Perceptions Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Healthcare professionals' perception of using a web-based reminiscence therapy to support person with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reminiscence therapy (RT) is the most common non-pharmacological treatment for dementia care. The therapy stimulates the senses to evoke memories having the potential to reduce Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). Digital RT, such as web-based reminiscence therapy (WBRT), has the potential to support dementia care and reduce the caregiving burden. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals (HCPs) perceptions of utilizing WBRT in institutionalized settings to support persons with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative phenomenological descriptive study was adopted and guided by Graham's Knowledge to Action framework. Online training on the use of WBRT was conducted, followed by interviews with HCPs. Four major themes were identified on the potential use of WBRT in dementia care, including usability and efficacy, impact on caregiving, capability of reducing BPSD, and. feasibility during COVID-19 social distancing. This study recognized the potential use of WBRT to support the person with dementia during the pandemic in institutionalized settings. The knowledge generated from this study will guide the future application of WBRT to support dementia care in diverse healthcare settings.

Importance of interprofessional collaboration in teaching diabetic foot self-management: Perceptions of health care professionals

BackgroundDiabetes and associated diabetic foot ulcers require coordinated management, including several health care professional (HCPs). Therefore, an interprofessional (IP) team-based approach is essential for effectively managing and educating the population on diabetic foot self-management strategies. However, the perceptions of the HCPs related to the importance of IP teamwork in diabetic foot care and their readiness to work in an IP team are less explored. MethodsThis qualitative study aimed to investigate the HCPs' perception on the importance of IP collaboration in diabetic foot care and their readiness to work as part of an IP team in teaching patients’ effective diabetic foot self-management techniques. The study includes seven HCPs involved in diabetic foot management patient education and treatment. In-depth interviews using an interview guide and a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts were undertaken. ResultsEvery participant was strongly motivated to be an IP team member. The following themes were identified that supported IP team-based approach in diabetic foot care: ‘patient-centric practices,’ ‘comprehensive care,’ ‘teamwork and coordination for improved patient outcome,’ ‘integrated approach,’ ‘professional knowledge amalgamation,’ ‘time-management,’ ‘education in a favorable environment,’ ‘constant motivation and support through educational modules,’ and ‘commitment and policy reforms.’ ConclusionsThe HCPs' were aware about the benefits of IP team-based approach in diabetic foot care. They further expressed their willingness to work as part of an IP team and suggested appropriate teaching methods for diabetic foot self-management. This manuscript thus attempts to create an awareness about the importance of IP approach in teaching the proper practices of diabetic foot care. The problems faced in implementing an IP approach in diabetic foot care and the possible solutions are also discussed.

Exploring barriers and enablers of self-management behaviours in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: A qualitative study from the perceptions of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in primary care.

Exploring barriers and enablers of self-management behaviours in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: A qualitative study from the perceptions of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in primary care.

The perspectives of in-hospital healthcare professionals on the timing and collaboration in advance care planning: A survey study

BackgroundHospital admissions are common in the last phase of life. However, palliative care and advance care planning (ACP) are provided late or not at all during hospital admission. AimTo provide insight into the perceptions of in-hospital healthcare professionals concerning current and ideal practice and roles of in-hospital palliative care and advance care planning. MethodsAn electronic cross-sectional survey was send 398 in-hospital healthcare professionals in five hospitals in the Netherlands. The survey contained 48 items on perceptions of palliative care and ACP. ResultsWe included non-specialists who completed the questions of interest, resulting in analysis of 96 questionnaires. Most respondents were nurses (74%). We found that current practice for initiating palliative care and ACP was different to what is considered ideal practice. Ideally, ACP should be initiated for almost every patient for whom no treatment options are available (96.2%), and in case of progression and severe symptoms (94.2%). The largest differences between current and ideal practice were found for patients with functional decline (Current 15.2% versus Ideal 78.5%), and patients with an estimated life expectancy <1 year (Current 32.6% versus ideal 86.1%). Respondents noted that providing palliative care requires collaboration, however, especially nurses noted barriers like a lack of inter-professional consensus. ConclusionsThe differences between current and ideal practice demonstrate that healthcare professionals are willing to improve palliative care. To do this, nurses need to increase their voice, a shared vision of palliative care and recognition of the added value of working together is needed.

