Social service providers under COVID-19 duress: adaptation, burnout, and resilience

Summary : This article examines the response of social services organizations and their workers to the COVID-19 pandemic in a northeastern U.S. state. Using an exploratory, cross-sectional survey design with a convenience sample (N = 1472), we ask: (1) how did agencies and social service workers manage service disruptions associated with COVID-19;(2) how did social service workers perceive shifts in clients' needs;(3) how did social service workers experience the transition to remote interactions with clients;and (4) how did social service workers cope with COVID-related transitions and demands. Findings : Our findings tell a story of unprecedented crises alongside powerful attempts at adaptation, innovation, and resilience. Faced with extraordinary need among their clients, fears for their own health, and a breakdown of organizational and community functioning and guidance, social workers were able to learn and implement new technologies, adapt to increasing demands, manage new work-life boundaries, and find ways to address gaps in service while experiencing symptoms of burnout. Application : The impact of supervisory and administrative fragmentation and communication breakdowns in the face of crisis put social workers in an untenable position despite surprising abilities to adapt, innovate, and manage their professional lives while under duress. Assuring better supervisory/administrative infrastructure to support workers as they deliver services during crises will help in future crises.

Scientific Production And Dissemination Forecast Related With Covid-19

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 cuases the known disease as COVID -19 extended around the world, increasing the infected and deceased cases. It was declared pandemic by OMS in March of this year. It is reason to actívate the scientific community in the production and dissemination of scientific articles. This paper analyzes and predicts scientific publications related with COVID 19, monthly and for country, proceeded and registered daily by CTS Observatory based on PubMed. USA highlights as the main country who publishes with 7,974 (27.73 %) results, followed by China with 4,202 (14.61 %). In Iberoamerican level, Spain and Brazil highlight with 4.26% y 2.37%, respectively. An increase of publications related with COVID-19 of 2,236 monthly publications is predicted in the mentioned database.

Minority and low-SES families' experiences during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis: A qualitative study.

Objectives: To explore minority and low-SES families' general experiences with the stay-at-home mandate initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 31) were conducted in May 2020 - six to nine weeks after the stay-at-home mandate was initiated in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Participants were randomly selected from the parent Chicago Heights Early Childhood Center (CHECC) study (N = 2,185). Thematic content analysis of transcribed semi-structured interviews were employed. Results: During the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, ethnic minority and low-SES families were generally comfortable in their homes, but both children and their parents experienced poor wellbeing, such as elevated stress. Families reportedly avoided social resources, despite low-SES. Upon reflection, parents expressed that the pandemic had changed them and, in some ways, the changes were positive. Conclusion: Readily available crisis-oriented resources, for both children and parents, are needed to help families maintain or rebuild their sense of control over their lives during the early phases of a collective crisis (e.g., pandemic). Although early observations help to contextual families' initial experiences, examining long-term trends can inform meaningful policies and practices that both support how low-SES families buffer against COVID-19-related negative impacts and mitigate ethnic and SES inequities and disparities.

Social service providers under COVID-19 duress: adaptation, burnout, and resilience

This article examines the response of social services organizations and their workers to the COVID-19 pandemic in a northeastern U.S. state. Using an exploratory, cross-sectional survey design with a convenience sample (N = 1472), we ask: (1) how did agencies and social service workers manage service disruptions associated with COVID-19;(2) how did social service workers perceive shifts in clients’ needs;(3) how did social service workers experience the transition to remote interactions with clients;and (4) how did social service workers cope with COVID-related transitions and demands.Our findings tell a story of unprecedented crises alongside powerful attempts at adaptation, innovation, and resilience. Faced with extraordinary need among their clients, fears for their own health, and a breakdown of organizational and community functioning and guidance, social workers were able to learn and implement new technologies, adapt to increasing demands, manage new work-life boundaries, and find ways to address gaps in service while experiencing symptoms of burnout.The impact of supervisory and administrative fragmentation and communication breakdowns in the face of crisis put social workers in an untenable position despite surprising abilities to adapt, innovate, and manage their professional lives while under duress. Assuring better supervisory/administrative infrastructure to support workers as they deliver services during crises will help in future crises. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Social Work is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

A Guatemalan School Community Response to COVID-19: Case Study of Growth Through Adversity

