A Group Intervention to Promote Resilience in Nursing Professionals: A Randomised Controlled Trial

In this study, a new group intervention program to foster resilience in nursing professionals was tested for efficacy. In total, 72 nurses were recruited and randomised to either an intervention condition or to a wait list control condition. The study had a pre-test, post-test, follow-up design. The eight-week program targeted six resilience factors: cognitive flexibility, coping, self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-care, and mindfulness. Compared to the control group, the intervention group reported a significant improvement in the primary outcome mental health (measured with the General Health Questionnaire) from pre-test (M = 20.79; SD = 9.85) to post-test (M = 15.81; SD = 7.13) with an estimated medium effect size (p = 0.03, η2 = 0.08) at post-test. Further significant improvements were found for resilience and other resilience related outcomes measures. The individual stressor load of the subjects was queried retrospectively in each measurement. Stress levels had a significant influence on mental health. The intervention effect was evident even though the stress level in both groups did not change significantly between the measurements. Follow-up data suggest that the effects were sustained for up to six months after intervention. The resilience intervention reduced mental burden in nurses and also positively affected several additional psychological outcomes.

Precursors and outcomes of work engagement among nursing professionals—a cross-sectional study

Background Health services organizations must understand how best to lower nursing professionals’ turnover intentions, and increase their job satisfaction and the quality of care provided to patients. This study aims to examine whether work engagement (WE) is a significant predictor of the achievement of these preferred organizational goals. The study also aims to examine whether organizational culture and organizational climate can manage the WE of nursing professionals and indirectly contribute to the accomplishment of the preferred organizational goals. Methods In detail, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was conducted through a convenience sampling of a total of N = 164 nurses, from four Norwegian public hospitals. Structural equation modeling was employed in testing the hypothesis in the conceptual model, using Stata software. Furthermore, mediation analyses were achieved through use of the “medsem” package in the Stata software, in testing whether the proposed direct and indirect effects were statistically significant, and the type of mediation found. Results The three key findings from this study are: i) WE of nursing professionals was found to be positively related to service quality of care (β = 0.551) and job satisfaction (β = 0.883). Job satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between WE and turnover intention and in itself explains almost 60% (R2 = 0.59) of turnover intention; ii) nursing professionals’ perception of organizational culture (β = 0.278) and collaboration climate (β = 0.331) were both directly related to their WE; and iii) WE fully mediates the relationship between organizational culture/climate and service quality of care and job satisfaction. Moreover, WE partially mediates the relationship between collaborative climate and job satisfaction. Conclusions The WE of nursing professionals is highly correlated to their job satisfaction. WE and turnover intentions are (fully) mediated by job satisfaction. Employers should therefore focus on improving the job satisfaction of nursing professionals. The WE of nursing professionals is a common key factor for such improvement. Consequently, leaders and managers should continuously manage nursing professionals’ WE, focusing on such areas as organizational culture and climate, because WE is an effective means of enabling multiple desirable outcomes for hospital organizations.

Experiences of nursing professionals involved in the care of COVID-19 patients

The outbreak of SARS-COV-2 has become an opportunity for nursing professionals of North Eastern states of India to experience handling patients during pandemics with limited resources. To explore the experiences of nursing staff in the care of COVID-19 patients. Descriptive phenomenological design was adopted to describe the experiences of nursing professionals involved in the care of COVID-19 patients in selected hospitals/COVID centers of Assam, India. The experiences of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients were summarized into 4 themes and various sub-themes. The themes include: Perspectives about COVID-19 duty, Experience on PPE kit, Conflicts & disagreements and Swab test & the final stage of isolation. Nurses reported changing patterns of nursing care, anxiety regarding COVID-19 duty, professional growth amidst risks and pressure. The nurses had to work under certain conflicts and disagreements in relation to patient care, their personal and career related decisions and interprofessional role distribution. At the final stage of isolation, most nurses were prepared to handle the situation even if they test COVID-19 positive. During this COVID-19 outbreak, positive and negative emotions of the front-line nurses interweaved and coexisted. The experience was new and challenging, the nurses had contributed in the management of COVID-19.

Prevention adopted by healthcare workers within their families in the Covid-19 pandemic

Objective: To identify factors associated with the adoption of non-pharmacological preventive measures against covid-19 by healthcare workers within their families. Method: This is an analytical cross-sectional study carried out from October 1st to December 31st, 2020, with 11,513 healthcare workers in Brazil. Data collection through a virtual questionnaire on the platform Survey Monkey. To characterize the participants, descriptive statistical analysis was used with measures of absolute and relative frequency. Using inferential statistics, independent variables and outcome were compared, with hypothesis tests for association (chi-square, Fisher’s exact test), logistic regression, and Woe analysis. A significance level of 95% was used. Results: Most workers used measures such as hand hygiene, environmental sanitation, food hygiene, use of fabric masks, and physical distancing from family members. The association among variables was significant for the region, especially the South region, female sex, and nursing professionals. Conclusion: Healthcare workers adopt preventive measures against covid-19 within family life, especially the women and nursing professionals, with family isolation being the measure of greatest adherence.

