scholarly journals Case for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for workers in health and aged care settings: a guide for leaders

BMJ Leader ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. leader-2021-000572
Author(s):  
Erwin Loh ◽  
Sarah Michael ◽  
Rob Beetson ◽  
Annie Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Disease ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Work Health ◽  
Key Issues

BackgroundThis brief paper provides an overview of the analysis in support of mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all workers in health and aged care settings in Australia. Leaders of health and aged care organisations have a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine-preventable disease in their facilities, including COVID-19.MethodsKey issues that should be considered by healthcare leaders when mandating that all health and aged care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 were analysed by executives from a large Australian national health and aged care provider and discussed in this paper.ResultsThis paper summarises the medical/scientific, ethical, legal, work health and safety, workers’ compensation and industrial relations considerations when mandating COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers.ConclusionLeaders of health and aged care organisations must provide a safe environment and workplace for all those who work for them, as well as for those who receive care or treatment at one of their facilities. It is hoped that this paper will assist leaders of healthcare organisations in making their own decisions during this time.

Industrial Legislation in 2010

2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shae McCrystal ◽  
Belinda Smith
Keyword(s):  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
Parental Leave ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Full Effect ◽  
Safe Work ◽  
Work Health ◽  
Paid Parental Leave ◽  
Specific Regulation

Two themes in legislative activity in 2010 were national uniformity and some movement in using law to promote equality, especially gender equality. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) came into full effect with the commencement of the new safety net provisions and the referral to the Commonwealth of industrial relations powers over private-sector workforces in all states except Western Australia. Progress continued on the promised harmonization of Australian occupational health and safety laws with the release of a model Work Health and Safety Bill by Safe Work Australia, although developments in some states threaten to derail the process. An attempt to repeal most of the industry-specific regulation of the building and construction industry failed. The Federal Parliament passed legislation establishing a national paid parental leave scheme, and a number of changes to federal discrimination laws came into effect or were proposed, including the potential consolidation of federal discrimination legislation. This article provides an overview of these developments at federal level and concludes with a discussion of developments in the states including a brief overview of Victoria’s new equal opportunity legislation.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Australian Healthcare Workers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Intentions across Settings: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Jessica Kaufman ◽  
Kathleen L. Bagot ◽  
Monsurul Hoq ◽  
Julie Leask ◽  
Holly Seale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Care Workers

Healthcare workers’ COVID-19 vaccination coverage is important for staff and patient safety, workforce capacity and patient uptake. We aimed to identify COVID-19 vaccine intentions, factors associated with uptake and information needs for healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia. We administered a cross-sectional online survey to healthcare workers in hospitals, primary care and aged or disability care settings (12 February–26 March 2021). The World Health Organization Behavioural and Social Drivers of COVID-19 vaccination framework informed survey design and framing of results. Binary regression results adjusted for demographics provide risk differences between those intending and not intending to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 3074 healthcare workers completed the survey. Primary care healthcare workers reported the highest intention to accept a COVID-19 vaccine (84%, 755/898), followed by hospital-based (77%, 1396/1811) and aged care workers (67%, 243/365). A higher proportion of aged care workers were concerned about passing COVID-19 to their patients compared to those working in primary care or hospitals. Only 25% felt they had sufficient information across five vaccine topics, but those with sufficient information had higher vaccine intentions. Approximately half thought vaccines should be mandated. Despite current high vaccine rates, our results remain relevant for booster programs and future vaccination rollouts.

scholarly journals COVID-19: How the Radiology Department Should Combat this Global Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvi Modi ◽  
Mitusha Verma ◽  
Gauri Ahuja ◽  
Deepak Patkar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Radiology Department ◽  
Computerised Tomography ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Accurate Reporting

The impact of the global pandemic due to novel Coronavirus Disease (nCOVID-19) has been braced by all medical subspecialties, including the radiology department. As Computerised Tomography (CT) of the chest as well as radiographs gain more and more importance in diagnosing, following up and prognosticating this respiratory infection, it becomes essential to have set protocols in place regarding imaging, disinfection and departmental workflow to ensure smooth functioning and protection of patients and health care workers. We have formulated the “AMMO” protocol as a guide to smooth functioning of the radiology department, which enumerates the steps to be taken for organisation of patient workload, organising equipment, disinfection protocols, maintaining the health and safety of radiology healthcare workers along with timely and accurate reporting. By combining the established guidelines and the knowledge gained from our experience at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, this article aims to provide a reference in the management of radiology departments during this pandemic.

Quality in residential care: exploring residents’, family members’, managers’ and staff perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrystal Jaye ◽  
June Tordoff ◽  
Mary Butler ◽  
Beatrice Hale ◽  
Roz McKechnie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Residential Care ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Constant Comparative Method

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the indicators of quality in care for people working and living in aged residential care (ARC) settings. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted using an ethnographic design in two distinct ARC facilities in a New Zealand city, a large facility with residential, dementia and hospital level care, and a small family owned facility providing residential care only. In total, 50 hours of observational data were collected, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 people, including managers, careworkers, nurses, family members and residents. These data were thematically analysed using the constant comparative method. Findings The main indicators of quality for staff, family and residents included: a home-like, friendly and safe environment; good medical and personal care; respect for the residents; and good staff. Participants also acknowledged the need for adjustments by residents to living in aged care; and the challenges of caring for increasingly frail residents. Originality/value Findings support the growing recognition of a need for resident-centred approaches to ARC that are reflected in government policy and regulatory apparatus. Managers in ARC facilities must balance adherence with health and safety standards, and providing an environment where their residents can enjoy a meaningful life that has purpose and value.