School communities around the world have been impacted by the COVID19 pandemic. School leaders, teachers, and students have experienced sudden and unprecedented ruptures to their personal and professional or academic lives. The purpose of the present case study was to investigate the response of a school community in Guatemala to the changes imposed by the pandemic. Essays written by 197 members of the bilingual school community (administrators, teachers, and students in Grades 4-12) about their pandemic experiences were anonymized and coded according to thematic analysis. The first reactions to the lockdown and health threats were negative emotions including fear and anxiety. However, students and faculty marshaled personal strengths, cultural values, and community and family support to explore new opportunities and gain new insights. For teachers, teamwork was key. Elementary and middle school students relied on parents to introduce new activities. High school students used the pandemic for self-reflection and growth. Potential approaches for addressing future crises in a way that promotes growth through adversity are outlined. Those include a focus on the social-emotional well-being of all community members, the engagement of parents in their children's education, and the utilization of cultural strengths to enhance community efforts.

"There is Just a Different Energy": Changes in the Therapeutic Relationship with the Telehealth Transition.

The therapeutic relationship (TR), including its therapeutic frame, is the foundation of the therapeutic endeavor. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid transition to videoconferencing for therapeutic encounters, we employed a cross-sectional exploratory survey with 1490 respondents to understand how practitioners adapted to the changes. In this secondary analysis focused on the TR, we analyze the clinicians' (N = 448) spontaneous narratives about facets of the TR. Temporally, we focused on how these adaptations occurred during the initial part of the pandemic before vaccination was available and while the TR was still adapting to teletherapy videoconferencing under the duress of pandemic crises. We find three broad themes: (1) It is a "much more remote relationship"; (2) The "connection…remains surprisingly strong"; and (3) It is "energetically taxing." Each reflects clinicians' views of the TR as altered, but surprisingly resilient. Although grateful for the safety of virtual therapeutic encounters, clinicians mourned the loss of an embodied encounter, experienced depletion of energy beyond Zoom fatigue, and nonetheless recognized their clients' and their own abilities to adapt.

Sensor-Based Technology: Bringing Value to People with Diabetes and the Healthcare System in an Evolving World.

PURPOSE: Evidence demonstrates that glucose-sensing technologies have enabled effective glycemic control for adults and children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) or adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on insulin therapy or non-insulin therapy. Here, we report on the wider value of glucose-sensing technology from the perspectives of person living with diabetes (PWD), healthcare providers (HCPs), and healthcare policy stakeholders. METHODOLOGY: Literature searches were conducted to identify published records and analysis, including across various healthcare organizations and agencies, of the impact of the FreeStyle Libre® flash glucose monitoring system in diabetes. These findings were combined with the outcomes of three healthcare attitudes surveys among PWD and diabetes healthcare professionals in Canada, including two commissioned for this purpose. RESULTS: Clinical trials data and real-world evidence have proven the benefits of the FreeStyle Libre system on limiting hypoglycemia, lowering HbA1c, optimizing metrics of glucose control and reducing hospital admissions. These benefits are accompanied by improvements in patients' quality of life, work productivity, and savings to the health system. The FreeStyle Libre system has created an opportunity to change the organization and delivery of care, including during COVID-19 restrictions on access to standard care, thus generating system-wide benefits in addition to those accrued by patients and HCPs. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based improvements in glucose control for PWD using flash glucose monitoring are accompanied by increased treatment satisfaction and quality of life. Telemedicine with such remote monitoring systems increases the opportunities for simultaneous review of glucose data with HCPs and shared decision-making, thus encouraging adherence with treatment.

Nutrition in postacute rehabilitation of COVID-19 survivors.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 are at high nutrition risk and a significant number are likely to require ongoing nutrition rehabilitation. Here, we summarise guideline recommendations for nutritional rehabilitation in postacute COVID-19 infection, outline the rationale for nutrition rehabilitation for survivors of postacute COVID-19 in patients admitted to both the hospital ward and intensive care unit and discuss current evidence for interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: Several guidelines exist outlining recommendations for nutrition care in hospital, critical care and the community setting. All have common themes pertaining to the importance of nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, appropriate choice of intervention and continuity of care across settings. While a plethora of data exists highlighting the high nutrition risk and prevalence of malnutrition in this population, minimal interventional studies have been published. SUMMARY: Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 are at high nutrition risk. Future studies should focus on nutrition interventions for the rehabilitation period and determine whether nutrition needs differ between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 survivors.

