scholarly journals “We Are Taking Every Precaution to Do Our Part...”: A Comparative Analysis of Nursing, Palliative and Hospice Care Facilities’ Websites During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabahat Ölcer ◽  
Mohamed Idris ◽  
Yüce Yilmaz-Aslan ◽  
Patrick Brzoska
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Care Facilities

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on health care processes. Precautions such as restrictions imposed on visitors and social distancing have led to multiple challenges, particularly in terms of communication. Using the case of nursing, palliative and hospice care facilities in Germany and drawing on agenda-setting theory, the present study aims to shed light on how health care facilities use their websites to inform (potential) health care users about changes in regulations, new protective measures implemented and about recommendations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The websites of nursing, palliative and hospice care facilities in Germany were examined using qualitative document analysis and qualitative content analysis. A total of 138 websites was analysed in the study. The data gathered includes all the information about COVID-19 on these websites published from the beginning of March until August 15, 2020. Results: Facilities show similarities in adhering to the measures taken by the authorities to restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to protect vulnerable patients and employees. The message of avoiding to pay visits to patients in facilities unless there was an emergency was shared between facilities; however, visiting procedures in practice varied by types of facilities. For optimal communication, telephone and especially video calls were the options preferred by healthcare providers and health care users. Facilities made great efforts to prevent emotional stress and to strengthen resilience among all stakeholders. Transparency was adopted by many facilities in order to build the public’s trust. Conclusion: The agenda of health care facilities has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study sheds light on the strategies developed by facilities, their efforts to increase emotional resilience among health care staff and health care users, the ethical guidelines they have adopted regarding privacy policies as well as how these themes are communicated via the facilities’ websites. The results can inform other health care facilities about how websites can be used as essential communication tools in times of public health crises.

scholarly journals “We are taking every precaution to do our part…”: a comparative analysis of nursing, palliative and hospice care facilities’ websites during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabahat Ölcer ◽  
Mohamed Idris¹ ◽  
Yüce Yilmaz-Aslan ◽  
Patrick Brzoska
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Care Facilities

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on health care processes. Precautions such as restrictions imposed on visitors and social distancing have led to multiple challenges, particularly in terms of communication. Using the case of nursing, palliative and hospice care facilities in Germany and drawing on agenda-setting theory, the present study aims to shed light on how health care facilities use their websites to inform (potential) health care users about changes in regulations, new protective measures implemented and about recommendations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The websites of nursing, palliative and hospice care facilities in Germany were examined using qualitative document analysis and qualitative content analysis. A total of 138 websites was analysed in the study. The data gathered includes all information about COVID-19 on these websites published from the beginning of March until August 15, 2020. Results Facilities show similarities in adhering to the measures taken by the authorities to restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to protect vulnerable patients and employees. All facilities urged the public to avoid paying visits to patients in facilities unless there was an emergency; however, visiting procedures in practice varied by types of facilities. For optimal communication, telephone and especially video calls were the options preferred by health care providers and health care users. Facilities made great efforts to prevent emotional stress and to strengthen resilience among all stakeholders. Transparency was adopted by many facilities in order to build the public’s trust. Conclusions The agenda of health care facilities has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study sheds light on the strategies developed by facilities, their efforts to increase emotional resilience among health care staff and health care users, the ethical guidelines they have adopted regarding privacy policies as well as how these themes are communicated via the facilities’ websites. The results can inform other health care facilities about how websites can be used as essential communication tools in times of public health crises.

scholarly journals Attitudes of Pregnant Women Towards Antenatal Care Services Provided in Primary Health Care Facilities of Mbombela Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 569-575
Author(s):  
Lucia Drigo ◽  
Masane Luvhengo ◽  
Rachel T. Lebese ◽  
Lufuno Makhado
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Primary Health Care Facilities

Background: Pregnant woman’s personal experience of antenatal care services can either be positive or negative; however, knowledge and experience appear to be of paramount importance in shaping their attitudes towards any healthcare-related services. This implies that women's experience of antenatal care services may affect their decision for seeking antenatal care in their present pregnancy, which can lead them to delay seeking care. Purpose: This study sought to explore the attitudes of pregnant women towards antenatal care services provided in primary health care facilities of Mbombela Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative exploratory descriptive study design was used for this study. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample pregnant women who fail to attend antenatal services as expected. Data were collected through face to face unstructured in-depth interview. A total of eighteen pregnant women participated in the study until data saturation. Data were analysed using Tech’s method of analysis. Results: Results revealed the following theme and sub-themes: Attitudes of pregnant women related to individual perceptions, perceived barriers to utilizing antenatal care services,’ attitudes of healthcare providers, long waiting times in healthcare facilities, lack privacy and confidentiality in healthcare facilities and attitudes of pregnant women related to attendance of antenatal services. Conclusion: Attitudes of pregnant women about antenatal care are shaped by their knowledge and previous encounters with the health care services that they had previously received. It is therefore important to provide women-friendly services. It is recommended that health education regarding the importance of antenatal care services must be given to all women daily in the waiting areas of each primary health care facilities, thus, the healthcare providers should promote the active participation of pregnant women during the health education sessions and provide opportunities to ask questions.