Assisted human reproduction legislation: Listening to the voice of patients

ObjectiveLegislation and policies regarding assisted human reproduction (AHR) vary widely across nations and societies. As one of only 5 European countries which currently lacks legislation, Ireland now has a unique opportunity to learn from other jurisdictions and introduce AHR law that is reflective of the ongoing myriad developments in this complex field. Draft legislation, initially published in 2017, was revised in 2022 with strong political commitment to enacting in the same year. This study sought to ascertain the views of fertility patients (service users) to the proposed AHR legislation in its current format, prior to its implementation. Study designA survey questionnaire, previously designed to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards a broad range of issues contained within the draft AHR Bill, was adapted for a patient/service user population. The survey link was distributed via secure email to all patients that had a doctor consult at our fertility clinic in 2020–2021. ResultsThe survey link was sent to 4420 patients/service users, of whom 1044 (23.6%) responded. A majority had experienced AHR treatment. Service users indicated strong support for AHR regulation and for access to all AHR techniques for all patients, irrespective of relationship or gender status. A majority of respondents disagreed with aspects of the draft bill regarding mandatory counselling, the timing of assignment of parentage in surrogacy, the exclusion of international surrogacy and the exclusion of men from posthumous AHR. Interestingly, the fertility patient cohort were more liberal in their views and opinions regarding AHR than the Irish HCPs previously surveyed. ConclusionThis study demonstrates the views of a large group of AHR patients/service users towards proposed AHR legislation. Many of their views concur with but others differ from those of the drafters of the legislation and from those of healthcare professionals. Consideration of the views of all these groups and a collaborative approach would help ensure that Ireland has AHR legislation that is inclusive and fit for purpose in the 21st century.

Understanding perceptions of the public and key stakeholders toward a localised cancer screening promotion campaign

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of members of the public and key stakeholders of a localised campaign to increase engagement with cervical cancer screening. Whilst numerous interventions have been trialled to increase engagement with cancer screening, the evidence for their effectiveness is somewhat mixed. In addition, few studies have explored the perceptions of members of the public targeted by such campaigns nor the perceptions of healthcare professionals who may be involved in delivering such campaigns in the United Kingdom. Members of the public who had potentially been exposed to the campaign in the North-East of England were approached to take part in individual interviews whilst stakeholders were invited to take part in a focus group. A total of 25 participants (13 members of the public, 12 stakeholders) took part. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using applied thematic analysis. Four themes were identified, two of which were cross-cutting (barriers to screening and factors promoting screening), with one theme identified as specific to the public interviews (knowledge of and attitudes toward awareness campaigns) and one theme specific to the focus group (keeping campaigns relevant. Awareness of the localised campaign was limited; however, when made aware, participants were mostly positive towards the approach, although mixed responses were noted in relation to financial incentives. Members of the public and stakeholders identified some common barriers to screening although differed in their perceptions of promotional factors. This study highlights the importance of multiple strategies to promote cervical screening as one size fits all approach may limit engagement.

Perceptions Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Programs among Healthcare Professionals.

Antimicrobial resistance is an important global problem resulting in an improper response of infections to antimicrobials and an increase in the duration and cost of treatment. Healthcare professionals play an important role in addressing Antimicrobial resistance and positive perception is important for involvement in antimicrobial stewardship policies. Hence the perception of key Healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and hospital pharmacists, towards Antimicrobial resistance antimicrobial stewardship policies was studied. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital at Lalitpur, from January to March 2021 using stratified random sampling. An online questionnaire was circulated to the selected Healthcare professionals. Median Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship policy scores were calculated and compared among different subgroups. Previous engagement with Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship policies programs was also noted. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for data analysis. The response rate was 89.3% (202/226). Antimicrobial resistance was regarded as a serious problem in the Nepali community by participants with work experience of 1-5 years, 87 (75.6%, p=0.029), and female participants, 62 (45.5%, p<0.001). Most physicians, females, and participants with working experience 1-5 years believed inappropriate use of antibiotics can harm patients and is professionally unethical. Physicians supported the availability of local antimicrobial guidelines and protocols. The median scores for Antimicrobial resistance (p<0.001) and Antimicrobial resistance eradication (p=0.048) differed according to age groups. Healthcare professionals believed Antimicrobial resistance was an important issue. Antibiotic guidelines developed should be strictly implemented. Healthcare professionals also believed inappropriate use of antibiotics can harm patients and is professionally unethical.

