Pediatric Health Care Workers Research Articles

Pediatric COVID-19 in Lesotho and Post-pandemic Implications on Lower Respiratory Infections in Children.

Background The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Reaching Impact, Saturation, and Epidemic Control (RISE) program funded Jhpiego to support the Government of Lesotho's COVID-19 response, including two national COVID-19 treatment centers. To evaluate the status of post-pandemic pediatric respiratory care in Lesotho, we analyzed pediatric treatment center data and healthcare worker (HCW) performance on pediatric COVID-19 training offered to HCWs at COVID-19 treatment centers. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients 15 years of age or less hospitalized at two COVID-19 treatment centers in Lesotho from May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2022. Patient data were extracted from hospital files. We used the independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Fisher's exact test to evaluate associations between exposure variables and death. We also assessed differences between pre- and post-training examination scores of three one-day HCW training on pediatric COVID-19 using paired t-tests. Results Overall, <15-year-olds comprised 18/1,448 (1.2%) hospitalizations. Twenty-two percent (4/18) of children were hypoxemic (oxyhemoglobin saturation <94%) within the first 24 hours and 44% (8/18) at any point in the hospitalization. Oxygen utilization increased over the two-year period (p=0.004) and all eight children with hypoxemia received oxygen (p<0.001). Four of 18 (22%) patients died. For HCW training, pre- and post-training examinations were completed by 76/82 (92.7%) participants. The overall mean pretraining score was 44.6% (standard deviation (SD) 15.7%). Mean scores improved by an average of 32.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 27.7%, 36.6%, p<0.001) on the same day post-training examination. Conclusions National COVID-19 treatment center data indicate a low burden of severe pediatric COVID-19 disease in Lesotho. However, recognized HCW knowledge gaps suggest deficiencies in identifying and referring severely ill children, which may detrimentally impact the ongoing post-pandemic care of children with severe lower respiratory infections.

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in pediatric healthcare workers prior to widespread vaccination: A 5-month longitudinal cohort study

ObjectivesDetermine SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody incidence over time in unvaccinated pediatric healthcare workers (pHCWs). DesignA prospective longitudinal cohort of unvaccinated pHCWs measuring the incidence of new infection after initial prevalence was established at 4.1% with seropositive predominance in emergency department (ED)-based pHCWs. Serum samples were collected at follow-up visits to detect new SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Univariate analysis was performed to estimate different incidence rates between participant demographics, job, employment location, and community risk factors. Anxiety levels about COVID-19 were collected. SARS-CoV-2 antibody decay postinfection and neutralization antibodies were evaluated. Log-linear Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence. ResultsOf 642 initially enrolled, 390 pHCWs presented for at least one follow-up serology test after baseline analysis. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was 8.2%. The seropositive cohort, like the negative one, consisted mainly of females in non-ED settings and nonphysician roles. There were no statistically significant differences in incidence across variables. Seropositive participants dropped antibody titers by 50% at 3 months. Neutralization antibodies correlated to SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies (r = 0.43, P < 0.0001). ConclusionThe incidence of seropositivity was 8.2%. Although seropositivity was higher among ED staff during the early stages of the pandemic, this difference declined over time, likely due to the universal adoption of personal protective equipment.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Tapping for Pediatric Emergency Department Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluation of a Pilot Intervention.

Emergency-department (ED) staff may experience psychologic distress due to the stressful nature of their work. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this distress. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping, a somatic psychophysiologic intervention combining vibratory acupressure with elements of cognitive-behavioral and exposure therapies, can reduce psychologic distress. This study tested the short-term effect of 10-minute EFT tapping on the psychologic distress of pediatric ED staff responding to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, diverse staff in the pediatric ED of a New York City teaching hospital participated in this single-group study. A licensed creative arts therapist led participants in 10-minute EFT tapping sessions. A self-report questionnaire with 7 items based on the Trauma Exposure Response framework was administered immediately pre- and postintervention. Standardized mean differences between both timepoints were calculated. There were statistically significant reductions for 6 of the 7 items studied, including stress (3.32-2.14), obsessive and intrusive thoughts (2.50-1.85), feelings of pressure (3.20-2.17), loneliness (1.84-1.44), and emotional and physical pain (2.28-1.70); all P < 0.001. No significant changes in professional satisfaction were reported following the intervention. Despite the limitations of a single-arm study design, a 10-minute brief EFT tapping session was a promising way to reduce short-term psychologic distress in pediatric ED health care workers. Future studies, including rigorous randomized controlled trials, are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of brief EFT tapping interventions in other settings.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Pediatric Healthcare Workers.

