Assessing the Satisfaction of Kashan University of Medical Sciences Staff with Virtual Education Implemented Through Social Media during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and the need for social distance, the use of e-learning has become essential. The use of e-learning has always been associated with many challenges. Considering the importance of this issue and the lack of a study on virtual education in social media, the purpose of this study was to assess the satisfaction level of staff of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran, with virtual education provided through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The present cross-sectional-analytical study was conducted in 2020 using cluster sampling method on 300 staff of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in the occupational groups of health workers, health care providers, experts, physicians, and staff experts. The data collection tool was a validated questionnaire from other studies and was provided to the participants virtually. This questionnaire contained 6 demographic questions and 17 questions related to the satisfaction of the subjects. The questionnaire had three sections: training course content, training presentation method, and training program through virtual media. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS software and various statistical tests. Findings: The lowest level of satisfaction was related to educational content with a score of 17.59 and educational method with 25 scores had the highest level of satisfaction. In general, the level of satisfaction with e-learning in women was higher than men, but this relationship was not significant (P > 0.05). In addition, the health care group had the highest and the expert group had the lowest overall satisfaction score of the training provided. Conclusion: The results indicate that the level of total satisfaction is approximately high, so in addition to education, special attention should be paid to its quality. Evaluating the opinions of Kashan Health Department staffs about the quality of education in the virtual context is not only a criterion for evaluating the quality of teaching but also focuses on the possibilities and necessities of improving and evaluating education by discovering educational shortcomings. © 2022, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.

Patients' satisfaction with teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to the restructuring of traditional clinical activity;hence, globally, 58% of countries implemented the use of telemedicine to meet their healthcare needs. Background: To examine patients' satisfaction with telemedicine medical service and experience at the level of primary care in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 patients who used teleconsultations in January 2022 in primary care. A validated questionnaire was modified to assess patients' satisfaction with teleconsultation medical services and experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 315 responses were included in the final analysis (response rate 94%). Almost all expressed extreme satisfaction with the medical service as they were able to easily explain their medical problem over the phone and fully understood their illness after the consultation. They were also satisfied with the ability of the doctor to understand their problem, explain their treatment, and provide appropriate management over the phone. Over 90% were satisfied with the consultation time that it does not require transportation and would like to use it in the future. Sharing private or personal information over the phone received the lowest satisfaction rate (77.5%). Conclusion: The overall satisfaction expressed by respondents of this survey with the teleconsultation medical service and experience is very high. Such a result confirms that patients have a positive attitude towards telemedicine services in primary care and are willing to use it again and, therefore, must be adopted as a proactive strategy to ensure long-term sustainability.

Quality of life of coffee growers in the high mountains of Veracruz, Mexico

Introduction. The High Mountain Region (RHM) is the most productive and socioeconomic region for the coffee cultivation in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, and one of the most representative of the sector at the national level. Objective. To determine the quality of life (QL) from the objective and subjective point of view of the small coffee producers (SP) in RHM, Mexico. Materials and methods. One hundred and fifty semi-structured interviews were applied to producers in eleven municipalities located in: Comapa, Coscomatepec, Huatusco, Ixhuatlan del cafe, Sochiapa, Tenampa, Tomatlan, Totutla, Tlaltetela, Tlacotepec, and Zentla, during 2020. Descriptive statistics and trend measurements were obtained. Results. At objective level the QL was found to be low, but at the farmers' subjective level, it was determined to be acceptable. In the objective assessment, it was identified that the SP have minimal education (primary), the income is not adequate (they require activities outside the farm with an average net annual income of US $ 416 to US $ 1115), the cost of health has increased (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and proper nutrition is lacking (19 to 25 meals per month). In the subjective assessment there is insecurity and distrust with the government authorities, however, the producers have adapted to living in adverse socioeconomic contexts, since they value community life, intra-family relationships and their environment (coffee growing), which could be influenced by their own worldview. Conclusion. With or without knowledge of the concept of quality, producers have developed a learned or acquired capacity, both individually and collectively to adapt to the environment. Objectively, the quality of life is considered low, however, the interviewees had a perception of satisfaction both individually and collectively.