Nursing professionals’ biosafety in confronting COVID-19

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the nursing professionals’ biosecurity in confronting COVID-19. Methods: This is a Survey type study. Nursing professionals were invited via messaging apps, using self-applied data collection forms. The sample selection (n=693) was non-probabilistic. A descriptive data analysis was conducted. Results: considering the biosafety aspects in facing COVID-19, 79.0% of the participants had not received training or considered it insufficient, 69.3% reported the lack of personal protective equipment during work, and 81.8% did not feel safe with the internal flux adaptations for handling COVID-19 cases. Conclusion: Continuous and effective nursing team training and personal protective equipment availability are necessary, as well as internal flow adjustments for attending suspected or confirmed cases.

Changes implemented in the work environment of nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the changes implemented in the work environment of nurses in university hospitals considering the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: this qualitative and descriptive research was developed from an online survey with 75 nurses from three Brazilian university hospitals. Data processing occurred through textual analysis with the aid of software IRAMUTEQ. Results: five semantic classes were obtained: Organization of units for exclusive care of patients with COVID-19; Adaptations in the use of personal protective equipment; Physical structure adaptation; Care flow institution; Increased number of beds and training courses. Final considerations: the results show the effort of healthcare and nursing professionals/managers in the development of structural adaptations and reorganizations of care processes, in the hospital context, to respond with quality and efficiency to the demands arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participación de enfermería en Políticas Públicas, ¿Por qué es importante?: Revisión integrativa de la literatura

Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence available in the literature regarding the role of the political participation of the nursing profession.Method: Integrative literary review in six stages, in MEDLINE / PUBMED, ISI WEB OF SCIENCE, EBSCOHOST WEB, LILACS, and SCIELO databases 2010 - 2020 in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages, adjusted to PRISMA requirements. The data were summarized by thematic analysis.Results: From 75 texts, 23 were analyzed. 35% of the publications were made between 2010 to 2012, 48% are from the United States, 65% were obtained from PUBMED, and 26% are case studies. Two categories of work are obtained: Political participation of the nursing profession and Virtue and competences; Strategies and challenges to participate in PPs. Similarities are shown between both categories.Conclusion: Nursing has socio-political activism promoted by nurses in different contexts. To the extent that nursing professionals become aware of political involvement as an expression of socio-political knowledge, their participation favors the public policy process. It is an opportunity for change given their strategic position as referents of care of people in health systems. Objetivo: Analizar la evidencia científica disponible en la literatura en torno al rol de participación política del profesional enfermero.Método: Revisión integrativa literaria en seis etapas, en bases de datos MEDLINE/PUBMED, ISI WEB OF SCIENCE, EBSCOHOST WEB, LILACS y SCIELO publicados entre 2010 - 2020 en idiomas inglés, portugués y español, ajustada a los requerimientos PRISMA. Los datos fueron resumidos mediante análisis temático. Resultados: A partir de 75 textos, 23 fueron analizados. Un 35% de las publicaciones se realizó entre 2010 al 2012, el 48% son de Estados Unidos, un 65% se obtuvieron de PUBMED y el 26% son estudios de caso. Se obtienen dos categorías de trabajo: Participación política del profesional enfermero y Virtudes y competencias. Estrategias y desafíos para participar en PPs. Se muestran similitudes entre ambas categorías.Conclusión: Enfermería posee activismo sociopolítico impulsado por enfermeras en diferentes contextos. En la medida en que los profesionales de enfermería se hacen conscientes del rol de participación política como una expresión del patrón de conocimiento sociopolítico, su participación favorece el proceso de políticas públicas, y es una oportunidad para el cambio dada su posición estratégica como referentes del cuidado de las personas en los sistemas de salud.

Implementation of evidence-based practices in the perineal pain management in the postpartum period

ABSTRACT Objectives: To implement strategies for managing perineal pain in puerperal women admitted to a public maternity hospital in São Paulo state and to evaluate their compliance with evidence-based practices. Methods: Implementation study using the JBI model conducted with nursing professionals and puerperal women between September and December 2019. Interviews with puerperal women and medical record data were used to audit seven evidence-based criteria. The interventions adopted included a care protocol, professional training, and folder elaboration for puerperal women. Results: Prior to the intervention, deficits in audited practices and obstacles to pain management were identified, which were overcome by the strategies employed. The follow-up audit demonstrated improvements in compliance with best care practices. Conclusion: There was an increase in the criteria compliance evaluated after the implemented strategies, contributing to improving the nursing care results in the perineal pain management based on the best scientific evidence.

Neither angels nor heroes: nurse speeches during the COVID-19 pandemic from a Foucauldian perspective

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the processes of meaning production, based on the speeches of nursing professionals, about how they feel about the titles of “angels and heroes” given by society during the pandemic of COVID-19. Methods: a qualitative, documentary research. Data was collected in October and November 2020 and analyzed from the perspective of the Discourse Analysis proposed by Michel Foucault. Results: they were organized into two thematic categories: “Angels and heroes? The (not) heroic reality of nursing during the pandemic” and “The search for recognition of the professional work of nursing: between what is said and what is not said”. Final considerations: the nurses’ speeches enunciate the search for decent conditions for the execution of care, fair wages, and recognition of the professional work by society.