Relatives' experiences of the hospitalisation of older people with COVID-19: A qualitative interview study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors were restricted from hospitals, separating them from hospitalised friends and family to reduce the infection risk. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to explore how relatives of older people acutely admitted to hospital with COVID-19 experienced being a relative, and how they felt about their contact with health care professionals (HCPs) when visitor restrictions prevented their physical presence in the ward. METHOD: This study employed a qualitative design. We used individual qualitative semi-structured interviews and the participants were relatives of acutely admitted older people from three COVID-19 wards in Denmark. A total of 18 relatives participated, 14 female and 4 male, aged between 45 and 83 years. The analysis was guided by Graneheim and Lundman's qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis derived the following three themes: (1) the importance of trust in a period of uncertainty; (2) the meaning of contact with HCPs, and (3) active but at a distance-a balancing act. The participants' feelings of uncertainty were prominent. The unknown nature of the disease and the unusual situation challenged relatives' trust in HCPs and the health care system. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE: The findings highlight relatives' stress when the possibilities for visiting are restricted and the importance of trust in, and the relationship with HCPs. This study can strengthen HCPs' understanding of relatives' situation when older people are hospitalised during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

How did nurses cope with the fast, comprehensive organisational changes at Danish hospital wards during the COVID-19 pandemic? An interview study based on nurses' experiences.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced hospital work and healthcare workers all over the world. We explored how Danish nurses coped with the fast, comprehensive organisational changes in their workplace and identified barriers to and facilitators for organisations ensuring the best possible conditions for nurses to meet these challenges. The study focuses on the organisational setting and how it did or did not support the nurses in their work. METHODS: A qualitative explorative design was used in interviewing 23 nurses who had worked at a COVID-19 ward in one of three hospitals. Data were collected in the summer of 2020, and the analysis was inspired by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narratives and interpretation. RESULTS: The presence of managers in the wards helped the nurses in the form of psychological and practical support. Working within an organisation that provides a safe environment was essential for nurses. The experience of a safe environment allowed nurses to ask questions, which supported them in finding solutions to specific tasks in the new and critical working environment. Barriers to handling the new situation were an absence of managers and a lack of a sense of belongingness and trust. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for management to be present in the ward and for organisational support to be available to nurses so they can provide optimal treatment and care when working in new and unknown conditions during a pandemic. Practical assistance from managers to ease the job is beneficial. Furthermore, the presence of management is essential to provide psychological support and create a safe environment because this allows nurses to ask questions about how to better manage new and critical tasks.

A cross-sectional study of COVID-19 pandemic-related organizational aspects in health care.

AIM: This study explores how healthcare professionals included in the COVID-19 contingency plan experienced organizational changes, and explores factors associated with the experiences. Additionally, the study aimed to identify learning points for future similar scenarios. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of healthcare professionals at three Danish hospitals, June 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1,448 healthcare professionals completed the questionnaire. Hereof, 813 (57%) were relocated to new settings/new jobs. The majority experienced that their relocation was totally (49%) or partially (31%) imposed, and 51% reported that the overall experience of the new job function was satisfactory. Type of profession and whether relocation to the new job function was imposed were the main variables associated with the overall experience of being part of the contingency plan. Suggestions for future scenarios included training adjusted to individual competencies, more targeted information, voluntariness with consideration of individual needs and clarification of expectations.

Frontline nurses' experiences of working in a COVID-19 ward-A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore how nurses experienced working in a newly organized COVID-19 ward with high-risk patients during a new and unknown pandemic. DESIGN: A qualitative explorative study using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. METHODS: Semi-structured individual telephone interviews were conducted in June-July 2020 with 23 nurses working in COVID-19 wards from three regional hospitals in Denmark. The nurses had been transferred from other departments at their hospital to the newly organized COVID-19 wards. Data analysis was influenced by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation, including three analytical levels: naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion. RESULTS: During the structural analysis four themes were generated: (a) Challenging and uncertain situation, but also a positive experience (b) Professional and personal development (c) Lack of nurses' rights during a pandemic (d) Reward in itself or a desire for financial reward.