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During the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis, in some countries such as Spain, nursing students have offered to provide health assistance, but the role they have played, their degree of preparedness to face the situation, and what must be improved in their training to be ready for these situations is unknown.
Describe the experience and perceptions of students of the Nursing university degree during their participation as health support in the COVID-19 health crisis in Spain.
We conducted a cross-sectional survey study.
503 students enrolled in the 4th course of the Nursing degree in Spain during the months of March and April 2020. An online questionnaire was developed, based on a pilot study and distributed through the Nursing Association, students’ unions and students’ associations. Variables were used to describe their participation, degree of preparedness and training needs to determine how to improve training through descriptive statistics, as well as nonparametric tests to analyse the relationship between training and degree of preparedness nursing students. Results are reported according to the STROBE Statement.
73.2% (368) of students offered to participate in healthcare aid, of which 225 were actively involved. 27.8% carried out nursing tasks without supervision, and 47.7% assisted COVID-19 patients as any other nurse. Only 3.4% felt very prepared to work in the field of intensive care, finding that those students who perceived a higher degree of preparedness had received previous training in personal protective equipment and mechanical ventilation (p < 0.005). The highest scores for training activities that may improve their preparedness were simulations to improve levels of anxiety and stress when managing critical patients, simulation in ventilatory support and mandatory practices in services where ventilators are used.
Although three out of four students were willing to provide health assistance, they recognise that they were not specially prepared in the field of intensive care and demand training with simulation to improve anxiety and stress levels in the management of critical patients and simulation in ventilatory support.
Students have been vital resources for our health system and society when they have been needed. It is now up to us, both teachers and health authorities, to share their efforts by implementing the necessary improvements in training and safety measures not only because these affects the health and safety of the patient, but because they will be essential parts in future pandemics.
To explore clinical nurses’ process of coping during COVID-19 and develop a grounded theory that can be used by leaders to support clinical nurses during a disaster.
The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked widespread disruption to clinical nurses’ work. It is important to understand clinical nurses’ processes of coping during disasters to support the nursing workforce during events such as global pandemics.
We employed the Corbin and Strauss variant of grounded theory methodology, informed by symbolic interactionism, and applied the EQUATOR guidelines for qualitative research publication (COREQ).
Data collection entailed semi-structured interviews with experienced clinical nurses (n =20) across diverse settings. We analysed data by identifying key points in the nurses’ coping processes inductively building concepts around these points.
The predictor of nurses’ outcomes in this grounded theory was their confidence in their ability to cope during the pandemic. When nurses lacked confidence, they experienced working in the context of acute COVID—a state of chaos and anxiety, with negative consequences for nurses. However, when nurses were confident in their abilities to cope with the pandemic, they experienced working in the context of chronic COVID, a calmer state of acceptance. There were many workplace factors that influenced nurses’ confidence, including adequacy of personal protective equipment, clear information and guidance, supportive leadership, teamwork and adequate staffing.
Understanding clinical nurses’ experience of coping during COVID-19 is essential to maintain the nursing workforce during similar disasters.
Nurse leaders can target areas that support nurses’ confidence, such as adequate PPE and staffing. In turn, increased confidence enables clinical nurses to cope during disasters such as a global pandemic.
This study aimed to examine the psychosocial impact and identify risk factors for poor psychosocial outcomes in healthcare professionals during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Cyprus.
Healthcare professionals are in the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic facing an unprecedented global health crisis, which can have consequences on their psychosocial health. There is a need to identify risk factors for poor psychosocial outcomes to inform the design of tailored psychological interventions.
Cross-sectional online study.
A total of 1071 healthcare professionals completed self-report questionnaires. Measures included sociodemographic information, COVID-19-related characteristics, quality of life (Brief World Health Organization Quality of Life; WHOQOL-Bref), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; GAD-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8; PHQ-8), occupational burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory; CBI), and coping (Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced; Brief COPE). This article follows the STROBE reporting guidelines.
The prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety and clinically significant depression was 27.6% and 26.8%, respectively. Significant risk factors for poor psychological outcomes included being female, being a nurse or doctor (vs non-medical professional), working in frontline units (inpatient, intensive care), perceptions of inadequate workplace preparation to deal with the pandemic, and using avoidance coping. Depression and occupational burnout were significant risk factors for poor quality of life.
The findings suggest several individual, psychosocial, and organisational risk factors for the adverse psychological outcomes observed in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study highlights the urgent need for screening for anxiety and depression and psychological interventions to combat an imminent mental health crisis in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic response protocols and public health initiatives aiming to improve and prevent mental health problems in healthcare professionals during the current and future health crises, need to account for the various factors at play.
Nurses are the frontline healthcare professionals fighting the medical and social effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Although they work with diverse populations, there is a lack of literature on culturally competent education during an emergency such as a pandemic.
To examine the effectiveness of an online education programme aimed at increasing cultural competence among rescue teams and healthcare professionals facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre–post-web-based intervention study.
Pre–post-intervention surveys were administered to a matched sample of Israeli healthcare and rescue organisation professionals. The initial sample included 303 participants (52% women) who completed the pre-intervention survey. More than half of the sample (56%, n = 170) were paid workers or volunteers in health organisations. Of the initial sample, 154 participants completed the post-intervention survey following the online cultural competence education programme. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate participants’ gains in culturally competent attitudes, knowledge, skills and encounters. This study followed the STROBE guidelines.
Participants found the online programme useful in improving their cultural competence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The highest gains were found in the attitudes domains, whereas the lowest in the knowledge domain. Pre-intervention cultural competence scores and incorporating the programme in the educational curricula predicted increased gains in cultural competence.