Factors influencing the learning transfer of nursing students in a non-face-to-face educational environment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: a cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing the learning transfer of nursing students in a non-face-to-face educational environment through structural equation modeling and suggest ways to improve the transfer of learning. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected via online surveys from February 9 to March 1, 2022, from 218 nursing students in Korea. Learning transfer, learning immersion, learning satisfaction, learning efficacy, self-directed learning ability and information technology utilization ability were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows ver. 22.0 and AMOS ver. 22.0. RESULTS: The assessment of structural equation modeling showed adequate model fit, with normed χ2=1.74 (P<0.024), goodness-of-fit index=0.97, adjusted goodness-of-fit index=0.93, comparative fit index=0.98, root mean square residual=0.02, Tucker-Lewis index=0.97, normed fit index=0.96, and root mean square error of approximation=0.06. In a hypothetical model analysis, 9 out of 11 pathways of the hypothetical structural model for learning transfer in nursing students were statistically significant. Learning self-efficacy and learning immersion of nursing students directly affected learning transfer, and subjective information technology utilization ability, self-directed learning ability, and learning satisfaction were variables with indirect effects. The explanatory power of immersion, satisfaction, and self-efficacy for learning transfer was 44.4%. CONCLUSION: The assessment of structural equation modeling indicated an acceptable fit. It is necessary to improve the transfer of learning through the development of a self-directed program for learning ability improvement, including the use of information technology in nursing students' learning environment in non-face-to-face conditions.

Healthcare Providers' Experience Using Telehealth During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Predominantly Rural Patient Base: An Online Survey.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 led to the rapid adoption of telemedicine with a significant spike in the literature concerning the patients' perspective of its use. The providers' perspective has been less well studied. Med Center Health is a healthcare network that provides services in 10 southern Kentucky counties that are home to over 300,000 people with approximately 61% of this population living in areas defined as rural. The goal of this article was to compare the experience of providers serving a predominantly rural population to their patients and compare the experience of providers between each other based on the obtained demographic data. METHODS: An online electronic survey was developed and sent out from July 13th, 2020 to July 27th, 2020 for completion to the 176 physicians of the Med Center Health Physician group. The survey gathered basic demographic information, telemedicine use during COVID-19, and perceptions of telemedicine use during and the role of telemedicine after COVID-19. Perceptions of telemedicine were gauged using Likert and Likert-style questions. Cardiology provider responses were compared to the previously published patient responses. Differences between providers were also analyzed based on the demographic data obtained. RESULTS: Fifty-eight providers responded to the survey with nine providers indicating that they did not use telemedicine during COVID-19. Significant differences between eight cardiologists' and cardiology patients' perceptions of telemedicine visits were seen for internet connectivity (p < 0.001), privacy (p = 0.01), and clinical exam (p < 0.001) with cardiologists ranking these as more concerning or worse in all instances. These results continued when comparing perceptions of patients' in-person experience and providers' perception of telemedicine visits with significant differences observed with clinical exam (p < 0.001), communication (p = 0.048), and overall experience (p = 0.02). No statistically significant differences were seen between cardiologists and other providers. Providers who indicated more than 10 years of practice rated their experience with telemedicine significantly lower in the domains of effective communication (p = 0.004), level of care provided (p = 0.02), thoroughness of clinical exam (p = 0.047), patient comfort discussing concerns (p = 0.04), and overall experience (p = 0.048). Despite this, only three providers indicated that they would not use telemedicine post-pandemic with a majority indicating that they would feel comfortable using telemedicine for follow-up visits and medication refill visits. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to our knowledge to compare patient and provider satisfaction concerning telemedicine across a wide array of topics using Likert-style and Likert scale questions and the first to investigate the perception of providers who serve a predominantly rural patient base during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar results have been found in a few previous studies concerning telemedicine being less favorably rated by more experienced providers. Further studies need to be conducted to identify and correct the barriers that exist for providers and the adoption of telemedicine.

COVID-19 lockdown: perception and experience

Novel coronavirus raged unnoticed and so effortlessly, many countries across the globe found that the best way to ensure people to have minimal contact with each other by issuing total lockdown. The concept of lockdown is a social boon to minimize the spread but made life difficult and easy for individuals. The current study aimed at understanding the experiences of ten different participants such as a senior citizen, home maker, and work from home candidate and school going student. The data obtained was analysed by theme analysis. It was observed that bond and attachment were increased among family members, self-care was improved despite of the crisis faced by people. Also, it has brought happiness, health, safety, satisfaction and priority among individuals.

