Mental illness among NHS health care workers: a survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-135
Author(s):  
Simon Sherring
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Evil Spirits

The literature suggests that mental illness among UK health care staff is common. This study reports health care workers' knowledge and experience of mental illness. Medical staff, administration staff and other staff members employed in four NHS Trusts (n=2073) responded to a questionnaire survey. A proportion of health care workers in the NHS reported having personal (colleagues, family and self) experience of mental illness. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that are not evidence based. This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based; for example, some respondents reported that demonic possession or possession by evil spirits was a very good explanation for mental illness.

Mental illness among NHS health care workers: a survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Sherring
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Evil Spirits

The literature suggests that mental illness among UK health care staff is common. This study reports health care workers' knowledge and experience of mental illness. Medical staff, administration staff and other staff members employed in four NHS Trusts (n=2073) responded to a questionnaire survey. A proportion of health care workers in the NHS reported having personal (colleagues, family and self) experience of mental illness. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that are not evidence based. This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based; for example, some respondents reported that demonic possession or possession by evil spirits was a very good explanation for mental illness.

scholarly journals Letter to the Editor: Burnout Management among Health Care Workers in the Age of Coronavirus Disease-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (E) ◽  
pp. 382-385
Author(s):  
Mohsen Khosravi ◽  
Alireza Ganjali
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Burnout Syndrome ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Workers

AIM: We aimed to understand the early warning signs and symptoms of occupational burnout as red flags among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Based on the suggestions of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies [8], health-care providers need to be trained to increase three components of resilience across the three levels of individual, team, and organization so that they can optimally manage their psychological responses to catastrophes. RESULTS: It seems that both targeted individual and organizational strategies are critical for the overall wellness of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Health care workers experience high levels of burnout during the COVID-19, which warrants attention and support from health policy-makers and practitioners. Current evidence demonstrated that health-care staff could gain significant benefits from interventions to modify burnout syndrome, especially from organization-directed interventions.

scholarly journals A Personal Respirator Specification for Health-care Workers Treating COVID-19 (PeRSo)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Elkington ◽  
Alexander Dickinson ◽  
Mark Mavrogordato ◽  
Dan Spencer ◽  
Ric Gillams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Care Workers

The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a rapidly spreading global pandemic. Recent media coverage has highlighted the importance of protecting health-care workers together with issues surrounding availability and suitability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Around 20% of healthcare workers treating COVID19 cases in Italy have become infected which leads to staff absence at a critical point during the pandemic, and unfortunately in some cases mortality.PPE plays a major role in control programs. Standard PPE such as N95/FFP3 facemasks have limitations such as an ineffective seal during talking or after prolonged use, face shapes which cannot be adequately fitted, and logistical issues ensuring availability of the correct mask for each person. Furthermore, global stock is low, and issues around diagnostic testing specificity and turnaround time may lead to infectious patients receiving care from health care staff who are not wearing appropriate PPE. To address acute shortcomings in PPE availability, we have developed a simple pressurised air purified respirator unit, incorporating a combination of inexpensive and widely available components parts. The prototype was developed to minimise the number and complexity of manufacturing steps with the intention that derivative versions could be developed in many different parts of the world, including low resource settings with minor modification, where transmission could be rapid amongst high population densities.The “Personal Respirator – Southampton” (PeRSo) delivers HEPA filtered air from a battery powered fan-filter assembly through a lightweight hood/face mask that can be comfortably worn for several hours. Initial user feedback provided by doctors and nurses shows the PeRSo prototype was preferred to standard N95/FFP3 masks, being more comfortable, reducing time lost placing and removing PPE between patients, and allowing better communication. Preliminary tests indicate that the device removes microbes and passes the “fit tests” widely used to evaluate face masks. Full verification of the safety and the duration of effectiveness and durability of the device is required, as part of translation into use. Rapid upscale of production is required to protect healthcare workers from infection while the global situation accelerates, so that they can look after patients during the peak of the pandemic.

scholarly journals A tribute to nurses; the front-line soldiers who are ready to sacrifice their lives in the war against COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Aurang Zeb
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Unique Type ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The World ◽  
Almost All