Physical Restraints in a Mental Hospital Emergency Unit: Facts vs Perceptions of Healthcare Workers

IntroductionCoercion is a general term used to refer to a series of actions, ranging from involuntary treatments to forced interventions, which can be ethically, legally and clinically challenging for both professionals and service-users. Perception of healthcare professionals on restraint practices is in important factor determining the clinical outcomes.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine i) the differences between the estimates of healthcare professionals working in the Emergency Unit of Erenköy Psychiatric and Neurological Training and Research Hospital (Erenköy RSHEAH) regarding physical restraint practices and the real use and outcome values ii) the knowledge, attitudes and opinions of healthcare professionals on such procedures.MethodsThe study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional online survey. All healthcare professionals working in the Emergency Unit of Erenköy RSHEAH (with a catchment area of 5 million people) who agreed to participate in the study and who were not part of the research team were included. Sociodemographic information, information about working experience, and estimates of physical restraint practices in the last month were questioned. Attitudes and opinions towards these practices were evaluated with 5-point Likert-type questions. Ethical approval was obtained from Erenköy RSHEAH Clinical Ethics Committee (Decision No: 40, 18.07.2022).ResultsA total of 55 healthcare workers (31 trainees, 10 specialist psychiatrists, 6 nurses, 8 security personnel) participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 32±6.4 years (24-50, min-max) and 52.7% were female. The mean duration of employment in the health sector and current institution were 6.6±5.7 (1-22, min-max), and 4.1±4.1 (1-17, min-max) years, respectively. The estimated mean rate of physical restriction was 13.5±13% (2-60, min-max). However, the actual median rate was 4% (0 - 8.8% min-max) in the same month. The estimated mean duration of physical restraint was reported as 87.8±54.1 (20-300, min-max) minutes, whereas the median actual duration of physical restraint was 60 minutes. No significant relationship was found between the estimates of duration, rates and complication rates of of physical restraint and the duration of professional experience (p&gt;0.05). A significant difference was found between professional groups in terms of restraint duration and complication rate (p&lt;0.05), as well as their opinions regarding the appropriateness of restraint practices with the legal framework (Table 1).Image:ConclusionsIt was observed that healthcare workers had a misperception regarding the rate and duration of physical restraints, which were perceived as higher than the actual values. Thus, the restraint interventions were perceived to be more negative than they actually are. Correction of such misperceptions should become part of the continous educational processes of all professional groups.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Perception of Health Teams on the Implementation of Strategies to Decrease Nursing Errors and Enhance Patient Safety.

Patient care is a public health issue all over the world, with nursing errors in hospitals being a significant source of harm to patients and a hindrance to the healthcare system's efficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate health teams' perceptions of strategies used to reduce nursing error that affects patient safety. A descriptive study was conducted from January to March 2022 at Najran University Hospital and KKH to better understand the issue. The study included 400 healthcare team members, including nurses, physicians, nurse aides, health workers, and others. The data was collected through the analysis of the health team's characteristics, nursing errors, and strategies for error reduction. The results of the study led to the development of five strategies and 28 interventions aimed at reducing nursing errors. The study revealed that two-thirds of the participants had a high perception of strategies for reducing nursing errors, while one-third had a low perception. The study highlights the importance of addressing nursing errors in the healthcare system and provides evidence-based strategies and interventions to reduce them. The findings emphasize the need for ongoing efforts to enhance the perception and understanding of healthcare professionals in reducing errors and improving patient care.

Pakistani healthcare professionals’ perceptions of communication with patients and their relatives about hereditary breast cancer: a qualitative study in a LMIC

Pakistan has the highest incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer in Asia, with high numbers of patients diagnosed at a young age suggesting the possibility of an inherited cancer syndrome. Communication of hereditary breast cancer (HBC) risk information with patients could enable earlier detection of the condition in relatives and reduce mortality rates. This study aimed to explore perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Pakistan about communication with patients and their relatives about HBC. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with eighteen HCPs during March to May 2020 in Lahore. Thematic analysis shows the HCPs were generally supportive of informing patients themselves about HBC, but believed it was the patients’ role to inform their relatives. HCPs also highlighted important barriers to communication with patients about HBC, including (i) patients’ low socioeconomic status and educational attainment; (ii) high prevalence of the social stigma of breast cancer; and (iii) lack of health resources and facilities to provide genetic testing for HBC. In conclusion, HCPs would value the development of interventions to support communication between HCPs and patients. They also highlighted the need for interventions to support intrafamilial communication about HBC. Much research and political support are needed to address patient, social, and systemic-level barriers to facilitate communication about HBC.