Getting by with a little help from my friends? Expanding mentorship for career development and satisfaction

Collaboration and teamwork are well-established cornerstones of modern clinical and academic medicine as well as research, including radiology. Mentorship is also part and parcel of daily medical practice and training. As it is, there is a wide range of opinions on the effectiveness of standard mentorship models. In some cases, academic departments may offer mentorship to fulfill a requirement rather than as a sign of commitment to ensuring that all mentees receive the guidance they seek. Although mentor-mentee relationships might have arisen organically, and such situations are still possible, the overall lack of face-to-face interactions in many departments in the COVID era suggests the need to emphasize formal mentoring programs. We appreciate the overall successes of mentorship in medicine as well as radiology, while acknowledging that, like anything, it is not perfect. Because the processes of decision making and career planning are similar across fields, a peer-to-peer cross-specialty mentorship model could yield untold benefits to early-career radiologists who may receive valuable advice from friends or colleagues outside of medicine, or simply outside of radiology, at crucial points in their careers. There is no ideal formula or format for mentoring, however. We endorse the theory or intentions of mentorship and believe that its effectiveness can take several forms. Having a formal program in place, with built-in flexibility to address our rapidly changing times, remains highly desirable. Our proposal is to expand this notion to a "whatever works,” "anything goes,” or, in the spirit of the COVID era, a hybrid model. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

Factors affecting nursing and health technician students' satisfaction with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco: a survey-based observational study.

PURPOSE: Distance learning describes any learning based on the use of new multimedia technologies and the internet to allow students to acquire new knowledge and skills at a distance. This study aimed to deter-mine satisfaction levels with distance learning and associated factors among nursing and health technician students during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Morocco. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2022 among nursing and health technician students using a self-administered instrument. The student satisfaction ques-tionnaire consists of 24 questions categorized into 6 subscales: instructor, technology, course setup, interac-tion, outcomes, and overall satisfaction. It was based on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with student satisfaction during distance learning. RESULTS: A total of 330 students participated in this study, and 176 students (53.3%) were satisfied with the distance learning activities. A mean score higher than 2.8 out of 5 was obtained for all subscales. Multiple regression analysis showed that students' year of study (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.34; 95% CI, 1.28-4.27) and internet quality (aOR=0.47; 95% CI, 0.29-0.77) were the significant factors associated with students' satisfaction during distance learning. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the satisfaction level of students and factors that influenced it during distance learning. A thorough understanding of student satisfaction with digital environments will contrib-ute to the successfully implementation of distance learning devices in nursing.

Societal Participation of People With Traumatic Brain Injury Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on societal participation in people with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional retrospective cohort. SETTING: National TBI Model Systems centers, United States. PARTICIPANTS: TBI Model Systems enrollees (N=7003), ages 16 and older and 1-30 years postinjury, interviewed either prepandemic (PP) or during the pandemic (DP). The sample was primarily male (72.4%) and White (69.5%), with motor vehicle collisions as the most common cause of injury (55.1%). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The 3 subscales of the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective: Out and About (community involvement), Productivity, and Social Relations. RESULTS: Out and About, but not Productivity or Social Relations, scores were appreciably lower among DP participants compared to PP participants (medium effect). Demographic and clinical characteristics showed similar patterns of association with participation domains across PP and DP. When their unique contributions were examined in regression models, age, self-identified race, education level, employment status, marital status, income level, disability severity, and life satisfaction were variably predictive of participation domains, though most effects were small or medium in size. Depression and anxiety symptom severities each showed small zero-order correlations with participation domains across PP and DP but had negligible effects in regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the effect of COVID-19 on participation levels in the general population, people with TBI reported less community involvement during the pandemic, potentially compounding existing postinjury challenges to societal integration. The pandemic does not appear to have altered patterns of association between demographic/clinical characteristics and participation. Assessing and addressing barriers to community involvement should be a priority for TBI treatment providers. Longitudinal studies of TBI that consider pandemic-related effects on participation and other societally linked outcomes will help to elucidate the potential longer-term effect the pandemic has on behavioral health in this population.

Medical students' satisfaction level with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and its related factors: a systematic review

PURPOSE: This review investigated medical students' satisfaction level with e-learning during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its related factors. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was performed of international literature databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Persian databases such as Iranmedex and Scientific Information Database using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as "Distance learning," "Distance education," "Online learning," "Online education," and "COVID-19" from the earliest date to July 10, 2022. The quality of the studies included in this review was evaluated using the appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies (AXIS tool). RESULTS: A total of 15,473 medical science students were enrolled in 24 studies. The level of satisfaction with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical science students was 51.8%. Factors such as age, gender, clinical year, experience with e-learning before COVID-19, level of study, adaptation content of course materials, interactivity, understanding of the content, active participation of the instructor in the discussion, multimedia use in teaching sessions, adequate time dedicated to the e-learning, stress perception, and convenience had significant relationships with the satisfaction of medical students with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Therefore, due to the inevitability of online education and e-learning, it is suggested that educational managers and policymakers choose the best online education method for medical students by examining various studies in this field to increase their satisfaction with e-learning.

