Hospital Personnel Research Articles

Evaluation of disaster risk perception and influencing factors among hospital personnel using structural equation modeling

Disaster-risk perception (DRP) plays a critical role in disaster risk management (DRM) by enhancing community preparedness through protective actions and intervention measures before, during, and after disasters. This study investigated variations in DRP among hospital employees based on socio-demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2145 hospital employees (933 males and 1212 females) aged 20 to 65 from multiple hospitals in Tehran, Iran. DRP was assessed using six factors: exposure, knowledge, familiarity, preventability, worry, and dread. Data were collected via a valid and reliable questionnaire, and the overall DRP score was calculated using an index-based approach. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), incorporating confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis, was employed to evaluate relationships among the DRP factors. The mean DRP score for hospital employees was 2.878 ± 1.0236, with “familiarity” receiving the highest score (3.101 ± 0.9793) and “dread” the lowest (2.457 ± 0.9506). DRP significantly differed by gender, age, education level, and occupation (p < 0.01). Females, employees aged 40–49, and those with MSc. or Ph.D. degrees demonstrated higher DRP scores. Managers exhibited the highest DRP, while cleaning workers had the lowest. SEM analysis revealed significant relationships among DRP factors, including a positive association between exposure and knowledge (β = 0.61, p = 0.000) and a negative association between preventability and dread (β= -0.35, p = 0.000). These findings highlight the importance of designing targeted disaster training programs that address socio-demographic differences. Enhancing preparedness among healthcare workers through tailored education and interventions is essential for strengthening DRM. Future research should explore the weighting of DRP factors to refine disaster preparedness strategies further.

The AI-Powered Hospital Chatbot for Automating Patient Management, Billing, and Lab Results Tracking Using NLP and TensorFlow

AI-powered hospital chatbot is an innovative solution designed to streamline hospital operations by automating critical tasks such as patient management, lab result tracking, precautionary guidelines, and billing processes. Developed using Python, the chatbot incorporates Natural Language Processing (NLP) for intuitive user interactions and employs TensorFlow for robust machine learning(ML) capabilities, as explored by Sharma et al. [1] and Singh et al. [4]. For data management, MongoDB ensures efficient handling of patient records, lab reports, and billing information, similar to the methodologies outlined by Kapoor and Shetty [2] and Kumar et al. [3]. By leveraging Google Cloud Platform’s Text-to-Speech technology, the system enhances accessibility and user experience, aligning with findings from Narendran et al. [5]. This intelligent system alleviates the administrative burden on healthcare staff, enabling them to prioritize patient care—a key aspect emphasized in recent studies on AI-powered medical chatbots [7][13]. The chatbot provides real-time access to medical information, ensures accurate record-keeping, and facilitates swift communication between patients and hospital personnel, consistent with the work of Bates [9] and Daher et al. [10]. By improving operational efficiency and patient satisfaction, this AI-driven chatbot marks a transformative advancement in healthcare technology, promoting better resource utilization and delivering quality care more efficiently, as highlighted by Kavyashree and Usha [6] and Zhang and Zheng [11].

Barriers to Recruitment in an Acute Neonatal Seizure Drug Trial: Lessons From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study of Intravenous Phenobarbital.

Barriers to Recruitment in an Acute Neonatal Seizure Drug Trial: Lessons From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study of Intravenous Phenobarbital.

National Norms for Hospital Frailty Risk Score Among Hospitalized Adults in the USA.

Frailty among inpatients increases risk for hospital-associated disability and death. Yet, frailty is not regularly screened in acute care due to the lack of standardized methods, the complexity of frailty, and time and energy required of hospital personnel. Thus, screening with routinely collected data provides an opportunity to assess frailty across inpatient populations. To calculate normative values for Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) among adult inpatients in the USA based on age, sex, and race. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. US adult inpatients aged 18y + with a focus on patients aged at least 45. Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a validated measure that uses ICD-10 codes to calculate frailty risk among hospitalized patients. Mean HFRS significantly increased with increasing age across sex and race (p < 0.001). Among the oldest age groups 65y + , mean and median normative values were similar between male and female inpatients (mean HFRS range, 6.71-9.62; median HFRS range, 5.40-8.70), and Black inpatients had the highest frailty risk compared to other races (mean HFRS range = 7.56-10.47; median HFRS range = 6.30-9.50). Asian/Pacific Islander inpatients had similar frailty risk to Black inpatients among those 90y + (mean HFRS = 10.48; median HFRS = 9.50). The US national norms for HFRS provide a standardized reference tool for comparing frailty risk among clinical and research inpatient populations to a typical hospitalized adult for their age, sex, and race.