What is appropriate care? A qualitative study into the perceptions of healthcare professionals in Flemish university hospital intensive care units

AimThis study examines when healthcare professionals consider intensive care as appropriate care. BackgroundDespite attempts to conceptualize appropriate care in prior research, there is a lack of insight into its meaning and implementation in practice. This is an important issue because healthcare professionals as well as patients and relatives report inappropriate care in the intensive care unit (ICU) on a regular basis. MethodsA qualitative study was designed, based on principles of grounded theory. Seventeen semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses, doctors and doctors in training from three Flemish university hospitals. Analyses followed the Quagol method; insights were gained by means of the constant comparative method. ResultsHealthcare professionals described appropriate care as socially sustainable care, high-quality care, patient-oriented care, dignified care and meaningful care. They considered it important that care is not only proportional to the expected survival and quality of life of the patient and in line with the patient's or relatives’ wishes, but also that the pursuit of the care goals is proportional to the patient's suffering.Although healthcare professionals indicated the same elements of appropriate care, they were defined and interpreted in individual and therefore different ways. This diversity lies at the basis of fields of tension and frustrations among healthcare professionals. ConclusionAppropriate care is defined and interpreted in individual and therefore different ways. In order to decide which type of care is appropriate for a specific patient, a process of open and constructive communication in a team is recommended.

An Investigation into The Occupational Perceptions of Healthcare Professionals: The Covid-19 Pandemic

Psychological needs, uncomfortable when not met, are explained by our expectations of achievement, relationship, autonomy, and dominance. Since work life is an important determinant in meeting directly (or indirectly) the tangible and intangible needs of individuals, work-related experiences are very effective in individuals' occupational perceptions. Also, occupational preferences are based on reasons: conscious selection, environmental pressure, financial security, prestige and social benefit. In order to test this connection (and the sources of the differences), the pandemic period constitutes the justification for the sample design of the study, especially as it includes challenging working conditions for healthcare professionals. Accordingly, the main purpose of the study is to discuss the relationship between the occupational preferences of healthcare professions and their psychological needs, with the determinant of their specific working conditions. Mixed (pluralist) research method is used in the design of the study. While the perceptions of the respondents about the working conditions are determined through the socio-demographic information form and open-ended questions, the occupational preferences inventory and the new psychological needs assessment scale are used to evaluate the occupational perceptions of healthcare professions. The study sample consists of a total of 378 respondents selected from doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. The study points to important findings regarding the connection between the occupational preferences of health professionals and their psychological needs. In addition, occupational groups (doctor, pharmacist, nurse) differ from each other in terms of occupational preferences and working conditions.

P185 Global perception of normal life by healthcare professionals and IBD patients: mind the gap

Abstract Background For patients living with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), the ultimate treatment goal is “normal life”. However, no patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) exists to measure the level of life normality in IBD. We previously asked patients across the world (5 continents) to identify and rank-order items important to their “normal life”. The top-25 ranked items are being used for subsequent PROM development. In this study, we aimed to compare the perception of healthcare professionals (HCP) and patients with IBD on normal life. Methods IBD patients without an ostomy, pouch or significant comorbidities were interviewed in their mother tongue in 5 continents about “normal life” using a semi-structured interview guide. All items indicated as important were extracted from translated transcripts using directed content analysis (1) until saturation of items occurred. Categorisation was guided by the Wilson’s &amp; Cleary’s Quality of Life model. (2) Second, in an online Delphi procedure, interviewed patients and HCP from each participating centre scored importance of each item on a 0-10 scale. Items scored 7 or higher by &amp;gt;75% were considered important to the respective group. Patient-ranked items were then presented to a patient focus group to clarify wording and merge similar items. Items merged in the patient focus group were merged similarly in HCP rankings. Third, HCP- and patient-rankings were compared. We compared top-25 items selected for PROM development and top-3 items per category. Results 45 CD and 40 UC patients spread over 6 countries were interviewed (median age 36, 56% male, 68% employed, median disease duration 7 years [IQR 4-15]) (table 1). Saturation occurred after 33 CD and 36 UC interviews, yielding 156 unique items. In the Delphi procedure, 54 patients considered 31 items important for normal life with IBD of which 25 remained after focus group discussion. 34 HCP (12 IBD nurses, 16 IBD gastroenterologists, 6 colorectal surgeons) considered 72 items important. Top-25 rankings overlapped in 15 items between patients and HCP, being 5 of 12 physical, 1 of 4 activities, 2 of 3 social, 4 of 11 psychological items and 3 of 5 circumstances (table 2). Top-3 rankings per category overlapped in 2 physical, 1 activities, 2 social, 1 psychological items and 2 circumstances (table 3). Conclusion We identified discrepancies in the perception of normal life with IBD between patients living with IBD and healthcare professionals (HCP). Of top-25 selected items for PROM development, 15 items overlapped between patients and HCP. Of top-3 items per category, the least overlap was seen in activities and psychological items. PROM development and international validation is ongoing.