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to work in pediatric departments aremajor public health problems, as they directly affect health organizations, healthcare workers, and, due to the poor quality of care, the patients as well. The post-traumatic symptoms that a healthcare worker may experience are related to intrusion, avoidance, negative changes in cognition and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. The aim of the present investigation was to identify risk factors that contribute to the development of PTSD in pediatric healthcare workers, in order to implement necessary workplace measures. A sample of four hundred and forty-five pediatric workers at seven Greek public hospitals consented to participate in the survey. Socio-demographic data and a post-traumatic checklist (5th edition) were used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the results, risk factors for the development of post-traumatic symptoms include medical or nursing errors, threats to a child's life, and incidents of workplace bullying. More specifically, 25.2% of the participants had a provisional PTSD diagnosis, 72.8%of the sample experienced an incident involving a medical or nursing error in their workplace related to the treatment or care of a child, 56% experienced an incident involving a child's death or a threat to a child's life due to a serious illness or injury, and 55.5% experienced an incident of workplace bullying. In addition, it was found that having a university-level education, master's, or PhD, working in a circular shift, being assigned to a department by management rather than the worker, and dissatisfaction with salary were associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. The high rates of PTSD symptoms among participants highlight the need for prevention and management measures to protect and support the mental health of workers in pediatric departments. We propose frequent evaluations of the mental health of employees, more time for rest, incentives for professional development, utilization of their specializations and specialties, support from mental health specialists when symptoms are diagnosed, and the option for employees to change departments if they wish or if they show symptoms of mental trauma.

Seroprevalence of Bordetella pertussis in pediatric healthcare workers at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez

Seroprevalence of Bordetella pertussis in pediatric healthcare workers at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez

Transitions from hospital to home: A mixed methods study to evaluate pediatric discharges in Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines recognize the importance of discharge planning to ensure continuation of care at home and appropriate follow-up. However, insufficient attention has been paid to post discharge planning in many hospitals contributing to poor implementation. To understand the reasons for suboptimal discharge, we evaluated the pediatric discharge process from hospital admission through the transition to care within the community in Ugandan hospitals. This mixed methods prospective study enrolled 92 study participants in three phases: patient journey mapping for 32 admitted children under-5 years of age with suspected or proven infection, discharge process mapping with 24 pediatric healthcare workers, and focus group discussions with 36 primary caregivers and fathers of discharged children. Data were descriptively and thematically analyzed. We found that the typical discharge process is often not centered around the needs of the child and family. Discharge planning often does not begin until immediately prior to discharge and generally does not include caregiver input. Discharge education and counselling are generally limited, rarely involves the father, and does not focus significantly on post-discharge care or follow-up. Delays in the discharge process itself occur at multiple points, including while awaiting a physical discharge order and then following a discharge order, mainly with billing or transportation issues. Poor peri-discharge care is a significant barrier to optimizing health outcomes among children in Uganda. Process improvements including initiation of early discharge planning, improved communication between healthcare workers and caregivers, as well as an increased focus on post-discharge care, are key to ensuring safe transitions from facility-based care to home-based care among children recovering from severe illness.

Prevalence and Determinants of Workplace Violence Against Pediatric Emergency Healthcare Workers and Its Effect on Their Psychological Resilience.