scholarly journals Investigations, actions and learning from an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers in the United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
pp. 175717742097679
Author(s):  
Kordo Saeed ◽  
Emanuela Pelosi ◽  
Nitin Mahobia ◽  
Nicola White ◽  
Christopher Labdon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Current Infection ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
A Current

Background: We report an outbreak of SARS coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare workers (HCW) in an NHS elective healthcare facility. Methodology: A narrative chronological account of events after declaring an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 among HCWs. As part of the investigations, HCWs were offered testing during the outbreak. These were: (1) screening by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) to detect a current infection; and (2) serum samples to determine seroprevalence. Results: Over 180 HCWs were tested by real-time RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The rate of infection was 15.2% (23.7% for clinical or directly patient-facing HCWs vs. 4.8% in non-clinical non-patient-facing HCWs). Of the infected HCWs, 57% were asymptomatic. Seroprevalence (SARS-CoV-2 IgG) among HCWs was 13%. It was challenging to establish an exact source for the outbreak. The importance of education, training, social distancing and infection prevention practices were emphasised. Additionally, avoidance of unnecessary transfer of patients and minimising cross-site working for staff and early escalation were highlighted. Establishing mass and regular screening for HCWs are also crucial to enabling the best care for patients while maintaining the wellbeing of staff. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first UK outbreak report among HCWs and we hope to have highlighted some key issues and learnings that can be considered by other NHS staff and HCWs globally when dealing with such a task in future.

Gaining access to the field in medical ethnography: Reflections on ethical, methodological, and structural challenges in the study of long-term care facilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 136345932098887
Author(s):  
Neta Roitenberg
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Care ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Access To The Field ◽  
Medical Ethnography

The article extends the discussion on the challenges in gaining access to the field in medical ethnographic research, focusing on long-term care (LTC) facilities. Medical institutions have been documented to be difficult sites to access. The reference, however, is to the recruitment of patients as informants. The challenges of recruiting practitioners as informants have not been investigated at all. The article presents the key issues that emerged in the process of gaining social access at the sites of two LTC facilities as part of a study on care workers’ identities. The main obstacles encountered during the fieldwork were organizational constraints and negotiating control over the process of recruiting the lower occupational tier of care workers with gatekeepers. The article presents the coping strategies implemented to overcome the ethical and methodological obstacles: continually reassessing the consent and cooperation of participants and developing a rapport with nurse’s aides during interviews.

scholarly journals The Healthcare Sector Employer’s Duty of Care: Implications for Worker Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6015
Author(s):  
Melissa McDiarmid ◽  
Marian Condon ◽  
Joanna Gaitens
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Extreme Risk

Pandemic diseases of this century have differentially targeted healthcare workers globally. These infections include Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Ebola. The COVID-19 pandemic has continued this pattern, putting healthcare workers at extreme risk. Just as healthcare workers have historically been committed to the service of their patients, providing needed care, termed their “duty of care”, so too do healthcare employers have a similar ethical duty to provide care toward their employees arising from historical common law requirements. This paper reports on results of a narrative review performed to assess COVID-19 exposure and disease development in healthcare workers as a function of employer duty of care program elements adopted in the workplace. Significant duty of care deficiencies reported early in the pandemic most commonly involved lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) availability. Beyond worker safety, we also provide evidence that an additional benefit of employer duty of care actions is a greater sense of employee well-being, thus aiding in the prevention of healthcare worker burnout.

scholarly journals Turnover Intention Among Direct Care Workers of Older Adults in Chinese Hospitals and Nursing Homes

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 86-86
Author(s):  
Zhenzhen Zhang ◽  
Shuangshuang Wang ◽  
Nengliang (Aaron) Yao ◽  
Zhang Zhenzhen
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Turnover Intention ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Identity Transformation ◽  
Direct Care ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Direct Care Workers ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The Government

Abstract High retention rates among direct care workers (DCWs) affect the quality of aged care. However, limited research has explored factors associated with retention in the Chinese aged care industry. This study compared turnover intention and job satisfaction among DCWs in Chinese hospitals and nursing homes. A total 370 DCWs from 7 hospitals (297 contractual, 73 non-contractual) and 311 DCWs from 7 nursing homes (27 contractual, 284 non-contractual) located in Fujian, China were recruited to fill out a questionnaire. Overall, DCWs from hospitals reported lower turnover intention (20.5 % vs 37.0%) and higher levels of job satisfaction (31.1% vs 16.4%) than DCWs from nursing homes. Specifically, contractual DCWs from hospitals indicated lower turnover intention (14.8%) than non-contractual DCWs from hospitals (43.8%) and both types of DCWs from nursing homes (36.3% and 44.4%). Higher job satisfaction was associated with lower turnover intention, but did not mediate the association between DCW types and turnover intention. Findings suggested that the government and institutions should help DCWs complete the identity transformation from non-contractual DCWs to contractual DCWs to enhance job security and benefits. For nursing home DCWs, licensing and registration requirements shall meet the standards for hospital DCWs. Attention is also to be paid to working conditions and staff welfare of DCWs, including social insurance, pensions, and trainings, to improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover intention.

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