Reframing Disaster Planning with Quality Improvement Methodology Using Family Reunification as a Case Study.

Comprehensive planning for family reunification following a disaster is complex and often underdeveloped, especially in hospitals. The 2013 and subsequent 2021 National Pediatric Readiness Project revealed less than half of hospitals had disaster plans that addressed the needs of children. Leveraging quality improvement (QI) language and methodology allows for alignment and engagement of hospital leaders and personnel unaccustomed to disaster planning. We aimed to create a family reunification plan which would enable child-safe reunification within 4 hours of an event using quality improvement methodology. QI tools such as the fishbone diagram, key driver diagram, and process maps enhanced the planning process. We then utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act model to test and revise our plan. Active involvement of key stakeholders was crucial. By using quality improvement methodology, hospital personnel unfamiliar with disaster management helped develop and improve our hospital's family reunification plan.

An Outbreak of Serratia marcescens in a Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit Associated with an Infected Solution of Pre-Prepared Syringes.

Background/Objectives: The aim of the present study is to report an outbreak of bloodstream infections caused by Serratia marcescens in patients undergoing postoperational procedures in the Cardiothoracic Department and to describe the epidemiological investigations and control measures undertaken. A cluster of bacteremia due to Serratia marcescens was identified in blood cultures from postoperative patients in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department in November 2023. Methods: Active surveillance by the hospital's prevention and control team was initiated. Interviews with nurses and sanitary personnel and reviews of the most common procedures, such as hand washing, bladder catheterization, and intravenous catheter care, were performed. Culturing samples from hospital personnel, postoperative patients, and the environment, including pressure transducers, tap water, soap, therapeutic solutions, antiseptics, respirators, and various intravenous preparations, were drawn up. Overall, 225 samples were collected, including 149 blood cultures, and these were all sent to the Hospital's Microbiology Laboratory. Results: Twenty-three out of forty-seven postoperative patients had positive blood cultures for Serratia marcescens. All the postoperative patients involved in the outbreak received cefepime according to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Three pre-prepared flushing syringes were found to be positive for Serratia marcescens as well. The Cardiothoracic Department was kept under surveillance with hand hygiene measures, infusion preparation, medical device use, and cleaning procedures reviewed by the infection's prevention and control team. Conclusions: Undoubtedly, nosocomial outbreaks represent an important health issue regarding morbidity, mortality, and costs. Timely interventions by the hospital's infection prevention and control team may be life-saving under these circumstances.

Animal-Assisted Interventions in Paediatric Hospitals: An Investigation of Italian Healthcare Personnel Attitudes.

Evidence of the beneficial effects of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) on patients admitted to paediatric hospitals is growing. However, there is still little information about healthcare professionals' knowledge of and attitudes towards AAI, both as a complement to medical treatments and as a tool for improving the workplace environment. The present study explores the perspectives of Italian paediatric hospital staff after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire was developed and distributed to paediatric hospital personnel across Italy. The questionnaire addressed topics including AAI' impact on the hospital environment, their role as a resource for patients and families, their effect on staff well-being, and the perception of the feasibility of AAI implementation in hospitals. Data were analysed descriptively and qualitatively. A total of 44 respondents took part in the survey. Most respondents agreed that AAI could improve hospital environments and serve as a valuable resource for patients and families. However, results were more mixed about the effects of AAI on staff well-being and the feasibility of their implementation. Qualitative analysis identified recurring themes including the positive impact of AAI on emotions/general well-being, improved compliance and treatment outcomes, and reduced stress and distress. Concerns included organisational/logistical challenges, hygiene issues, and potential impact on staff workload. Notably, most participants felt that the COVID-19 pandemic had not affected their perception of AAI safety. Most respondents viewed AAI favourably and supported their implementation as a means of benefiting patients and caregivers. Concerns mainly related to organisational and logistical barriers highlight areas that require further exploration in future research.

Association of facility vaccination policy with influenza vaccination among healthcare personnel in acute care hospitals: national Healthcare Safety Network, 2021-22 influenza season.

We examined the association between influenza vaccination policies at acute care hospitals and influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel for the 2021-22 influenza season. Mandatory vaccination and masking for unvaccinated personnel were associated with increased odds of vaccination. Hospital employees had higher vaccination coverage than licensed independent practitioners.

