRACTBackgroundImparting quality healthcare to the critically ill patient is associated with competence, compassion, and excellent care by healthcare professionals. It includes the development and widespread application of evidence-based interventions, following guidelines, and protocol-based care on ventilator-associated bundle approach to ensure the delivery of care to prevent ventilator-associated problems.Materials and methodsQuantitative evaluative approach, pre-experimental research, one group pre- and post-test design by the convenient method of sampling 70 staff nurses were selected. A self-structured compliance checklist was used to collect the data.ResultsThe level of compliance with handwashing revealed that all the samples 70 (100) have complied with the handwashing technique during the clean and sterile procedure on the patient in all three shifts and 30 (42.9%) subjects were very good in following the handwashing in the morning compared to evening and night. With regard to inserting the catheter into the ET tube gently by using an aseptic technique to perform endotracheal suctioning, 28 (40%) samples had carried out in all three shifts respectively and 50 (71.4%) were good in adhering in following all the steps. In relation to cuff pressure monitoring, it was carried out by 63 (90%) of the samples and around 43 (61.4%) subjects were found to be good in all the three shifts, respectively.ConclusionHealthcare professionals need to adopt the protocols and policies. Implementation appropriately helps in the prevention of ventilator-associated problems, and quality care will be improved.How to cite this articleMurugesan N, Natesan G, Felix AJW. A Study to Assess the Compliance on Hand Hygiene during Bundle of Care Interventions among Healthcare Professionals Working in ICU of a Tertiary Care Hospital. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(9):1006–1010.

Post Covid-19 Complications of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Among Healthcare Professionals Working in Tertiary Care Hospital of Lahore Pakistan

Background: Growing evidence shows that a significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, known as Long COVID. COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, can involve sequelae that last weeks to months after initial recovery. The objective of this study is to assessing the long-term effects of COVID-19 and estimate the prevalence of each symptom of patients at a post-COVID-19 stage. Aim: This study was conducted to determine the frequency of post COVID effects among symptomatic and asymptomatic patients at a tertiary hospital Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the population (such as doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, students and faculty) at a tertiary hospital Lahore, Pakistan. This study included 30 participants and the collected data had been checked, coded, entered and exported at SPSS version 25 for analysis. Pearson chi square test was used for the statistical analysis of the data. Results: Among 30 participants, no one show symptoms of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and visual problems during COVID-19 and after recovery.8 patients were asymptomatic and 22patients were symptomatic which shows post COVID effects such as which include dyspnea (67.7%), mental confusion (26.7%), tiredness (93%), chest pain (16.7%), anorexia(26%), insomnia(26%), dyspepsia(67%), headache(66.7%), fatigue(50%), fever(10%), loss of smell(33%), weakness(40%), hypoxia on altitude(60%), breathlessness(70%), arthrgia(13.3%), mental confusion(26.7%), post-exertinal malasia(16.7%), sore throat(10%), joint pain(40%) Conclusion: Conclusion based on the study result that most common post-COVID long terms effects are dyspnea, weight loss, mental confusion, anorexia, arthrgia, post-exertinal malsiae, insomnia, fever, hypoxia, breathlessness, sore throat. Symptoms can be controlled by taking proper precautionary measure and strict following on PPE. The problem can only get worse with time if not followed PPE

Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of becoming a professional nurse: a longitudinal study

BackgroundDuring education it is essential for nursing students to develop professionalism in nursing. Nurses are placed in situations based on trust, and it is crucial that their patients have confidence in them to provide professional and safe care. A key period in nursing students’ development of a professionalism occurs during training when students gain knowledge and skills that separate nurses as professional healthcare workers from laypeople. The purpose of this study was to investigate nursing students’ experiences of professional competence development during education.MethodsA longitudinal study was carried out using qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach. Thirty-four students enrolled in a Swedish three-year nursing program, from August 2015 to January 2017 were interviewed on four occasions.ResultsThe results revealed that students’ professional role developed gradually. The students’ started their education with dreams and a naive understanding of the profession, but their understanding of the complexity of the nursing profession gradually evolved. Students became theoretically equipped at the university and developed clinical skills through practice. Students’ focus went from mastering medical technology to a more holistic approach. Before graduating, students felt ready but not fully trained.ConclusionsOur findings indicate a discrepancy between the content of the theoretical education and the clinical settings since students identified a lack of evidence-based practice. A solid theoretical education before entering clinical training offered students possibilities for reflecting on evidence-based practice and the clinical settings. The realization that there is always potential for professional improvement can be interpreted as an emerging awareness, and development of professionalism. It is clear that students could benefit from increased collaborative work between clinical supervisors and faculty staff at the university.