In the late December 2019, a unique type of pneumonia was observed in Wuhan city and was reported by China Centre for Disease Control (China CDC). The pathogen was identifed on January 07, 2020 and was named as COVID-19. The COVID-19 has transmission rate more than MERS-COV and SARS-COV. The fatality rate, so far, is around 5% that is more than the common infuenza.1 According to WHO report until the end of June, 2020, there are approximately 10 million confrmed cases worldwide with total approximately 0.5 million deaths. In Pakistan alone until now there are 0.2 million confrmed cases with more than 4000 deaths.2 The whole world is affected by this pandemic psychosocially, economically and physically. To control the spread of infection almost all the countries have started lockdowns. Majority of them are following smart lockdowns where the infected cluster population is sealed only and the restrictions on economic activities are under the safety guidelines. The scientists and medical experts are trying to develop treatment and vaccine against the infection.3 Those who have already got the infections have been quarantined and those with severe symptoms are hospitalized for treatment almost all-over the world. The health care staff including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedical staff are struggling for the prevention and cure of the disease. This struggle makes them on risk for getting infection by themselves. Thousands of doctors and nurses have already been affected by the infections and hundreds of them have sacrificed their lives in fighting against it. Among all the health care workers, nurses are the professionals who spent more time than the other with the patients and are directly involved in care of the infected patients. Over 20 million nurses worldwide are fighting as front-line soldiers against COVID-19 all-over the world4 and because of the unique patient facing nature of the profession, nurses are at high occupational risk in communities and hospitals.5 It would not be wrong to say that the most vulnerable professionals in this life-threatening pandemic are nurses. Nurses need to be supported by the government and non-governmental organizations by providing them safe environment and protective equipment. Their duties should be scheduled as per WHO recommendations and they need to be compensated in terms of treatment and screening test if anyone of them is suspected for the infection. Today, the health care workers are the real heroes and nurses are the front-line members of the team. The brave efforts of these frontline soldiers are acknowledged all over the world and they have been saluted.

scholarly journals The Psychological Experience of Frontline Perioperative Health Care Staff in Responding to COVID-19: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Withiel ◽  
Elizabeth Barson ◽  
Irene Ng ◽  
Reny Segal ◽  
Daryl Lindsay Goulding Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Team Leadership ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Frontline Staff ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Psychological Impacts

BACKGROUND The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has presented immeasurable challenges to health care workers who remain at the frontline of the pandemic. A rapidly evolving body of literature has quantitatively demonstrated significant psychological impacts of the pandemic on health care workers. However, little is known about the lived experience of the pandemic for frontline medical staff. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the qualitative experience of perioperative staff from a large trauma hospital in Melbourne, Australia. METHODS Inductive thematic analysis using a critical realist approach was used to analyze data from 9 semistructured interviews. RESULTS Four key themes were identified. <i>Hospital preparedness</i> related to the perceived readiness of the hospital to respond to the pandemic and encompassed key subthemes around communication of policy changes, team leadership, and resource availability. Perceptions of readiness contributed to the perceived <i>psychological impacts of the pandemic</i>, which were highly varied and ranged from anger to anxiety. A number of <i>coping strategies</i> were identified in response to psychological impacts which incorporated both internal and external coping mechanisms. Finally, <i>adaptation with time</i> reflected change and growth over time, and encompassed all other themes. CONCLUSIONS While frontline staff and hospitals have rapidly marshalled a response to managing the virus, relatively less consideration was seen regarding staff mental health in our study. Findings highlight the vulnerability of health care workers in response to the pandemic and reinforce the need for a coordinated approach to managing mental health.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE WORKERS ON NEWBORN CARE COMPONENTS: A QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL COMPARATIVE STUDY

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pandiamunian Jayabal ◽  
Ishwarya Thaniarasu
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Government Health ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Workers