Assessment of the Economic Burden of Specific Learning Disability by Estimating the Direct, Indirect, and Intangible Costs: A Low- and Middle-Income Country Perspective.

The economic burden of specific learning disability (SLD) in the Indian setting is high, but a few studies have been done in this regard. This cross-sectional questionnaire-based descriptive cost of illness study was conducted in the pediatric neurocognitive clinic at a premier teaching hospital in North India between January and December 2021 to determine the economic burden of SLD by estimating the direct, indirect, and intangible costs related to this illness from the perspectives of afflicted families, health care providers, and society and to assess the impact of demographic and clinical variables on the economic burden. A "person-based" "bottom-up" approach for estimating costs from the perspective of the "afflicted families" was followed. A pre-designed structured questionnaire, while interviewing the parent/guardian of SLD patients, to collect data related to cost of treatment for SLD in their child under three types of expenses was used. The contingent valuation technique was used to document the willingness-to-pay value for estimating intangible cost data. A total of 162 SLD patients (64% boys, 107 newly diagnosed, and 55 diagnosed in previous years and under regular follow-up) were enrolled. From the perspectives of afflicted families, the direct, indirect, total, and intangible costs were estimated to be INR 2,618,030, 14,525,180, 17,143,210, and 30,658,470, respectively (median 16,878, 89,771, 104,689, and 200,000). The "average annual total costs of SLD" were estimated to be INR 11,213,710 (the average annual cost per student was INR 69,220). Expenditure availed on special educators and tuition teachers constituted 64.5% and 54.3% of the direct and indirect costs, respectively. Both socio-economic status (P = 0.001, 0.002, 0.006) and duration of poor scholastic performance (P = 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04) were significant predictors of "direct costs", "indirect costs", and "total costs" for SLD. But only socio-economic status was a significant predictor of "intangible costs" (P = 0.009) and co-morbid psychiatric illness was a significant predictor only for "direct costs" (P = 0.03). The economic burden of SLD is huge, and most cases are diagnosed/referred late. There is an urgent need for Government-initiated SLD-specific programs to avail affordable remedial education for SLD-afflicted children in schools and create more skilled personnel in schools and hospitals, who can screen these children early and counsel parents to avoid wasteful expenditure.

Exploring data security risks associated with trauma medical data within hospitals in China: a qualitative study

ObjectivesTo explore data security risks associated with trauma medical data within hospitals in China, identify and explore the potential underlying factors contributing to these risks and collect suggestions from different...

An Intelligent Optimization Strategy for Medical Doctor Rostering Using Hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Particle Swarm Optimization in Malaysian Public Hospital

Comparing manual rostering to automated rostering reveals that manual rostering is typically more challenging, time-consuming, and exhausting for doctors, particularly due to shifting business regulations, a shortage of healthcare professionals, and heavy workloads. During rostering, it is essential to consider both hard and soft constraints to minimize constraint violations, maximize medical doctor satisfaction, and meet all requirements for hard constraints. To address these challenges, this paper proposes Hybrid Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization (Hybrid GA-PSO) to model rostering. In this approach, one set population of working days represents the rostering structure, which is determined using evolutionary-inspired operators, search, and update procedures. Additionally, the paper conducts observations and interviews with relevant personnel in a Malaysian hospital to gather insights and highlight constraints associated with medical doctors rostering. Rostering requirements determine the relative importance of the hard and soft constraints. The results of the research indicate that the Hybrid GA-PSO approach can produce workable rosters that reduce the workload of physicians and shorten the time needed to create rosters by the total violation of both soft and hard constraints and accuracy. It also ensures compliance with both hard and soft criteria and improves rostering accuracy.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among the critical care personnel in a tertiary care hospital in Sikkim: An observational study.