Medical education in post-pandemic times: Online or offline mode of learning?

Background and Objective: With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face training was suspended considering social-distancing norms. The training needs of the healthcare workers (HCWs) were being met by the online mode. Initially, the use of the online mode was limited but was eventually popularized with increased use. This would have led to a change in the perception toward the online mode. However, the use of online learning has financial and temporal obstacles. With this objective, a study was conducted among the HCWs to assess the perception, satisfaction, and preference associated with the modes of learning. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2021 among the HCWs. An online link to the survey was circulated among the HCWs who attended online or/and offline training. The questionnaire had 38 questions assessing the sociodemographic details, perception, satisfaction level, and preferences of the participants. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression were performed using SPSS v-22. Results: A total of 1,113 responses were received with the mean age of 33.17 ± 8.13 years and approximately 63% of the participants were females. Approximately 54% perceived the online mode of learning as a better mode of learning. Also, 67% preferred and 80.5% recommended the online mode whereas mean satisfaction was found to be more for the offline mode as compared to the online mode. Interpretation and Conclusions: The study concludes that the online mode of learning is the most preferred and recommended mode among the HCWs, whereas there is more dissatisfaction with respect to the online mode. The study also emphasizes that the instructors need to improve the practical knowledge of the learners by integrating technical modalities.

Examining Nurses' Vengeful Behaviors: The Effects of Toxic Leadership and Psychological Well-Being.

Toxic leadership is becoming increasingly common in healthcare organizations and there is strong need for studies focusing on organizational factors that can trigger revenge. Additionally, how psychological well-being functions in shielding against toxicity has not been adequately studied. Hence, this study aims to examine the relationship between toxic leadership and vengeful behaviors of nurses, along with the contingency of psychological well-being on the relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, we attempt to examine the antecedent effect of toxic leadership on vengeful behaviors based on self-reports from 311 nurses. Using partial least squares and moderation analyses, the results show that toxic leadership is an important antecedent of vengeful behaviors among nurses. However, the results provide no statistical evidence to support a moderating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between toxic leadership and vengeful behaviors. This study reveals that nurses exposed to toxic behaviors by their superiors are more likely to engage in vengeance and highlights the fact that nurses are suffering psychologically during the pandemic.

Innovation in the Covid-19 Pandemic Using the Inquiry-Based Learning Approach to Improve Active Learning, Confidence, and Critical Thinking of Nursing Students

Background: Educators and learners at all levels including nursing students have been impacted by Covid-19 pandemic with rapid adaptations to online learnings. While struggling to face the challenges, a learning innovation is needed to improve students confidence and critical thinking. This study explored the impact of an inquiry-based learning approach using podcast in a first-year undergraduate nursing students on acquisition of knowledge, self-confidence, critical thinking.Methods: The researchers in this study used a hybrid approach. We will evaluate the effectiveness of this course by a combination of a pre -and post-test in a quasi-experimental design and an in-depth interview to gauge students' knowledge gains, self-assurance, and critical thinking progress.Results: The quantitative results revealed an enhancement in students' self confidence and knowledge acquisition. After the intervention, students who were highly self-confident increased from 52% in pre-simulation to 91%, while the the average of online midterm and final exam test score was 8.6/10 +/- 1 (n 27) and 95% +/- 5% (n 27) for students in the intervention group compared to only 6.0/10 +/- 1 (n 27) and 65% +/- 5% (n 27) for students in the control group. The students from the intervention group found the combination of podcast media in learning methods very helpful, beneficial and reported their satisfaction.Conclusions: The inquiry learning method experience in combination with podcasts was an accepted form of learning innovation and provided new teaching strategies for students in times of pandemic to acquire knowledge more actively and develop their critical thinking.