Obstacles and facilitators to communicating with children about their parents’ mental illness: a qualitative study in a sub-district of Mpumalanga, South Africa

BackgroundGiven that common mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide, it is likely that many children are growing up with a parent or other adult within their family who has anxiety or depression. Parents with a mental illness may not consider it appropriate to discuss their illness with their child, and consequently an absence of communication may lead to stigmatization, shame, misunderstanding their parents’ symptoms, and even blaming themselves. There is a scarcity of research exploring the experiences and perceptions of healthcare professionals about communication with children of parents with mental illness in low-resource and African contexts.MethodsA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals (n = 15) was conducted within the Bushbuckridge sub-district of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis.ResultsFour themes were identified relating to the obstacles around communication with children. These included: (1) finding an appropriate language to describe mental illness, as well as the prevailing cultural explanations of mental illness (2) the stigma associated with mental illness (3) the perceived role of children in society and (4) mental health services and staff skills. Two themes that addressed facilitators of communication about parental mental illness were identified: (1) the potential to increase mental health awareness amongst the broader community through social media, the internet, and general psychoeducation (2) healthcare professionals’ concerns for the wellbeing and future mental health of patients’ children, as well as their hopes for increased mental health awareness amongst future generations.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into healthcare professionals’ attitudes and perceptions about talking to patients and families within their community about mental illness. The results provide recommendations about possible ways to promote sharing information about a parent’s mental illness with children at an individual and community level. Future research should focus on the collaborative creation of culturally sensitive psychoeducational resources and evidence-based guidelines. This must be supported by systemic and organisational change in order for professionals to successfully facilitate conversations with patients who are parents, and their children.

Risk Assessment and Perception of Healthcare Professionals in the Age of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Knowledge of all safety factors: teamwork, employee satisfaction, work environment, stress awareness, risk perception and attitude are the basis for improving the safety performance of health care providers - health professionals. The aim of the research is to analyze the risk perception of health professionals on aspects of occupational safety in relation to the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study included health professionals of all profiles from the Sarajevo Canton. It was conducted in the period from November to the end of December 2021. Respondents voluntarily and anonymously filled out a survey questionnaire, distributed electronically in the Google forms form.&#x0D; Results: The research included 266 health professionals of all profiles employed in health care institutions at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care.&#x0D; Conclusion: The concept of risk perception of health professionals in a pandemic should be viewed as a group rather than an individual phenomenon.perception

A qualitative study of medical students’ perspectives on a clinically-based interprofessional shadowing course

Collaborative practice in healthcare aims to improve the quality of patient care. However, not all institutions have various health education programs to implement interprofessional education. Shadowing allows students to learn and engage with different healthcare professions in the clinical setting. This study investigated the medical students' perceptions, experiences, and reflections after shadowing different healthcare professionals for one week. Six-year medical students rotated to six different disciplines in a week, and thirty-one students were interviewed individually after completion of the course. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, and four themes were identified: perception of health care professionals, hierarchy, empathy, and suggestions for the shadowing course. Findings indicated that the shadowing course was an effective method for interprofessional learning.

Discerning Clinician Perceptions of an Established Opioid Stewardship (DISCLOSE) Program.