Digital Health Technologies Enabling Partnerships in Chronic Care Management: Scoping Review

BackgroundAn increasing number of patients expect and want to play a greater role in their treatment and care decisions. This emphasizes the need to adopt collaborative health care practices, which implies collaboration among interprofessional health care teams and patients, their families, caregivers, and communities. In recent years, digital health technologies that support self-care and collaboration between the community and health care providers (ie, participatory health technologies) have received increasing attention. However, knowledge regarding the features of such technologies that support effective patient-professional partnerships is still limited.ObjectiveThis study aimed to map and assess published studies on participatory health technologies intended to support partnerships among patients, caregivers, and health care professionals in chronic care, focusing specifically on identifying the main features of these technologies.MethodsA scoping review covering scientific publications in English between January 2008 and December 2020 was performed. We searched PubMed and Web of Science databases. Peer-reviewed qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies that evaluated digital health technologies for patient-professional partnerships in chronic care settings were included. The data were charted and analyzed thematically. The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist was used.ResultsThis review included 32 studies, reported in 34 papers. The topic of participatory health technologies experienced a slightly increasing trend across publication years, with most papers originating from the United States and Norway. Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases were the most common conditions addressed. Of the 32 studies, 12 (38%) evaluated the influence of participatory health technologies on partnerships, mostly with positive outcomes, although we also identified how partnership relationships and the nature of collaborative work could be challenged when the roles and expectations between users were unclear. Six common features of participatory health technologies were identified: patient-professional communication, self-monitoring, tailored self-care support, self-care education, care planning, and community forums for peer-to-peer interactions.ConclusionsOur findings emphasize the importance of clarifying mutual expectations and carefully considering the implications that the introduction of participatory health technologies may have on the work of patients and health care professionals, both individually and in collaboration. A knowledge gap remains regarding the use of participatory health technologies to effectively support patient-professional partnerships in chronic care management.

The Willingness of the Healthcare Professionals Working in Healthcare Institutions to Accept the First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine in Jordan: A National Survey.

Health workers play an important part as role models, advocates for vaccination, vaccinators and educators in a community. Furthermore, they are at high risk of being infected with COVID-19 as they are on the frontlines. Thus, this study purposed to determine the willingness of the healthcare professionals working in healthcare institutions to accept the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Jordan. A cross-sectional design and a convenience-sampling method were used to recruit the study population from different healthcare sectors. A web-based survey was used to collect data. Findings showed that 1594 healthcare professionals responded and 74% of them were aged less than 45 years. Almost 65% of the respondents were registered nurses and 68.4% of them were married. A total of 94.9% of the participants heard about the COVID-19 vaccine, but only 56.5% of them had had the opportunity to attend lectures/discussions about COVID-19 vaccine. Official government websites were the primary source of obtaining information about COVID-19 (36.3%). The willingness of acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccine was 63%. There were positive correlations between vaccine acceptance and compliance toward COVID-19 infection control precautions (r = 0.119, p < 0.01), knowledge about COVID-19 (r = 0.256, p < 0.01), age (r = 0.170, p < 0.01), and years of experience (r = 0.105, p < 0.01). Furthermore, age, knowledge, and compliance were significant predictors of the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Thus, it is necessary to develop specific interventions for healthcare professionals with low acceptance rates and take into consideration the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Further research is needed to explore the factors influencing the refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine by healthcare professionals.