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of workplace violence (WPV) against pediatric emergency healthcare workers and evaluate the relationship between WPV and psychological resilience. This study is cross-sectional and correlational. According to the results, the prevalence of WPV was 69.8%, and its distribution was as follows: verbal abuse (56.9%), bullying/mobbing (37.6%), physical abuse (12.8%), and sexual abuse (2.2%). Being single/separated/divorced/widowed (odds ratio [OR]: 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-3.30), being a physician (OR: 4.74, 95% CI: 1.73-12.96), being a staff member (OR: 2.57, 95% CI: 1.10-5.99), routine direct physical contact with patients/clients (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.40-5.48), and lack of encouragement to report WPV (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.01-7.01) were independent predictors of WPV (P < .05), and WPV was found to be associated with low psychological resilience. Arrangements related to violence prevention, preparation, and intervention should be made and maintained in all pediatric emergency departments.

Assessment of health-care workers' attitudes, knowledge, and skills in the care of critically ill Muslim children in New York.

Pediatric health-care workers often care for families of minority religious backgrounds, but little is known about their perspective in providing culturally and spiritually appropriate care for Muslim patients. We aimed to (1) characterize the attitudes, knowledge, and skills of health-care workers in the care of critically ill Muslim children and (2) evaluate preferences for different educational interventions to improve care of critically ill Muslim children. We administered a single-center, cross-sectional, 33-question, electronic survey of interdisciplinary health-care workers in a large pediatric intensive care unit in New York City to characterize their attitudes, knowledge, and skills in caring for critically ill Muslim children. Of 413 health-care workers surveyed, there were 109 (26%) respondents. Participants responded correctly to 51.7 ± 22.2% (mean ± SD) and 69.2 ± 20.6% of background knowledge and clinical skills questions, respectively. Only 29.8% of participants perceived adequate institutional resources to provide culturally competent care to Muslim patients and their families. Participants identified end-of-life care (47.5%) and bioethical concerns (45%) as needed areas for additional institutional resources. When asked about support to aid in caring for Muslim patients, 43.4% of participants requested a team of Muslim health-care workers to provide guidance. Participants most often requested video-based training modules (32.5%) and written materials (30%) as potential educational interventions. We identify gaps in health-care worker knowledge and skills in the care of the critically ill Muslim child. We also describe possible areas for intervention to facilitate culturally and spiritually appropriate care delivery to Muslim children and families.

Influencing factors of knowledge, attitude and behavior in children’s palliative care among pediatric healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey in China

BackgroundPalliative care has become a key medical field worldwide. Although research relating to adult palliative care is well-established, less is known about children’s palliative care (CPC). Therefore, this study investigated the knowledge, attitude and behavior of pediatric healthcare workers (PHWs) regarding CPC and analyzed the influencing factors for the implementation and development of CPC.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 407 PHWs was carried out in a Chinese province from November 2021 to April 2022. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: a general information form and questions on the knowledge, attitude and behavior of PHWs about CPC. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis.ResultsThe total score of the PHWs’ knowledge, attitude and behavior about CPC was 69.98, which was at a moderate level. PHWs’ CPC knowledge, attitude, and behavior are positively correlated.The most important influencing factors were working years, highest education, professional title, job position, marital status, religion, grade of hospital (I, II or III), type of medical institution, experience of caring for a terminally ill child/kinsfolk and total hours of CPC education and training received.ConclusionsIn this study, PHWs in a Chinese province had the lowest scores on the knowledge dimension of CPC, with moderate attitude and behavior and various influencing factors. In addition to professional title, highest education and working years, it is also worth noting that the type of medical institution and marital status also affected the score. Continuing education and training of PHWs in CPC should be emphasized by the administrators of relevant colleges and medical institutions. Future research should start with the above-mentioned influencing factors and focus on setting up targeted training courses and evaluating the post-training effects.

Burnout among French pediatric healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The objectives of our study were: (1) to establish the prevalence of burnout among French pediatric healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) to identify the psychosocial factors that predict burnout in these healthcare workers. To achieve these objectives, a total of 99 physicians and 55 nurses from various French pediatric services completed a protocol questioning socio-demographic characteristics, the specific stress of pediatric care workers, the stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational stress (JSS), coping strategies (WCC-R) and burnout (MBI). Descriptive analyses (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) were used to address objectives (1). Multiple linear regressions were performed to address objective (2). The prevalence of burnout was 48% (95% CI [40–56]). Occupational stress and stress related to working conditions were the main factors predicting emotional exhaustion. Being female, years of practice, social support-seeking and stress related to confrontation with suffering and death negatively and significantly predicted depersonalization. Being a nurse, problem-focused coping and the sense of impact of the pandemic on the daily work significantly predicted personal accomplishment. In conclusion, our study showed a high prevalence of burnout among French pediatric healthcare workers, but the impact of the pandemic on this prevalence did not seem significant.