Subjectivity and Education in Virtual Spaces: Learning and Development in Times of Pandemic

Virtual learning spaces in Higher Education have become increasingly used as guiding methodologies for distance learning in the blended format, consolidating with the Covid-19 pandemic. In this sense, the study aimed to analyze the subjectivity of academics in Higher Education in the blended modality through virtual learning spaces of courses in blended format during the Covid-19 pandemic. As for the methodology, this is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach that involved narratives permeated by empirical conversational moments with four academics belonging to a Distance Education institution located in the city of Santa Terezinha de Goias-GO. The results showed that academics belonging to undergraduate courses in Pharmacy, Nursing, Civil Engineering and Pedagogy generated a set of subjective motivational meanings mediated by adaptations during the Covid pandemic19. The final considerations highlighted the need to subjectively rethink the modalities of Education during and after the pandemic.

Influence of COVID-19 quarantine on the health of adults with mild cognitive impairment.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease declared by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency of international concern. Objective: The objective of this article was to determine the physical, psychological, and social health conditions and mood of COVID-19 quarantine in adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: The sample consisted of 129 participants, most of them were healthy, but some have mild cognitive impairment. The data were collected with a questionnaire and the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale applied through phone calls from April to June 2020. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the changes in sleep habits of the healthy participants (p=0.018). Intragroup comparisons of the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale in healthy participants were significant (p=0.010) and at the intergroup level before and after quarantine showed significant differences in pretest scores (p=0.003). Conclusions: Social isolation had a negative psychological effect on sleep habits, depressed mood, and physical health, mainly in healthy participants.

COVID-19 é uma doença infecciosa declarada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde como emergência de saúde pública de interesse internacional. Objetivo: O objetivo deste artigo é determinar as condições de saúde física, psicológica, social e de humor na quarentena de COVID-19 em adultos com comprometimento cognitivo leve. Métodos: A amostra foi composta de 129 participantes, a maioria saudável, mas alguns com comprometimento cognitivo leve. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário e da escala de depressão geriátrica de Yesavage, aplicada por meio de ligações telefônicas no período de abril a junho de 2020. Resultados: Diferenças estatisticamente significantes foram encontradas nas mudanças nos hábitos de sono dos participantes saudáveis (p=0,018). As comparações intragrupo da escala de depressão geriátrica de Yesavage em participantes saudáveis foram significativas (p=0,010) e, no nível intergrupo, antes e depois da quarentena mostraram diferenças significativas nos escores do pré-teste (p=0,003). Conclusões: O isolamento social teve efeito psicológico negativo sobre os hábitos de sono, humor deprimido e saúde física, principalmente em participantes saudáveis.

Life satisfaction and happiness in patients shielding from the COVID-19 global pandemic: A randomised controlled study of the 'mood as information' theory

Objectives: To extrapolate the 'mood as information' theory to the unique and ecologically relevant setting of the COVID-19 pandemic;the specific aim was to inform health care providers of the impact of bringing the pandemic to salience during life satisfaction evaluations;assessing whether this 'prime' results in increased or decreased reports of satisfaction which are derived unconsciously. Design: Prospective Randomised Interventional Study. Setting: Renal Transplant Department in a tertiary centre in the United Kingdom. Participants: 200 Renal transplant patients aged between 20 and 88 years. Telephone interviews were undertaken between 1st May, 2020 and 29th May, 2020, at the height of 'shielding' from COVID-19. Interventions: Participants were randomised into 2 groups, with 1 group receiving a simple 'priming question' regarding the COVID pandemic and the other group having no prior contact. Main outcome measurements: Individuals were then asked to rate their own overall lifetime happiness;desire to change;overall life satisfaction and momentary happiness on a scale of 1 to 10 for each measure. Individual sample t-tests were used to compare results between the two groups, with a type 1 error rate below 5% considered statistically significant. Results: Participants' overall happiness with their life as a whole revealed that individuals who were primed with a question about COVID-19 reported increased overall happiness with the life compared to individuals who had not been primed (+0.88, 95% confidence level 0.42 to 1.35, p=0.0002). In addition, participants in the primed group reported less desire to change their life when compared to the non-primed group (-1.35, 95% confidence interval -2.06 to -0.65, p=0.0002. Participants who were primed with the COVID-19 question also reported a higher overall satisfaction with their life than individuals who had not been primed (+1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.50 to 1.52, p=0.0001). Finally, the participants ho received the priming question demonstrated increased reported momentary happiness (+0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 1.24, p=0.04). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that bringing salience to the COVID-19 pandemic with a simple question leads to positive changes in both momentary happiness and other components of global life satisfaction, thereby extrapolating evidence for the application of the mood-as-information theory to more extreme life circumstances. Given the importance of patient-reported evaluations, these findings have implications for how, when and where accurate and reproducible measurements of life satisfaction should be obtained. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The Power of Coaching: Supercharge Your Personal and Professional Well-Being

After the upheaval of the last two years, many physicians are reassessing their priorities. Coaching provides a framework for learning from the past to build a brighter future.

