Risk of exposure to Covid-19 in nursing assistants, nurses, and physicians in a university hospital in the face of pandemic.

Objective: Healthcare professionals were the workers most affected by Covid-19, espe-cially during the first waves of the pandemic. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the perceived risk of exposure to Covid-19, the information received and the work participation between nurses, physicians and nursing assistants. Method(s): A cross-sectional study was conducted using an epidemiological survey among nurses, physicians and nursing assistants in a university hospital. Aspect and content validation, cognitive pretest, and piloting of the epidemiological survey was carried out with thirty subjects. A descriptive analysis was per-formed using mean and standard deviation (SD) for quantitative variables and absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies for qualitative variables. The chi-square test and the ANOVA test were applied to assess the association of the responses with the variables: sex, type of worker, area of work and activity in Covid-19 Units. Result(s): Nurses, physicians and nursing assistants worked mainly in assistance areas and high risk of exposure units. Nursing assistants and nurses had a higher perception of risk. Nurses were less involved in the organiza-tion, but felt more supported by their colleagues. However, physicians felt more supported by their superiors and better care when they had a health problem. Conclusion(s): Nursing assistants and nurses presented higher risk perception, nurses were less involved in the organization of health care, while physicians felt more supported by their superiors.Copyright © 2023, Fundacion Index. All rights reserved.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS IN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AT A SPANISH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with the development of COVID-19 in healthcare professionals at a university hospital at the onset of the pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): Cross-sectional study using an online survey validated in aspect and content, cognitive pre-test and piloting aimed at healthcare professionals. Absolute and relative frequencies were described for qualitative and quantitative variables, associations were analyzed using the chi-square test for qualitative variables and Student's t-test for quantitative variables. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with COVID-19 in healthcare professionals. Result(s): 728 workers participated in the survey. Statistically significant differences were observed in type of work (p=0.041), exposure related to spaces and organisation (p=0.001), previous pathology (p=0.029) and asthma (p=0.034). Healthcare professionals working in care areas of the hospital were most likely to develop COVID-19 (OR: 2.02;p=0.027) and also in those with exposure related to space and organisation (OR: 2.13;p<=0.001). Conclusion(s): Healthcare professionals who worked in care areas of the hospital were twice as likely to develop COVID-19.The same was observed for those with space-related exposure.Copyright © 2023, Accion Medica S.A.. All rights reserved.

Clinical and occupational characteristics of university hospital workers with COVID-19 signs and symptoms during the pandemic

Objective: to understand the sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and risk exposure among workers of a university hospital who presented COVID-19 symptoms during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods: a cross-sectional study (July to September 2020), on staff from the Hospital Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (Madrid, Spain) who were working during the first wave of the pandemic. An ad hoc survey was designed, which included the worker profile, COVID-19 symptoms, exposure, clinical course, and healthcare, among others. Descriptive analysis was conducted, and Chi-square and Student's t-test were used for statistical hypothesis testing. Results: the study included 992 subjects;34.3% (n= 340) presented COVID-19 symptoms;283 (84.0%) were female;82.9% (n= 282) of them were healthcare staff;36.8% (n= 125) were nurses;63.5% (n= 216) worked at high risk units;36.2% (n= 123) had a previous medical condition. Of the participants, 83.3% (n= 194) admitted having worked previously at high risk units;84.5% (n= 229) stated that they have felt exposed to the infection during work;49.7% (n= 98) had some incidence of risk;and 73.7% (n= 202) presented asthenia. There was a higher prevalence of healthcare staff with COVID symptoms vs. non-healthcare staff, based on care activities (92.9% vs. 50.0%;p< 0.001), work at COVID areas (74.2% vs. 48.1%;p< 0.001), and activity in high risk Units (73.4% vs. 15.5%;p< 0.001). Conclusions: among the workers with COVID symptoms, there was a higher proportion of healthcare staff, women, nurses, workers at COVID areas, risk units, and previous exposure to patients with confirmed or suspected infection. Differences between healthcare and non-healthcare staff were determined by their place of work during the pandemic and their risk of exposure to COVID-19. © 2023 DAE Editorial, Grupo Paradigma. All rights reserved.

[Risk perception, information received and occupational engagement of workers in a university hospital in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.]

OBJECTIVE: Hospital workers faced the pandemic with a lack of knowledge, procedures and resources, which generated different experiences based on the perceived risk of exposure. It was considered pertinent to conduct a study to learn about the risk perception, the information received and the occupational engagement of workers in a university hospital in the face of the pandemic.