Pilot Study on the Impact of Gratitude Journaling or Cognitive Strategies on Health Care Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental well-being of health care workers (HCWs). This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of two psychological interventions, gratitude journaling or cognitive strategies, on pediatric HCWs. A pilot randomized parallel repeated measures design was used, with a convenience sample of 59 HCWs. Data were collected before and after the intervention period, 2 weeks after, and again 6 months later. Outcomes included depression, anxiety, meaning and purpose, feasibility, and acceptability. Thirty-seven participants completed the study. The majority were nurses (registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses) and physicians. In both groups, depression and anxiety scores diminished, but changes were not statistically significant. The study was feasible to conduct, and subjects reported high acceptability. Gratitude journaling and cognitive strategies may help mental well-being in HCWs; however, future studies with larger samples are needed.

Stress among health care providers in NICU department, tertiary pediatric care hospital during COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt

Many of the pediatric health care workers (HCWs) suffered from sleep disturbance, anxiety, and potential stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work-related stress is a potential cause of concern in HCWs and is associated with decreased job satisfaction, anxiety, depression, medical errors, and near misses. This study aims to investigate the various psychological consequences on medical personnel working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on a convenient sample of doctors and nurses working in NICU in pediatric hospitals at Cairo University teaching hospitals, Egypt. Two anonymous self-administered validated questionnaires were used to assess the level of stress, and the COVID-19 Rapid Quantitative Assessment Tool to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception about COVID-19. Among 96 participants, 66.7% were nurses, and 33.3% were physicians, 79.2% of the participants showed a reasonably safe level of stress. The mean work stress score was 43.89 ± 5.77. The mean score for commonly experienced stress symptoms was 7.53 ± 4.54, median 7, IQR (4, 10). Females and physicians were found to be with a statistically significantly higher median score of commonly experienced stress symptoms than males (p-value < 0.001 and 0.028 simultaneously). While such descriptive research provides valuable information on the scope of the problem, a strong theoretical framework is required to interpret these findings appropriately and develop preventive and therapeutic strategies. Particular attention should be warranted to the mental health well-being of women treating patients with COVID-19.

108. Immune Status of Indian Pediatric Health Care Workers against Various Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Abstract Background Health care workers (HCWs) possess a potential risk to acquire and spread various infections. This study was planned to assess the immune status of HCWs in pediatric departments of two tertiary care hospitals in Northern India. Methods In this cross-sectional study, HCW’s (Indians), working in pediatric departments of these hospitals, over 6-months period (July18-Dec18) were enrolled after taking written consent and their 5-ml venous blood sample was collected. Ethical clearance was obtained from Institute Ethics committee, before enrolling subjects. Serum were tested for antibodies against diphtheria-toxin (DT), pertussis-toxin (PT), measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis-B (HbsAb) and hepatitis-A using commercial IgG (quantitative) ELISA kits. Results A total of 160 HCW’s (M:F=77:83), having mean age 30.6±7.8 years, were enrolled. Out of them 106 (66.3%) were resident doctors, 31 (19.4%) nursing-staff, 18 (11.3%) faculty members, 3 (1.9%) research-staff and 2 (1.3%) paramedical-staff. In our study, antibodies (IgG) against DT were between 0.01 to 0.1 IU/ml in 78.1% (120/160); requiring a Tdap booster; while 7 out of 125 had titers &amp;lt; 0.01 IU/ml, which needed 3-doses of primary vaccination. Antibodies (IgG) against PT &amp;lt; 30 IU/ml were seen in 60.6% (97/160), which were considered as seronegative, as per kit recommendations. A total of 3% (5/160), 13.1% (21/160), 10% (16/160), 17.5% (28/160) had titers &amp;lt; 12 IU/ml for IgG antibodies against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella respectively; were considered unprotected. A total of 25% (40/160) had Anti-HBs antibody titers &amp;lt; 20 mIU/ml; which were low, therefore were advised to take one booster dose of Hep-B vaccine. A total of 15.6% (25/160) had IgG antibodies against hepatitis-A &amp;lt; 10 mIU/ml; were unprotected. Conclusion Alarming proportions of pediatric-HCWs had low antibody titres against DT (78.1%) and PT (60.6%), necessitating a dose of Tdap. A total of 10%, 17.5% and 15.6% lacked protective antibodies against rubella, varicella and hepatitis-A. A quarter of screened population had low anti-Hbs titres, requiring boosting of immunity. Our study emphasizes the urgent need for improving immunization status of pediatric HCW’s; as they continue to remain susceptible to various vaccine preventable infectious diseases. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Emotional Status, Stress and Insomnia in Pediatric Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emotional Status, Stress and Insomnia in Pediatric Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 Serology Testing and Pandemic Anxiety: A Study of Pediatric Healthcare Workers.