Putting the Humanity Back Into Public Human Resources Management: A Narrative Inquiry Analysis of Public Service in the Time of COVID-19

Amid a global pandemic, unprecedented numbers of citizens relied on essential public employees as lifelines for their health, safety, and connectedness to the broader community. These public servants worked tirelessly through collective trauma to ensure their neighbors had what was needed to maintain some semblance of a routine in an otherwise unpredictable environment. This article uses narrative inquiry to examine the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic disruption on the public sector workplace, the quality of work life, and to investigate how employees coped during the crisis. Our research reports on interviews with 43 front-line and behind-the-scenes public employees who describe how they coped, maintained their public service motivation, and worked through increased demands for emotional labor in this new work-life environment. The findings suggest the need for human resources policies that allow for a flexible, reflective, holistic, and person-centered approach.

Preparedness for a 'no-notice' mass-casualty incident: a nuclear detonation scenario.

PURPOSE: An effective response for a mass-casualty incident requires understanding the relevant basic science and physical impact; detailed preparedness among jurisdictions; and clear, sequential response planning, including formal operational exercises, logistics, interagency, and public-private coordination, rapid activation of resilience, and continual improvement from lessons learned and new knowledge. This ConRad 2021 meeting report describes steps for civilian medical and public health response planning for a nuclear detonation; the utility of this type of planning for broader application; and extension of this planning to the international community. CONCLUSION: A nuclear detonation requires a response within minutes to what will be a large-scale disaster complicated by radiation, including some elements that are similar to a broad range of incidents. The response could be further complicated if multiple incidents occur simultaneously. Required are detailed planning, preparedness and scripting for an immediate operational response, addressing clinical manifestations of evolving radiation illness, and flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing situation. This need translates into the use of just-in-time information; effective, credible communication; situational awareness on a global scale; and a template upon which to apply capabilities in a multi-sector response. This effort is greatly facilitated using a 'playbook' approach, the basics of which are presented.

The Educational, Health, and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Among Haitians in the USA: Time for Systemic Change.

Haitians are the fourth largest Afro-Caribbean immigrant group in the USA, and there is a dearth of research focusing on the factors impacting their lives. As a marginalized group with extensive pre-existing conditions, Haitian immigrants are disproportionately affected by the pandemic in areas such as education, health, and economics. This paper provides a summary of existing disparities among Haitians in the USA and how COVID-19 has significantly impacted this group. It concludes with an analysis of how the Strategic Framework for Improving Racial and Ethnic Minority Health and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities can be used to guide, organize, and coordinate systematic planning for sustainable changes to address these disparities. Addressing immigrant and minority health in the USA requires a deeper dive into the various immigrant groups. This paper concludes with recommendations for research and policy changes necessary to eliminate disparities in the USA.

COVID-19 in pregnancy: creating an outpatient surveillance model in a public hospital system.

Objectives We describe a standardized, scalable outpatient surveillance model for pregnant women with COVID-19 with several objectives: (1) to identify and track known, presumed, and suspected COVID-positive pregnant patients both during their acute illness and after recovery, (2) to regularly assess patient symptoms and escalate care for those with worsening disease while reducing unnecessary hospital exposure for others, (3) to educate affected patients on warning symptoms, hygiene, and quarantine recommendations, and (4) to cohort patient care, isolating stable infected patients at home and later within the same physical clinic area upon their return to prenatal care. Methods Pregnant women in an urban public hospital system with presumed or confirmed COVID-19 were added to a list in our electronic medical record as they came to the attention of providers. They received a series of phone calls based on their illness severity and were periodically assessed until deemed stable. Results A total of 83 patients were followed between March 19 and May 31, 2020. Seven (8%) were asymptomatic, 62 (75%) had mild disease, 11 (13%) had severe disease, and three (4%) had critical illness. Conclusions We encourage others to develop and utilize outpatient surveillance systems to facilitate appropriate care and to optimize maternal and fetal well-being.

COVID in New York City, the epicenter: A New York University perspective and COVID in Duluth, the Bold North: A University of Minnesota perspective.

In the first part of this dual commentary, perspectives are gathered from students at New York University. COVID in New York City is compared with the trauma of the World Trade Center. Triggers, racism, concerns, acts of kindness, and the future are considered for both. The second part of the commentary is written in juxtaposition to the New York City perspective by sharing the Upper Midwest experiences of this COVID-19 pandemic period, particularly in the small city of Duluth. Perspectives are gathered over time from students at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. The Minnesota stories are presented chronologically, from the declaration of the global pandemic to the beginning of the summer semester. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).