ABSTRACTObjective: This study was done to evaluate the knowledge of primary health-care workers about the newborn care components.Methods: The Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained, and a cross-sectional study was carried out among the primary health-careworkers of Karaikal using a pretested questionnaire from January 2015 to March 2015. The questionnaire contained questions on various domains ofnewborn care components. The study participants were explained about the study. Verbal informed consent was obtained, and the questionnaire wasintroduced to 383 health-care workers. The answered questionnaires were collected and analyzed.Results: A total of 349 participants (192-government employees; 157-private employees) were willing to take part in the study. Most (54.7%) of thegovernment participants were nurses and auxiliary nurse midwives (43.2%) whereas the private sector participants were predominantly (79%)nurses. The knowledge level about some of the newborn care components, namely, positioning and attachment, advice on discharge, time of follow-upcheckup, bad child rearing practices, and danger signs of newborn were assessed to be predominantly inadequate among a majority of health workersof both sectors. 22.29% and 41.1% of the private health-care workers and government health-care workers respectively, were having an overalladequate knowledge (overall score >75%) on newborn care components. Knowledge of the government health workers was significantly better thanprivate health-care staff (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Knowledge is found to be inadequate among health-care workers on some newborn care components which necessitate measures toimprove.Keywords: Newborn care, Nurses, Midwives, Inadequate knowledge, Training programs. 

scholarly journals Severe acute respiratory disease in health-care workers during the influenza H1N1 pandemic in Argentina

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (01) ◽  
pp. 036-040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Pryluka ◽  
Gustavo Lopardo ◽  
Lucia Daciuk ◽  
Daniel Stecher ◽  
Pablo Bonvehi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
General Population ◽  
Respiratory Disease ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Hospitalization Rate ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Acute Respiratory Disease ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Increased Risk

Introduction: During the 2009 influenza H1N1virus pandemic, health-care workers were exposed to elevated risk of infection. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk for severe acute respiratory disease (SARD) in this population during the pandemic period in Argentina. Methodology: we conducted a retrospective survey in which all members of the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases were invited to answer an online survey providing information on health-care staff working at their hospital or health center, who were hospitalized for SARD, between May and August 2009. Results were compared to population-based SARD surveillance data obtained from the Ministry of Public Health. Results: Fifty hospitals completed the survey. Out of a total population of 58,902 health-care workers, 41 were reported to have been hospitalized for SARD (hospitalization rate 69.6/100000), 19 of whom tested positive for H1N1 using real time polymerase chain reaction. Hospitalization rate in the general population during the same time period was 20.3/100000 (p < 0.01), thus indicating increased SARD hospitalization risk in health-care workers (OR 3.1 95% CI: 2.3 - 4.1; p < 0.01). Conclusions: During the 2009 pandemic, health-care workers in Argentina suffered increased risk of hospitalization due to SARD compared to the general population. We recommend immunization of all personnel, as well as enforcing stricter infection control measures in hospitals to prevent future transmission of influenza H1N1virus.

Children’s Participation in the Decision-Making Process During Hospitalization: an observational study

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 583-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Runeson ◽  
Inger Hallström ◽  
Gunnel Elander ◽  
Göran Hermerén
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Children’S Participation ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Children's Participation ◽  
Degree Of Participation

Twenty-four children (aged 5 months to 18 years) who were admitted to a university hospital were observed for a total of 135 hours with the aim of describing their degree of participation in decisions concerning their own care. Grading of their participation was made by using a 5-point scale. An assessment was also made of what was considered as optimal participation in each situation. The results indicate that children are not always allowed to participate in decision making to the extent that is considered optimal. In no case was it judged that a child participated in or was forced to make a decision that was too difficult for the child. The interactions between children, parents and staff were also described in connection with discussions and decision-making processes. This showed that parents do not always support their children in difficult situations and that health care staff often inform children about what is going to happen without presenting alternatives or asking for their views. Staff may, however, find themselves facing an ethical conflict in deciding between supporting a child’s view or following hospital routine. It is of great importance that children are looked upon as potentially autonomous individuals and that staff members realize that one of their core duties is to facilitate children’s participation in decision making concerning their health care.

Intrusion into Patient Privacy: a moral concern in the home care of persons with chronic mental illness

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 399-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabella Magnusson ◽  
Kim Lützén
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Chronic Mental Illness ◽  
Moral Concern ◽  
Patient Privacy ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Constant Comparative Analysis

The aim of this study was to identify and analyse ethical decision making in the home care of persons with long-term mental illness. A focus was placed on how health care workers interpret and deal with the principle of autonomy in actual situations. Three focus groups involving mental health nurses who were experienced in the home care of persons with chronic mental illness were conducted in order to stimulate an interactive dialogue on this topic. A constant comparative analysis of the transcribed audiotaped sessions identified a central theme that concerned the moral symbolic meaning of ‘home’. This reflected the health care workers’ conflict between their professional role and their moral role, which they perceived as unclear.

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