A retrospective review of COVID-19 testing and mitigation strategies at a psychiatric hospital and subsequent COVID-19 acquisition.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral health settings present increased challenges in preventing the transmission of infectious agents. Characterizing the relative effectiveness of various strategies, including testing for asymptomatic carriage of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, will inform transmission reduction efforts in behavioral health settings. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted in an inpatient behavioral health hospital by reviewing COVID-19 mitigation and testing strategies with information collected from discharges between July 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 3,694 total discharges and 3,229 unique admitted patients, including 86 (2.7%) patients who had positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test results. Preadmission testing from noncongregate care settings (38, 44.1%), and testing after an in-hospital exposure (27, 31.4%) were the most common indications for testing among patients with a positive test. Up to 29 (33.7%) potentially acquired the infection during their hospitalization. Asymptomatic screening tests identified approximately two-thirds (55, 64.0%) of potentially contagious patients. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic screening testing on admission and after exposure and universal masking were strong interventions to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this investigation Future studies of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens in behavioral health settings should endeavor to characterize the effectiveness of infection prevention interventions.

Creating an Authentic Small Animal Primary Care Experience Using Online Simulated Appointments.

Clinical clerkships have long been a pillar of veterinary medical education. These experiences provide students a unique opportunity to apply skills learned in pre-clinical training through hands-on practice. However, the emergence of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the subsequent global pandemic of 2020 forced many clinical instructors to adapt to teaching online. This teaching tip describes the use of backward design to create a three-part online clinical learning environment for the delivery of small animal primary care consisting of synchronous rounds, simulated online appointments, and independent learning activities. Results of a survey of students' perspectives on the experience demonstrate that the majority of students found that the online clinical experience met or exceeded expectations and provided a meaningful learning experience. Recommendations based on student feedback and instructor reflection are provided to guide creation and implementation of future online clinical courses. As the field of telemedicine grows, we view incorporation of such learning environments into veterinary medical education curriculum as essential to preparing students to enter the modern veterinary workplace.

COVID-19: The Nursing Administration Response.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented opportunity to test the emergency management plan of one large urban teaching hospital. In this article, a detailed description of the hospital's surge planning process with lessons learned has been provided.