Background: Limited access to SARS-CoV-2 testing has been identified as a potential source of anxiety among healthcare workers (HCWs), but the impact of repeated testing on pandemic-related anxiety in pediatric HCWs has not been examined. We sought to understand the impact of repeated SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing on pediatric HCWs’ COVID-19 anxiety. Methods: This longitudinal cohort study was conducted between April and July 2020. Participants, 362 pediatric HCWs, underwent rapid SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing either every 96 h or weekly and were asked to rate their COVID-19 anxiety on a visual analog scale. Changes in self-reported anxiety from the study baseline were calculated for each testing day response. Bivariate analyses, repeated measures, and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine demographics associated with changes in anxiety. Results: Baseline COVID-19 anxiety was significantly higher in HCWs with less than 10 years of experience (Z = −2.63, p = 0.009), in females compared to males (Z = −3.66 p < 0.001), and in nurses compared to other HCWs (F (3,302) = 6.04, p = 0.003). After excluding participants who received a positive test result, repeated measures analyses indicated that anxiety decreased over time (F (5,835) = 3.14, p = 0.008). Of the HCWs who reported decreased anxiety, 57 (29.8%) had a clinically meaningful decrease (≥30%) and Emergency Department (ED) HCWs were 1.97 times more likely to report a clinically meaningful decrease in anxiety (X2 (1) = 5.05, p = 0.025). Conclusions: The results suggest that repeated SARS-CoV-2 antibody serology testing is associated with decreased COVID-19 anxiety in HCWs. Routine screening for the disease may be a helpful strategy in attenuating pandemic-related anxiety in pediatric HCWs.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in front-line pediatric health care workers.

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections in pediatric front‐line health care workers (HCWs) using SARS‐CoV‐2 serum antibodies as an indicator of infection.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, we collected blood samples and survey responses from HCWs in a 38‐bed pediatric emergency department. Serum antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 (IgM and/or IgG) were measured using a 2‐step enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against the Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD), the ectodomain of Spike (S), and the nucleoprotein (N).ResultsWe collected survey responses and serum samples from 54 pediatric front‐line HCWs from October 2020 through April 2021. Among the 29 unvaccinated HCWs, 4 (13.7%) had antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2. For the 25 vaccinated HCWs, 10 (40%) were seropositive; 3 were <10 days from the first vaccine dose and 7 were ≥10 days after the first dose. Two of the 10 seropositive vaccines had a prior positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. Individuals ≥10 days from receiving the first vaccine dose were 37.5 (95% CI: 3.5–399.3) times more likely to have SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies than unvaccinated individuals or those <10 days from first vaccine dose.ConclusionsEvidence of widespread SARS‐CoV‐2 infections was not found in unvaccinated front‐line HCWs from a pediatric ED as of April 2021. Future work will be required to determine the reasons underlying the lower SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody prevalence compared to adult HCWs.

Effects of Classical Music Virtual Reality on Pediatric Healthcare Worker Compassion Fatigue.

