[Nursing Division on the current intensive care situation in Germany : Working group of the Nursing Division of the German Society of Medical Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN)]. / Sektion Pflege zur aktuellen Situation der Intensivpflege in Deutschland : Arbeitsgruppe der Sektion Pflege der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Internistische Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin (DGIIN).

The year 2020 is the year of care on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale. However, due to current events, the "Year of Corona" will be remembered more. A positive aspect is the attention and appreciation of the nursing profession in the population. Nevertheless, politicians and various professional groups in the hospital limit nursing care almost exclusively to practical activities that are directly necessary for the patients. A clearly noticeable improvement in working conditions for nurses as a result of the political efforts of this legislative period has so far failed to materialise to the same extent as the active involvement of nurses in political decisions and resolutions that directly affect the professional group. The rapid build-up of bed capacities has made it possible to provide the patients concerned with the necessary intensive medical care. In many places, however, this has been at the expense of the nurses and physicians, some of whom have had to work without the necessary training, with insufficient protective equipment and in unfamiliar areas. These problems continue to exist even after months of the covid-19 crisis.The Nursing Section of the DGIIN expressly declares its willingness to actively and constructively participate in any processes in the future and, with the following 5 points, offers initial practical assistance to improve the situation in German intensive care units.

[Attitude towards vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 : Survey among employees in hospitals before and after the start of vaccinations in German hospitals]. / Einstellung zur Impfung gegen SARS-CoV-2 : Umfrage unter Mitarbeitenden in Krankenhäusern vor und nach Beginn der Impfungen in den deutschen Krankenhäusern.

BACKGROUND: The vaccinations against the "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2" (SARS-CoV­2) play a decisive role in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In the population, but also among health care workers (HCWs), there were concerns and skepticism about vaccinations even before the corona pandemic. METHODS: An online survey on the attitude of HCWs to vaccination against SARS-CoV­2 was carried out in December (December 3rd-December 12th, 2020) before and in February (February 1st-February 10th, 2021) after the start of the vaccinations. Members of the German Society for Internal Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN) and the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) were invited by email and on Facebook. RESULTS: In December 2305 and in February 3501 people took part. The approval rate for vaccination increased from 85.2% to 92.1% (p < 0.001). There was also an increase in willingness to vaccinate (63.8% vs. 75.9%; p < 0.001). The female gender, membership of the professional group nursing staff and age < 45 years were significantly associated with a restricted willingness to vaccinate. There was also a decrease in concerns about efficacy, side effects and long-term damage. There was clear skepticism about the vaccine from AstraZeneca (Cambridge, United Kingdom). Before and after the introduction of vaccinations against SARS-CoV­2, an increase in the willingness to vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2 can be shown in German HCWs. Technical experts must bring objectivity into the currently controversial debate through precise and transparent information and thus counteract vaccination skepticism, not only among HCWs.