scholarly journals Barriers to reporting clinical errors in operating theatres and intensive care units of a university hospital: a qualitative study

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedighe Ghobadian ◽  
Mansour Zahiri ◽  
Behnaz Dindamal ◽  
Hossein Dargahi ◽  
Farzad Faraji-Khiavi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Operating Theatre ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Organizational Problems

Abstract Background Clinical errors are one of the challenges of health care in different countries, and obtaining accurate statistics regarding clinical errors in most countries is a difficult process which varies from one study to another. The current study was conducted to identify barriers to reporting clinical errors in the operating theatre and the intensive care unit of a university hospital. Methods This qualitative study was conducted in the operating theatre and intensive care unit of a university hospital. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with health care staff, senior doctors, and surgical assistants. Data analysis was carried out through listening to the recorded interviews and developing transcripts of the interviews. Meaning units were identified and codified based on the type of discussion. Then, codes which had a common concept were grouped under one category. Finally, the codes and designated categories were analysed, discussed and confirmed by a panel of four experts of qualitative content analysis, and the main existing problems were identified and derived. Results Barriers to reporting clinical errors were extracted in two themes: individual problems and organizational problems. Individual problems included 4 categories and 12 codes and organizational problems included 6 categories and 17 codes. The results showed that in the majority of cases, nurses expressed their desire to change the current prevailing attitudes in the workplace while doctors expected the officials to implement reform policies regarding clinical errors in university hospitals. Conclusion In order to alleviate the barriers to reporting clinical errors, both individual and organizational problems should be addressed and resolved. At an individual level, training nursing and medical teams on error recognition is recommended. In order to solve organizational problems, on the other hand, the process of reporting clinical errors should be improved as far as the nursing team is concerned, but when it comes to the medical team, addressing legal loopholes should be given full consideration.

scholarly journals Identifying Health Care Environment Contradictions in Terms of Infection Control during a Pandemic with a Focus on Health Workers’ Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9964
Author(s):  
Maryam Lesan ◽  
Fatemeh Khozaei ◽  
Mi-Jeong Kim ◽  
Marziyeh Shahidi Nejad
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Environment

During the past year, health care environments have struggled to cope with the various impacts of COVID-19 around the world. Health care facilities need to help strengthen resistance to pathogen threats and provide care for patients and health workers in the safest possible way. Architectural design strategies can play a significant role in infection prevention and control. The current study aims to examine the experiences of health workers with hospital spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying the difficulties they face, the present study attempts to shed light on the role of the health care layout configuration in combating pandemics. The authors conducted observations at four hospitals and a series of online semi-structured interviews with 162 health care staff from March to May 2020. The study indicated that space configuration and the hospitalization of patients, layout and circulation of the environment, operation services such as indoor environment conditions, maintenance of health care system, and organizational support for health care staff were the most critical factors affecting infection control in health care environments. The initial zoning and separation of patients were the most effective methods of controlling infection. Hospitals with clustered plan layouts were found to be the most effective buildings for the zoning of COVID-19 patients during the pandemic and for infection control.

Use of Thin Dressings Under N95 Respirators: Exploring Their Effect on Quantitative Fit Testing Results to Guide Hospital Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 13-17
Author(s):  
Susan Guschel ◽  
Karen Chmiel ◽  
Jennifer Rosenstein
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Skin Barrier ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Hydrocolloid Dressing ◽  
Effective Seal ◽  
N95 Respirators

At the beginning of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic, health care staff at a level 1 trauma center in the state of New York experienced facial irritation and skin breakdown under their N95 respirators due to increased and prolonged use. PURPOSE: Members of the Certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse, Nurse Practitioners staff were charged with developing recommendations within 48 hours to help prevent and manage facial skin issues using available products that would not compromise the seal of the respirators. METHOD: With the assistance of a health care safety specialist from the Environmental Health and Safety Department of the hospital, an ambient particle counting device was used to measure the N95 fit factor following application of a liquid skin barrier, transparent film dressing, light silicone-based adhesive dressing, or an extra-thin hydrocolloid dressing on the bridge of the nose and the cheekbones underneath an N95 respirator of 2 hospital staff members who volunteered to test the dressings. RESULTS: All thin dressings tested showed a fit factor over 100, reflecting an effective seal. The highest fit factors were seen with the liquid skin barrier in the 2 volunteers (200 and 198, respectively). Thin dressing usage information was included in the hospital guidelines for N95 respirators and shared with staff. Subsequent feedback suggests that the light silicone-based adhesive dressing and the extra-thin hydrocolloid dressing were preferred. CONCLUSION: Thin dressing use may help reduce skin complications among hospital staff during periods of extended N95 respirator wear time. Because use of the dressings did not result in failure of the quantitative fit test, they were permitted for use by health care staff under their N95 respirators. Studies are needed to help health care facilities optimize N95 respirator use to protect staff from coronavirus disease-19 and respirator-related skin complications while supply shortages remain.