Background & objectives Persistent nasal colonisation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among healthcare personnel (HCP) remains a significant challenge. MRSA carriers are crucial to the spread of the infection, with healthcare professionals often acting as vectors for both hospital- and community-acquired MRSA. This study aimed to evaluate the MRSA carriage rate among healthcare professionals from critical care units at a tertiary care hospital in Gangtok, Sikkim. Furthermore, the study undertook to analyse antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated MSSA and MRSA strains, and identify associated risk factors for MRSA infection. Methods Three hundred samples from healthcare workers (HCW) posted in the critical care units of a tertiary care hospital were cultured and identified by routine biochemical methods. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method for all MRSA and MSSA isolates. Association with various risk factors was understood by the Chi square test. Results Nineteen of the 300 participants were identified as nasal MRSA carriers having an overall carriage rate of 6.33 per cent in this study. The prevalence of MRSA was seen to be the highest among the attendants (9.52%), and the highest carriers were from the surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICUs). All the MRSA and MSSA isolates showed 100 per cent resistance to penicillin and 100 per cent susceptibility to linezolid. A significant correlation among hand hygiene practices and patient contact was reported from this study. Interpretation & conclusions Despite existing infection control policies, the MRSA carriage seen in HCWs in critical care units was 6.33 per cent, highlighting the need for regular systematic screening and decolonisation of all healthcare professionals to decrease the carrier status and prevent the spread of infection.

An innovative approach to hospital-wide interprofessional capacity building: Côte d’Ivoire National Cancer Center project

BackgroundCapacity-building initiatives targeting medical personnel in low- and middle-income countries have focused on individual medical professionals within specific disciplines. However, it has become evident that the enhancement of healthcare quality necessitates more than just individual capacity-building efforts. As a part of The National Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology Center Project in Côte d’Ivoire, the National Cancer Center Korea has initiated a training project for hospital personnel in Côte d’Ivoire.MethodsFrom May to November 2023, 51 hospital personnel from 21 disciplines from Côte d’Ivoire underwent invitation-based training in Korea. A quantitative analysis of the training outcomes for the trainees and a qualitative assessment of the enablers of the training, involving trainees, trainers, and the coordinating team, were conducted.ResultsThe average score at pre- and post-training evaluation of capabilities of the trainees increased from 2.3 to 4.0 (out of 5.0). In addition to medical knowledge and technical skills sharing, trainees collaborated in group activities to develop workflow manuals for disease-, discipline-, and department-specific tasks through a multidisciplinary and cross-functional approach. The qualitative assessment indicated the importance of contextually relevant curriculum development with a special focus on establishing hospital operational plans, maintaining trainee autonomy and motivation, building mutual trust and cooperation between partner countries, engaging stakeholders actively, and providing effective leadership and support structures through a dedicated coordinating team were crucial factors for program success.ConclusionsEffective hospital personnel capacity building programs should not only focus on imparting medical knowledge and technical skills but also actively engage trainees in developing hospital operational plans. Furthermore, ensuring mutual trust and cooperation among various stakeholders, along with the establishment of a dedicated coordinating team, is essential for the success of the program.

Screening for nasal carriage of methicillin resistance Staphylococcus spp. among housekeeping personnel in a tertiary care hospital

Screening for nasal carriage of methicillin resistance Staphylococcus spp. among housekeeping personnel in a tertiary care hospital

P-355. Skin Lesions and the Use of Personal Protective Equipment in Healthcare Workers from Lima, Peru during the COVID 19 Pandemic

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers relied on personal protective equipment (PPE) to mitigate COVID-19 infections. However, prolonged use of PPE led to a risk of developing skin lesions (SL). In our study, we evaluated the frequency, characteristics and factors associated with SL while using PPE. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study to survey 219 healthcare workers in two hospitals in Lima, Peru between September 2020 and May 2021. The survey focused on reporting SL related to PPE use during their time as healthcare workers amidst the pandemic. Eligible participants were required to be hospital personnel that was actively working on-site and utilizing PPE. Results Most commonly used PPE items included N95 respirator (96.80%), disposable gown (80.37%), head cover (77.63%), eye gear (60.73%) and surgical masks (59.28%). 176 participants (80.37%) reported skin lesions while using PPE. The most prevalent SL were erythema (63, 36.42%), comedones (26, 15.03%) and erosions (25, 14.45%). Common locations for SL were the nasal bridge (93, 51.96%) and cheeks (43, 24.02%). Additionally, 91 (51.70%) participants reported seeking treatment, with self-medication (47, 51.65%) being the prevalent method. Among the participants, 80 (37.21%) reported using prevention methods being the most common, adhesive tape or bandages (46, 57.50%). SL were associated with being a medical intern (PR 2.46, p=0.014), medical attending (PR 2.35, p=0.019), medical resident (PR 2.69, p=0.006) and nurse (PR 2.44, p=0.014). Eye gear, shoe covers and overalls were found to be risk factors for SL (PR 1.16, p=0.048; PR 1.21, p=0.007; PR 1.15, p=0.031). Participants who had a history of previous skin conditions were 1.19 (p=0.008) times more likely to have SL. In the adjusted model, working in the ICU (PR 1.31, 95%CI 1.02-1.68, p=0.034), working more than 12 hours per day (PR 1.49, 95%CI 1.07-2.08, p=0.017), presenting a skin burning sensation and skin dryness (PR 1.21, 95%CI 1.03-1.42; p=0.021; PR 1.41, 95%CI 1.04-1.92, p=0.026) were associated risk factors. Conclusion By documenting the prevalence of skin lesions in healthcare worker due to PPE usage we underscore the need for biosafety monitoring, as the presence of lesions can lead to PPE misusage, increasing the risk of respiratory infections. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Accessing medical records for research in South African public hospitals: a reflective narrative

