ABSTRACT
Background: Nursing care plays a vital role in critically ill patients' recovery process and outcome with COVID-19. Though there is a tremendous surge in COVID-19 literature, there is no comprehensive documentation of nursing aspects. Objective: To develop nursing care standards for critically ill patients with COVID-19. Methodology: To prepare this scoping review, a detailed literature review was done by the experts and trainers involved in the critical care of patients with COVID-19 from India's premier institutes. Results: Rapidly progressing hypoxemia with respiratory failure induced by COVID-19 in critically ill patients poses a management challenge. Patients of COVID-19 progressing to critical stage must be identified early, and appropriate management initiated while taking all the specific measures to prevent infection to the healthcare providers. The essential components of critically ill patients' nursing care include constant monitoring and maintenance of ventilation, oxygenation, fluid volume/hemodynamic status, and shock prevention. The other adjunctive measures include meeting the nutritional demands, prevention, early identification of complications, timely initiation of rehabilitation, and personal and environmental hygiene. Ensuring the safety of the healthcare providers with adequate PPE and infection control measures is of utmost importance while caring for the patients of COVID-19. Conclusion: The nursing interventions must be tailored vigilantly for the individual patient. The evidence is evolving, and the nursing care strategies discussed in this article based on existing evidence may guide the nurses and healthcare providers in managing critically ill patients of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Prednisolone , Humans , Lung , Respiration, Artificial , SARS-CoV-2 , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Convalescent plasma (CP) therapy is one of the promising therapies being tried for COVID-19 patients. This passive immunity mode involves separating preformed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from a recently recovered COVID-19 patient and infusing it into a patient with active disease or an exposed individual for prophylaxis. Its advantages include ease of production, rapid deployment, specificity against the target infectious agent, and scalability. In the current pandemic, it has been used on a large scale across the globe and also in India. However, unequivocal proof of efficacy and effectiveness in COVID-19 is still not available. Various CP therapy parameters such as donor selection, antibody quantification, timing of use, and dosing need to be considered before its use. The current review attempts to summarize the available evidence and provide recommendations for setting up CP protocols in clinical and research settings.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/therapy , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Antibodies, Viral , Humans , Immunization, Passive , India/epidemiology , COVID-19 SerotherapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To date, no study has evaluated the association of alcohol dependence with the outcome of the COVID-19 infection. AIM: The current study aimed to evaluate the association of substance dependence (alcohol and tobacco) with the outcome (i.e., time to have two consecutive negative test reports) of the COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants (n = 95) was 37.2 yrs (SD-13.2). More than half of the participants were males. About one-fourth (N = 25; 26.3 %) were consuming various substances in a dependent pattern. Alcohol dependence was present in 21 participants (22.1 %), and Tobacco dependence was present in 10.5 % of participants. Even after using gender, age, and physical illness as covariates, patients with any kind of substance dependence had a significantly lower chance of having a negative report on RT-PCR on 14th day, 18th 23rd day. CONCLUSION: Persons with substance dependence takes a longer time to test negative on RT-PCR, once diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. Mental health professionals involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 should accordingly prepare these patients for a possible longer hospital stay to reduce the distress associated with prolongation of hospital stay.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/epidemiology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing/statistics & numerical data , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/epidemiology , Tobacco Use Disorder/epidemiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Time Factors , Young AdultSubject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , COVID-19/psychology , Hospitalization , Patient Isolation/psychology , Psychological Distress , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Aged , Anger , COVID-19/therapy , Fear/psychology , Female , Hope , Humans , India , Intensive Care Units , Irritable Mood , Length of Stay , Male , Middle Aged , Oxygen Inhalation Therapy/psychology , Personal Protective Equipment , Professional-Patient Relations , Sadness/psychology , Social Isolation/psychology , Videoconferencing , Young AdultABSTRACT
COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a disaster for the human beings. All the Governments across the globe have been preparing to deal with this medical emergency, which is known to be associated with mortality in about 5% of the sufferers. Gradually, it is seen that, many patients with COVID-19 infection have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. Due to the risk of infecting others, persons with COVID-19 infection are kept in isolation wards. Because of the isolation, the fear of death, and associated stigma, many patients with COVID-19 infection go through mental distress. In this report, we discuss the experience of 3 persons diagnosed with COVId-19 infection and admitted to the COVID ward.