Health care staff's opinions about existential issues among patients with cancer

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Browall ◽  
Christina Melin-Johansson ◽  
Susann Strang ◽  
Ella Danielson ◽  
Ingela Henoch
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Existential Issues

AbstractObjective:The objective of this study was to explore health care staff's opinions about what existential issues are important to patients with cancer and staff's responsibility when existential issues are raised by patients.Method:Four focus group interviews were conducted with health care staff (N = 23) at an in-patient hospice, on an oncology ward, on a surgical ward, and with a palliative home health care team. The focus group interviews focused on two questions, first, about health care staff's opinions about patients' important existential questions and, second, about health care staff's responsibility when existential issues are raised by the patient. The interviews were taperecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis into subcategories and categories.Results:Four categories and 11 subcategories emerged from the first question. The first category, “life and death,” was based on joy of living and thoughts of dying. The second category “meaning,” consisted of acceptance, reevaluation, hope, and faith. The third category, “freedom of choice,” consisted of responsibility and integrity, and the fourth and last category, “relationships and solitude,” consisted of alleviation, dependency, and loss. One category emerged from the second question about the health care staff's responsibility, “to achieve an encounter,” which was based on the subcategories time and space, attitudes, and invitation and confirmation.Significance of results:One strength of this study was that the findings were fairly congruent in different settings and in different geographical areas. Health care staff were aware of the importance of existential issues to patients. The existential issues, mentioned by health care staff, are similar to findings from studies conducted among patients, which is another strength of the present study. Health care staff are also confident about how to act when these issues are raised by the patients. The challenge for the future is to implement the findings from this study among health care staff in different settings.

scholarly journals Simplified Strategies for COVID-19 Surge Management in Critical Care in Resource-Limited Areas – An Aide-Mémoire

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehraj Ud Din ◽  
Prashant Hegde
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Organ Support ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Hospital Institution

Purpose of this document Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2. We are facing an unprecedented situation globally because of the COVID-19 pandemic where extraordinary measures are needed continually on war footing. The goal being to save maximum lives while protecting health care staff. A competent emergency response system must incorporate necessary resources, relevant knowledge, attitudes and skills. Ring-fencing by clustering patients, experts and pooling of resources will go a long way in containing the pandemic locally. While detailed disaster response policies and guidelines are available from different societies and national bodies, this concise paper presents an aide-mémoire in a simplistic manner, since clarity of thought is key to effective preparation and sustained response. [1-5] Based on a review of various guidelines and literature search, key considerations are presented in a concise format to facilitate chalking out a suitable response strategy locally. [6-10] The following five key areas should be considered in the hospital/institution while planning for increasing Critical Care capacity to cope with anticipated COVID-19 surge. 1. Structure 2. Staffing 3. Space 4. Supplies and equipment 5. Sustainability and Staff Well being Structure (Management & Chain of Command) Anticipate: • There is going to be a sudden peak and surge in COVID-19 patients with many requiring Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission requiring organ support particularly m e c h a n i c a l v e n t i l a t i o n w h i c h w i l l overwhelm existing health care facilities. Blueprint: • Establish a central/regional ICU COVID- 19 coordination center with dedicated and expert man power, which will guide and monitor all the ICU admissions and resource allocation in the entire region while maintaining continual contact with networking hospitals. • Lay down and circulate policies and guidelines

scholarly journals Guidelines for Frontline Health Care Staff Safety for COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272093804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrance L. Baker ◽  
Jack V. Greiner ◽  
Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt ◽  
P. Henri Lamothe ◽  
Modesta Vesonder
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Allied Health Care ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Facility Staff

This document establishes safety guidelines for physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff who may be exposed to patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a health care facility. SARS-CoV-2 infection is highly contagious and places health care workers at risk for infection resulting in coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff in all frontline environments must be provided and utilize necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). It is important that health care staff adopt a universal set of guidelines in which to conduct themselves in order to minimize infection with the SARS-CoV-2 contagion. The establishment of these guidelines is necessary in this viral pandemic since such directives can create a standard of safety that is universally accepted. These guidelines establish a framework to provide consistency among health care facilities and staff from the time the staff member arrives at the health care facility until they return home. These guidelines provide a practical description of the minimum necessary protection for physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The Hospice Decision: Psychosocial Facilitators and Barriers

1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis P. McNeilly ◽  
Kristine Hillary
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Home Health ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Hospice Patient

This study examined the social and contextual process of discussion and decision making around the use of the hospice in order to clarify the facilitative and obstructive aspects to hospice patient entry. Four participants groups of physicians, hospice and home health care patient family survivors, and hospice and home health care staff, completed four complementary mail surveys of their discussions and decision process for hospice care. Non-parametric analysis of the data reaffirmed the central and key role of the physician as the expected initiator and gatekeeper of the hospice discussion and decision-making process. Physicians were found generally aware of hospice and to have discussed hospice with their patients, though that awareness and the frequency of hospice patient discussions varied by the type of medical practice. Patient family survivors were unaware of hospice prior to the terminal illness, with a majority of hospice patient family survivors receiving their initial hospice information from relatives. Implications of these results and issues for future research are identified.

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