A Scalable Forecasting Framework to Predict COVID-19 Hospital Bed Occupancy

We present a scalable forecasting framework with a Monte Carlo simulation to forecast the short-term bed occupancy of patients with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 in intensive care units and regular wards. Our forecasts were a central part of the official weekly reports of the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care from May 2020 to March 2021.

Care and compassion at time of pandemic: an ICU field experience in Italy

After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in March 2020, the majority of hospital policies have followed guidelines aimed to prevent the virus transmission and the families’ entry was denied in all hospital wards and intensive care units (ICU). Despite being necessary, such restrictions have been experienced with discomfort and sufferings by the general ICU staff of Treviso Hospital (Italy) and by families of patients. Therefore, from April 2020, a step-by-step project was developed to reactivate contact with COVID-19 patients’ families. The several requests and appeals of intensive care communities and organizations, both nationally and internationally, motivated the Treviso hospital initiative, leading to a model that might be potentially useful to other intensive care units worldwide.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Barriers of Newly Graduated Registered Nurses Undergoing Standardized Training in Intensive Care Unit Toward Early Mobilization of Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Qualitative Study in Shanghai

Aim: To explore the knowledge and attitudes of newly graduated registered nurses, who have undergone standardized training in the intensive care unit, about the early mobilization of mechanically ventilated patients and identify perceived barriers to the application of early mobilization.Background: Early mobilization of mechanically ventilated patients has been gradually gaining attention, and its safety and effectiveness have also been verified. Nurses in intensive care units are the implementers of early mobilization, and the quality of their care is closely related to patient prognosis. However, the knowledge and attitude of newly graduated registered nurses undergoing standardized training, in intensive care units, on the early mobilization of mechanically ventilated patients and the obstacles they face in clinical implementation are still unclear.Methods: This qualitative study utilized the phenomenological method to explore the experiences of 15 newly graduated registered nurses undergoing standardized training in intensive care units in a 3rd hospital in Shanghai, China. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted in June 2020. The Colaizzi seven-step framework was used for data analysis.Findings: A total of 15 new nurses comprised the final sample after data saturation. Three main themes emerged from the analysis and seven subthemes: perceived importance, low implementation rate, and perceived barriers.Conclusions: Newly graduated registered nurses undergoing standardized training in intensive care units have a high level of awareness of the importance of early mobilization of mechanically ventilated patients and are willing to implement it. However, there is a lack of relevant knowledge and other obstacles that restrict clinical implementation. Early mobilization should be included in the standardized training of new nurses in intensive care units.