Online educational interventions showed potential for increasing professionals’ awareness of cultural biases, differences and attitudes, leading to more open and accepting attitudes towards patients of different backgrounds.
Recognising the need for real-time, low-cost and available training, the World Health Organization recommended using online courses for healthcare professionals struggling in the pandemic frontline. Online education programmes provide a useful platform for training health professionals in times of emergency.
To investigate whether internal and external violence are associated with turnover intentions among nurses during demanding periods of work.
Workplace violence can negatively impact upon mental and physical health and turnover intentions. Research focusing on how dimensions of workplace violence, internal versus external, influence turnover intentions and the factors that mitigate these effect is lacking.
An online cross-sectional survey of multi-item measures was used to collect data from 462 Iranian nurses. We employed path modelling and analysed the data using SPSS and PROCESS macro. A STROBE checklist was used to report findings.
Both dimensions, internal and external, of violence were positively associated with turnover intentions. Moreover, perceived invulnerability and organisational support moderates this association. When individuals perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are high, internal violence is no longer indirectly related to turnover intentions via job satisfaction. In a similar vein, when perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are low, external violence is not related to intentions to quit. When perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are high, however, external violence is indirectly and negatively related to intentions to quit.
Nurses who regard themselves as invulnerable might be motivated to quit when they experience workplace violence. However, they are motivated to stay on the job when they both perceive themselves as invulnerable and the organisation as supporting.
Organisations should reconsider their policies and approach towards workplace violence especially during periods of intensive work.
The main objective was to explore the impact of personal protective equipment and social distancing on nurses, caregivers and children's communication and relationship in a maternal and child health hospital.
The spread of COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to apply infection prevention and control measures, including interpersonal distancing and the use of personal protective equipment. These measures may impact communication and relationship between nurses, patients and caregivers especially in a complex environment, such as a paediatric setting.
A qualitative descriptive study design was adopted. Reporting followed the COREQ guidelines.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in two wards of a maternal and child health hospital in north-east Italy. Data were collected between September and November 2020. Transcripts were analysed using inductive content analysis.
Seventeen caregivers and 17 nurses were recruited using convenience sampling.
Three themes were identified, namely: “Impact on a trustworthy relationship”; “Impact on common communication resources”; and “Strategies to overcome barriers”. Participants agreed Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures impacted key elements of family-centred and compassionate care. Communication strategies and play were critical to overcoming the barriers encountered.
COVID-19 containment measures impact communication and family-centred care in paediatric hospital settings. There is a need for stakeholders to consider family needs in interventions aimed at controlling pandemics’ impact.
While COVID-19 pandemic urgency intensified the use of PPE and social distancing, strategies to overcome issues related to family-centred care should be considered in those wards such as oncology or infectious disease paediatric departments where these measures are continuously adopted. Beyond a greater communication awareness, strategies may comprise the implementation of virtual care to guarantee support, continuity of care and information between the child, the healthcare team and the family members that are not admitted to the hospital for safety reasons.
The study aims to understand the changing context of RACFs and the role of RACF managers in preparing to confront the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide insights into how the use of visual telehealth consultation might be incorporated to assist with managing whatever might arise.
An interpretive descriptive study design was employed, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted via telephone or videoconference. Purposive recruitment targeted clinical managers responsible for the COVID-19 response in RACFs.
RACF clinical managers were invited to discuss their responses to COVID-19 including the management of RACF and staff. Semi-structured interviews explored the COVID-19-related challenges, the response to these challenges and how telehealth might assist in overcoming some of these challenges. This study followed Thorne's (2008) three-stage process of interpretive description. The COREQ checklist was used in preparing this manuscript.
Two main themes were identified. The first theme ‘keeping people safe’ was comprised of three subthemes; fear and uncertainty, managing the risks and retaining and recruiting staff. The second theme was ‘keeping people connected’, had two subthemes; being disconnected and isolated and embracing technology.
Findings from this study provide valuable insight into understanding the context and the challenges for RACFs and the staff as they attempt to keep residents safe and connected with healthcare providers and the outside world.
Understanding the experiences of RACF managers in preparing to respond to the pandemic will better inform practice development in aged care in particular the use of telehealth and safe practices during COVID-19. Increased awareness of the challenges faced by RACFs during a pandemic provides policymakers with valuable insights for future planning of pandemic responses.
To examine the relationship between work–family enrichment and two contextual factors (job support and family support), together with two personal factors (family boundary flexibility and prosocial motivation) among Chinese nurses assisting Wuhan in its fight against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has now spread worldwide, which has brought attention to the pivotal role of nurses in public health emergencies. Work–family enrichment is a bidirectional structure, including work-to-family enrichment and family-to-work enrichment, that can yield many mutually beneficial results in both work and family domains among clinical nurses. However, few studies have investigated work–family enrichment and its influential factors among front-line nurses during public health emergencies.
A cross-sectional research design was adopted with a snowball sample of 258 Chinese nurses assisting Wuhan's anti-pandemic efforts. Data were collected from 21 March 2020 until 10 April 2020 through a battery of online questionnaires. Descriptive, univariate and hierarchical linear regression analyses and a Pearson correlation test were performed. A STROBE checklist was used to report findings.
The results showed that prosocial motivation, family support and job support predicted high work-to-family enrichment in those nurses, while prosocial motivation, family support and family boundary flexibility predicted high family-to-work enrichment.
The study confirmed the importance of paying attention to the work–family enrichment of front-line medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, so that they could concentrate on their anti-pandemic work and maintain their enthusiasm for disaster nursing.
The findings can help health administrators in affected countries around the world identify the influential factors of work–family enrichment among front-line nurses during infectious disease outbreaks, specifically in the areas of mobilising nurses’ prosocial motivation and giving sufficient job support.
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