BackgroundAccess to medical data is important for health system research in South Africa. Researchers must obtain authorization from gatekeepers to enter hospitals and access medical records. They engage with street-level bureaucrats to retrieve specific records and extract necessary data. This paper reflects on our experiences accessing patient records in a nationally representative sample of 60 public hospitals in South Africa.MethodsWe chose narrative inquiry to deeply explore researchers' experiences accessing medical records in South African public hospitals. This qualitative method focuses on individuals' stories and personal experiences, providing rich, detailed insights into complex, context-dependent phenomena. Field reports documented our reflections and experiences during each hospital visit. Additionally, we conducted debriefing sessions to further explore these experiences. The themes that emerged from the field reports and debriefing sessions prompted us to delve deeper into the research process. To explore these themes, we conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) with all researchers. The FGD transcript and field reports were analyzed using MAXQDA. We adopted Gibbs's reflective model, incorporating structured debriefing steps, to present our findings.ResultsOur reflections highlight the challenges encountered during the ethical review process, engagements with numerous gatekeepers, and street-level bureaucracy. The ethics review process experienced significant delays. Obtaining permission from various gatekeepers was arduous and complex, often presenting logistical challenges. We had both positive and negative experiences with the street-level bureaucrats, including hospital staff responsible for creating, curating, and safeguarding medical records. Some exhibited resistance that appeared to stem from their frustrations with superiors. Public hospital records were mostly poorly curated.ConclusionEthical review is essential for guiding complex research like access to abortion. However, an overcautious approach might impede needed research with vulnerable populations. Researchers need to be up to date with local processes and have sufficient resources to gain gatekeepers’ permission to access public hospitals. Understanding street-level bureaucracy is imperative for researchers who need to interact with various hospital personnel to access medical records. The state of record-keeping in South African public hospitals may reflect the overall state of the health system, including examples of excellence and mediocrity.

Validation of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture 2.0 in Italian Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study of Healthcare Personnel Perceptions.

To adapt and validate the HSOPS 2 instrument for the Italian context and to describe the current patient safety culture amongst healthcare personnel working in Italian hospitals. Cross-sectional study. We adapted and validated the HSOPS 2 instrument following the COSMIN guidelines: we performed a forward-backward translation, calculated the content validity index, evaluated face validity, acceptability (percentage of participants responding to all items on the questionnaire and to every specific item), construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis), and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha for each dimension). We then performed a cross-sectional study following the guidelines of the original instrument: we categorised the responses into "positive," "negative," and "midpoints." For each dimension we calculated the average percentage of positive responses. We repeated this process, dividing the responses by various sample characteristics (e.g., profession), and compared them using the chi-square test. Data were collected between April and November 2023. A total of 633 hospital personnel participated in the survey, and 473 completed the questionnaire in its entirety. The dimensions of "teamwork", "supervisor", "manager", or "clinical leader support", and "communication about error" emerged as dimensions with higher percentages of positive responses, while those that received lower percentages were "hospital management support for patient safety", "staffing and work pace", and "response to error". We identified statistically significant differences in many dimensions between gender, profession, and clinical inpatient units. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of challenges and opportunities within the healthcare sector as regards patient safety culture and can inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at improving patient safety across healthcare organisations. Proper assessment of safety culture, one of the main indicators of patient safety, can inform the development of effective strategies and interventions to enhance patient safety. What problem did the study address? To effectively assess patient safety culture, it is essential to use valid and reliable tools. It is crucial to proactively assess patient safety culture in hospital personnel, whether employed in clinical units, in management, or in support services, to develop initiatives aimed at improving patient safety. What were the main findings? The use of the adapted and validated version of the HSOPS 2 will produce valid and reliable evidence on patient safety culture. Perception of patient safety culture differs amongst respondents according to gender, profession, clinical setting. The dimensions of "hospital management support for patient safety", "staffing and work pace", and "response to error" were identified as those with the greatest need for improvement. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? Patient safety heavily impacts care at every level; therefore, this study could have an impact on healthcare organisations as well as healthcare workers, patients, and their families. By making available an instrument that can contribute to a proper assessment of patient safety culture, this study might contribute to the development of appropriate strategies and targeted interventions to improve patient safety, quality of care and satisfaction while decreasing adverse events and related costs. The COSMIN guidelines were used for the validation of the instrument; the STROBE reporting guidelines were used for the cross-sectional study. No patient or public contribution.