The Opioid Stewardship Program (OSP) was created to promote safe and rational prescribing of opioids, where the risks associated with providing opioids for patients must be balanced against the risk of patients experiencing uncontrolled pain. The pharmacist-led OSP was established at 2 Fraser Health Authority (FHA) sites, British Columbia, to provide clinical services through patient referrals and screening. The rate of acceptance of OSP pharmacists' recommendations has been high, but there was a need to assess clinicians' perceptions of the program. To assess the perceptions of health care professionals at FHA hospitals offering the OSP regarding various aspects of the program and to identify areas of the program that could be modified to further optimize service delivery. A prospective cross-sectional survey was distributed to about 250 targeted health care professionals, who answered questions regarding their perceptions of the OSP. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. A total of 71 respondents initiated the survey, of whom 59 were included in the final analyses. Most participants indicated that the OSP pharmacists' suggestions were valuable for optimizing pain management (52/57, 91%) and preventing adverse events (49/56, 88%). Most participants were satisfied with the quality of communication (51/56, 91%), timeliness to consults (51/52, 98%), and recommendations provided (52/55, 95%). Increasing knowledge transfer, improving communication about intentions for patient follow-up, and expanding services at current sites and to other sites were recommended to improve the OSP. Clinicians responding to the survey reported a high level of satisfaction with and positive views of the pharmacist-led OSP. Providing more education and clarifying intentions for patient follow-up are modifications that could be made to improve the program.

Healthcare professionals' perceptions of a web-based application for using the new National Medication List in Sweden.

During the first stage of implementing the National Medication List in Sweden, a web-based application called Förskrivningskollen (FK) was launched. FK includes information about a patient's prescribed and dispensed medications, and it works as a backup system until the healthcare electronic health record (EHR) systems are fully integrated. The aim of this study was to examine the healthcare professionals' experiences and perceptions of FK. The study applied a mixed methods approach, with statistics about the use of FK and a survey with open and closed questions. The respondents (n = 288) were healthcare professionals who were users or potential users of FK. Overall there was little knowledge about FK and uncertainty regarding working routines and the regulations connected to the application. Lack of interoperability with the EHRs made FK time-consuming to use. Respondents said that the information in FK was not updated, and they were concerned that using FK could lead to a false sense of security about the accuracy of the list. Most clinical pharmacists thought FK added benefit to their clinical work, while as a group, physicians were more ambivalent about FK's benefit. The concerns of healthcare professionals give important insights for future implementation of shared medication lists. Working routines and regulations linked to FK need to be clarified. In Sweden, the potential value of a national shared medication list will probably not be realized until it is fully integrated into the EHR in a way that supports healthcare professionals' desired ways of working.

Child abuse experience, training, knowledge, and attitude of healthcare professionals in sixty hospitals in Greece.

This study aims to record the overall perception of healthcare professionals on child abuse and identify potential affecting factors in a nationwide scale in Greece as well as to provide information that might be useful for future educational actions. A total of 1,185 healthcare professionals in 60 hospitals with pediatric departments across Greece participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants included pediatricians, pediatric surgeons, residents, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. Sections under investigation involved experience and training in child abuse, knowledge of formal and judicial issues, clinical knowledge, and self-assessment. Although more than half of the participants had confronted child abuse (n=712, 60.08%), only 273 (38.34% of them) submitted reports. One third of participants reported that they had received some training (n=440, 37.13%), mainly of postgraduate nature and based on personal initiative. Of those who reported child abuse, 175 (64.10%) had been trained. Each professional category was aware of topics regarding its own interest, without adequate knowledge of other disciplines. One third of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers felt confident in discussing with children and parents. Relevant scores were lower in the other categories. The lower scores were recorded among nurses and residents. The training deficit and reluctance to engage with judicial issues were the main causes of avoidance to deal with child abuse. Focused and organized training in child abuse is crucial to create reliable professionals in the field. The internet is a considerably helpful tool. Professionalism must characterize knowledge and practice in child abuse at the same level as in other medical topics. Motivation to engage should be early inspired and developed during the graduate years.

Perception of healthcare professionals about palliative care

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo de caráter exploratório e qualitativo é analisar as percepções dos profissionais atuantes na atenção primária à saúde sobre cuidados paliativos. Realizaram-se entrevistas semiestruturadas, que foram gravadas, transcritas e validadas individualmente, e os dados resultantes foram analisados tematicamente e sistematizados. Constatou-se que a associação entre cuidados paliativos e ambiente hospitalar ainda é muito presente nos discursos dos participantes. Além disso, percebe-se que, devido ao conhecimento limitado sobre o tema, há dificuldade na identificação precoce de casos para os quais esses cuidados seriam indicados. Entre os pontos fundamentais destacados para essa prática estão o cuidado em equipe, a proximidade com o território, o vínculo e a integralidade da atenção. Sugere-se que essa temática esteja presente em grades curriculares de cursos na área da saúde.