How Contemporary Scholarship Addresses Service Management Practices

This chapter identifies current managerial challenges and showcases how contemporary scholarship can be of value in addressing these challenges. Mindful of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this chapter weaves contemporary scholarship with informed speculation as to what service management practices will be in a post-COVID world. We selected four topics that we feel merit the most attention in a Handbook used by future scholars and practitioners. These are humanizing the service experience;contingent (gig) work and workers;the evolution from customer service to customer experience;and finally, managing diverse customer resources in the co-production of a service experience. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

A clinical audit to assess the quality of glycaemic surveillance and treatment for hyperglycaemia in patients with and without diabetes receiving dexamethasone for covid-19 pneumonitis

Aims: To assess the quality of glycaemic surveillance and treatment of hyperglycaemia in patients with covid-19 treated with dexamethasone between a diabetic specialty ward (DW) and a respiratory ward (RW). Methods: 50 patients met inclusion criteria: covid-19 positive, treated with dexamethasone, based on a DW or RW. Data collected during November 2021 included frequency of capillary blood glucose (CBG) and ketone monitoring and treatment of hyperglycaemia. Anonymised data was collated and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results were assessed against NHS trust and national guidelines. Recommendations assessed: • CBG monitoring four-times daily (QDS) on commencement of Dexamethasone • Ketone checks if CBG >12mmol/L • If two consecutive CBG readings >12mmol/L in 24 hours, start Humulin-I if insulin-naive or increase existing insulin dose. Results: CBG was checked QDS consistently in 16% of patients (26% DW, 4% RW). Ketones were not checked at all in 26% of patients who had at least one CBG reading of more than 12mmol/L (20% DW, 33% RW). 63% of patients who had two consecutive CBG readings of more than 12mmol/L were either started on Humulin-I or had their existing insulin dose increased (69% DW, 50% RW). Summary: Consistent glycaemic monitoring was seen in a minority of patients across both wards, with the DW achieving better results. These results reinforce the need for early involvement from the diabetes team and for improvement in education for non-diabetic speciality wards. Actions to be taken;present findings at departmental meeting, provide education for staff via posters, develop a hospital reminder system prompting QDS CBG monitoring when dexamethasone is prescribed.

Call to action: The need to expand spiritual care supports during the COVID-19 pandemic

Providing a 'good death' for patients dying in acute care is more challenging than ever with the COVID-19 pandemic. Spiritual care teams and palliative care providers strive to address the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual care needs at end of life-for both patients and their families, and often in concert with patients' own faith groups. During the strict lockdown policy imposed in Ontario, Canada during the pandemic, external faith groups, and religious rituals requiring direct contact were restricted. Delivering spiritual care in our "new normal" environment challenged us to think more broadly, beyond the walls of our own institutions, particularly when external resources exist outside of acute care centres, and are often of paramount importance to dying patients and their families in acute care.