Digital-based emergency prevention and control system: enhancing infection control in psychiatric hospitals

BackgroundThe practical application of infectious disease emergency plans in mental health institutions during the ongoing pandemic has revealed significant shortcomings. These manifest as chaotic management of mental health care, a lack of hospital infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge among medical staff, and unskilled practical operation. These factors result in suboptimal decision-making and emergency response execution. Consequently, we have developed a digital-based emergency prevention and control system to reinforce IPC management in psychiatric hospitals and enhance the hospital IPC capabilities of medical staff.MethodsThe system incorporates modern technologies such as cloud computing, big data, streaming media, and knowledge graphs. A cloud service platform was established at the PaaS layer using Docker container technology to manage infectious disease emergency-related services. The system provides application services to various users through a Browser/Server Architecture. The system was implemented in a class A tertiary mental health center from March 1st, 2022, to February 28th, 2023. Twelve months of emergency IPC training and education were conducted based on the system. The system’s functions and the users’ IPC capabilities were evaluated.ResultsA total of 116 employees participated in using the system. The system performance evaluation indicated that functionality (3.78 ± 0.68), practicality (4.02 ± 0.74), reliability (3.45 ± 0.50), efficiency (4.14 ± 0.69), accuracy (3.36 ± 0.58), and assessability (3.05 ± 0.47) met basic levels (> 3), with efficiency improvement and practicality achieving a good level (> 4). After 12 months of training and study based on the system, the participants demonstrated improved emergency knowledge (χ2 = 37.69, p < 0.001) and skills (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that the digital-based emergency IPC system has the potential to enhance the emergency IPC knowledge base and operational skills of medical personnel in psychiatric hospitals. Furthermore, the medical personnel appear to be better adapted to the system. Consequently, the system has the capacity to facilitate the emergency IPC response of psychiatric institutions to infectious diseases, while simultaneously optimising the training and educational methodologies employed in emergency prevention and control. The promotion and application of this system in psychiatric institutions has the potential to accelerate the digitalisation and intelligence construction of psychiatric hospitals.

A study on awareness regarding cigarettes and other tobacco products act (COTPA Act) among hospital staff of medical college, Kanpur: A mixed method study

ABSTRACT Context: In 2003, the government of India formulated “the cigarettes and other tobacco products Act (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply, and distribution) (COTPA)”. The aim of the study is to evaluate hospital staff’s knowledge of the COTPA Act and their enablers and hurdles using qualitative analysis. Settings and Design: This study was conducted in GSVM Medical College, and this was a convergent parallel mixed-methods study, with a quantitative component (cross-sectional survey) complemented by a qualitative component (descriptive study). Methods and Material: A pre-tested, semi-structured, face-validated questionnaire was incorporated into the Epicollect5 application for data collection. The qualitative study was conducted among 11 hospital staff. Statistical Analysis Used: The collected data were imported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analysed with Jamovi version 2.0. To determine associations between variables, appropriate tests of significance were applied. For qualitative analysis, an interview guide was prepared. Results: On quantitative analysis, hospital personnel’s overall awareness of any tobacco control law was 59.4%, with 56.6% being tobacco abusers and 69.5% being non-abusers. On qualitative analysis by in-depth interview framework analysis, decalogues were taken from the responses provided by the participants. After that, the decalogues were divided into three keynotes which were openers, hurdles, and recommendations. Conclusions: Study demonstrates that more than half of the employees are already aware of COTPA Act but still need more coordinated effort from all responsible authorities of medical institute to increase COTPA Act awareness.

Evaluation of the job competence of infection prevention and control personnel in TCM hospitals

Evaluation of the job competence of infection prevention and control personnel in TCM hospitals