Global prevalence of stigmatization and violence against healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PurposeDuring COVID‐19, stigmatization and violence against and between professional healthcare workers worldwide are increasing. Understanding the prevalence of such stigmatization and violence is needed for gaining a complete picture of this issue. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to update estimates of the prevalence of stigmatization and violence against healthcare workers during the pandemic.DesignA systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted.MethodsThis review followed PRISMA guidelines and encompassed these databases: PubMed, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Web of Science, MEDLINE Complete, OVID (UpToDate), and Embase (from databases inception to September 15, 2021). We included observational studies and evaluated the quality of the study using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Further, a random effects model was used to synthesis the pooled prevalence of stigmatization and violence in this study.FindingsWe identified 14 studies involving 3452 doctors, 5738 nurses, and 2744 allied health workers that reported stigmatization and violence during the pandemic. The pooled prevalence was, for stigmatization, 43% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21% to 65%) and, for violence, 42% (95% CI: 30% to 54%).ConclusionsStigmatization and violence during the COVID‐19 pandemic were found to have affected almost half the studied healthcare workers. Healthcare professionals are more prone to be stigmatized by the community and to face workplace violence.Clinical RelevanceHealth administrators and policymakers should anticipate and promptly address stigmatization and violence against and between healthcare workers, while controlling the spread of COVID‐19. Health care systems should give serious attention to the mental health of all health providers.

Exploring the Views of Healthcare Professionals Working in a Mental Health Trust on Pharmacists as Future Approved Clinicians.

This qualitative research explored the views and attitudes of healthcare professionals towards the role of the mental health pharmacist, and whether this group should be enabled to become approved clinicians (ACs) in England and Wales under the Mental Health Act in future. Following ethical approval, recruitment based on systematic purposive sampling principles took place at one mental health trust in England. Six pharmacists, five medical ACs and two mental health nurses participated in one-to-one digitally audio-recorded semi-structured interviews between June and November 2020. The recordings were transcribed verbatim before being inductively coded and thematically analysed. Notwithstanding the wide recognition among participants of several key skills possessed by mental health pharmacists, various obstacles were identified to them becoming ACs in future, including prevalent conventional models of pharmacy services delivery restricting adequate patient access, as well as insufficient training opportunities to acquire advanced clinical skills, particularly in diagnosis and assessment. In addition to the inherent legislative hurdles, fundamental changes to the skill mix within multidisciplinary mental health teams and improvements to the training of pharmacists were reported by participants to be required to equip them with essential skills to facilitate their transition towards the AC role in future. Further research is needed to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing the clinical development and enhanced utilisation of mental health pharmacists and non-medical ACs across services.

Strategies for Coping with Stress among Medical Staff who Work in the Operating Theatre

Introduction. Stress is a constant presence in the work of health care professionals who come into contact with sick and suffering people every day. Medical personnel must possess both professional knowledge, skills, and social competence to best help patients. Coping strategies for stress among medical professionals can vary. One factor that may influence the strategies chosen is personality. Type D personality combines traits of negative emotionality and social inhibition. This personality type predisposes to experiencing increased levels of stress.&#x0D; Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of stress and coping strategies among operating theatre staff.&#x0D; Material and Methods. 100 operating theater employees were surveyed. The study group consisted of nurses/nurses, paramedics, doctors. Questionnaires were used in the study: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Inventory for the Measurement of Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE), Type D Scale (DS-14) and self-administered questionnaire.&#x0D; Results. Almost half of the subjects (47%) reported high levels of stress and 35 subjects (35%) reported medium levels of stress. The most common coping strategies used to manage stress were active coping, planning, positive reevaluation, acceptance and seeking emotional support. 41% of the respondents demonstrated a Type D personality. Negative emotionality was more strongly indicated than social inhibition.&#x0D; Conclusions. The highest levels of stress are mainly experienced by young women, not in a relationship, with short work experience. Systemic psychological support should be introduced, especially targeted at this group. Due to the shortage of medical staff, measures to prevent professional burnout should also be implemented. A possible solution could be classes or trainings before starting work. Their aim would be to prepare for stressful moments in future work and to teach the most effective ways of coping with stress. (JNNN 2022;11(2):59–64).