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of classical music virtual reality (VR) on burnout, secondary traumatic stress, anxiety, and capacity for developing caring relationships with patients among healthcare workers (HCWs). COVID-19 accentuated the importance of promoting the well-being of frontline workers. Efforts to address the mental health needs of HCWs are likely to positively impact patient outcomes. Healthcare workers completed 3 sessions of VR. A Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare premeasure versus postmeasure on the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL), State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Caring Ability Inventory. Analysis of variance was performed to identify associations between the intervention and differences in scores for each ProQOL domain. Bonferroni correction adjusted for multiple comparisons. Fisher's t test was used for categorical analysis. Seventy-one HCWs completed the study. There was a significant reduction in burnout after the experience, compared with baseline. This study provides evidence that classical music VR may reduce burnout in HCWs.

Immediate Psychological Impact of COVID 19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Pediatric Healthcare Workers

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has been effecting the world since December, 2019. Front line healthcare professionals faced increased stress level while dealing with overload of patients. Hence it triggered feelings of loneliness, despair and physical mental fatigue. Objective: To determine the immediate psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of pediatric healthcare workers by using Depression Anxiety Stress scoring scale, DASS-21 scale. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 1st July to 30th November 2020 in the department of Pediatric Medicine Unit II, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore. A 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress scoring scale was circulated online among Healthcare workers of Teaching hospitals of Lahore. These included Pediatric Specialists, General Physicians, Postgraduate Trainees in Paeds Medicine, House Officers in Paeds Medicine and Pediatric&#x0D; Nurses. 150 Healthcare workers (HCWs) participated. Responses were analyzed with SPSS V.26. Results: Out of 150 healthcare workers, 101(67.3%) were falling in the range of 20-30 years, 76(50.7%) were females, 81(54%) were singles, maximum 59(39.3%) were postgraduate trainees and majority 65(43.4%) had

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Pediatric Health Care Workers: Understanding the Response to COVID-19.

IntroductionThis research aims to assess knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of PHCW regarding COVID-19.MethodData collected using an electronic survey sent to pediatric health care workers.ResultsAge was not likely to influence willingness to care for patients with COVID-19. Males were more likely to be willing to care for patients than female. Nurse practitioners were more likely to be willing to care for patients with COVID-19 than physicians. Availability of proper personal protective equipment, COVID-19 knowledge, and training did not influence willingness to care for COVID-19 patients. Healthcare workers with a higher risk of COVID-19-related sickness, and who received most of their COVID-19 information from social media, were less likely to be willing to care for COVID positive patients. As perception of hospital preparedness increased, reluctance to care for COVID-19 positive patients decreased.DiscussionHospital preparedness and social media exposure play a significant role in willingness to care for patients with COVID-19.

Residents and staff perceptions of a pediatric clinical teaching unit in a large tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundThe clinical teaching unit (CTU) is a commonly used model of patient care and teaching. Despite being a common model of care, very few studies have looked at its impact on the education of trainees. In addition, it is a relatively new structure for pediatric inpatient care in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study was to compare postgraduate trainees (residents) and staff perceptions of the old and the new (the CTU) inpatient team structures, and to evaluate the impact of the CTU on residents’ education.MethodsAn online survey was sent to nurses, pediatric residents, and attending physicians who worked under both structures. Questions for residents were adopted from the National training survey of the General Medical Council, United Kingdom.ResultsA total of 147 pediatric healthcare workers completed the survey (97 nurses, 39 residents, and 11 attending physicians), most of whom worked in both the old and new inpatient team structures. More than 97% of residents reported being supervised by their attending on a daily basis in the CTU structure as compared with 15% in the old structure. A higher proportion of residents favored the old structure in terms of the opportunity it provided to develop their leadership skills. Eighty-seven percent of nurses believed the CTU had improved patient safety of pediatric inpatients. Overall, 82% of residents, 91% of nurses, and 100% of attending physicians favoured the CTU structure over the old inpatient model.ConclusionsOur study shows that pediatric residents and staff perceived the CTU structure as superior to the old inpatient team structure, especially in terms of patient safety. Although the CTU seemed to have a positive impact on residents’ education, this must be further examined especially with respect to its impact on residents’ leadership skills.