A cross-sectional survey study of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the training and quality of life of Italian medical residents in the Lombardy region.

INTRODUCTION: The reorganization of the healthcare system prompted by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has posed unique challenges for Residency Training Programs worldwide. To mitigate its potential negative effects, it is crucial to assess how the pandemic influenced the activity and quality of life of residents. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the pandemic on residents' competencies, satisfaction, working load, training patterns and occupational exposure in the clinical, surgical, research and didactic fields and to quantify its effects on quality of life and risk perception. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed between 1 June 2020 and 31 July 2020 to 1645 residents enrolled in all Residency Programs of four Universities in northern Italy. The survey included questions about clinical, surgical, and research competencies, educational activity, and quality of life pre- and post-pandemic, and on policies and workplace interventions to reduce exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The main outcome measure was the variation in self-perceived clinical, surgical and research competencies and in specialistic training. Data were analysed using the statistical package R Core Team 4.0.0, estimating mean and standard deviation or median and interquartile range for continuous variables. Variables were compared using chi-square test, Fisher exact tests or McNemar test, as appropriate.A multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to test the effect of different factors on the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on self-perceived clinical and research competencies and on didactic training. RESULTS: A total of 498 residents completed the survey (response rate 30.3%). The mean age of respondents was 28.9 years, 62.9% were women, and 52.4% were enrolled in the first two years of Training Programs. On the first pandemic wave, over 60% of residents reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their specialistic training. In contrast, 40% of residents involved in clinical duties perceived an improvement in their clinical competences, especially those involved in COVID-19 care, and 34.5% perceived an improvement in their research competences, particularly junior residents, while only 3.5% reported an improvement in surgical skills. Most surgical residents (88.5%) reported a decrease in surgical activities, mainly due to reduced hospital bed capacity and reduction of elective surgery. Almost 90% of all residents experienced a reduction in their didactic activities, but 80% stated their Residency Program adopted virtual training methods. A statistically significant reduction in all examined quality of life items post-pandemic vs. pre-pandemic was found. Even though most survey participants reported the availability of personal protective equipment for residents, 44% considered themselves to be at higher risk of exposure compared to senior staff. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant disruption in surgical training, but it had a positive impact on clinical competencies among residents involved in COVID-19 and urgent care. The pandemic had a detrimental effect on all quality of life aspects, and most residents considered themselves at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to other healthcare professionals.Key MessagesCoronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a significant disruption in surgical training, but it had a positive impact on clinical competencies among residents involved in COVID-19 and urgent care.Most residents experienced a reduction of didactic activities. Although the majority of training programs implemented virtual training methods to counteract the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, only half of the residents were satisfied of them.A vast proportion of residents had a high occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and considered themselves at higher risk of COVID-19 infection compared to senior staff.The survey highlighted a statistically significant reduction in five key quality of life measures (i.e. sleep, mood, familiar relationships and social relationships quality and employment satisfaction) during the first wave, with mood and social relationships being the most affected. Notably, employment satisfaction was significantly higher in medical compared to surgical residents.

Predictors of satisfaction with studies in health undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: the impact of COVID-19 in higher education has had repercussions on health sciences undergraduates, so it is important to study the factors that predict their satisfaction with their studies. Objective: to determine whether the use of virtual academic media, academic repercussions and adaptability to university life predict satisfaction with studies in health sciences undergraduates. Methods: Cross-sectional, predictive study. Under a non-probabilistic purposive sampling, 376 university students between 16 and 44 years of age, from four Peruvian universities, enrolled in nursing, medicine, dentistry and psychology, participated in the study. Data were collected through the scale of satisfaction with studi es, scale of use of virtual academic media, scale of academic repercussions and scale of adaptability to university life. A multiple regression model was estimated under a significance level of 5%. Results: Regression analysis shows an adequate model fit (F-test = 121,92, p < 0,01), where the use of virtual academic media (β = 0,16, p < 0,01), academic repercussions (β =-0,12, p < 0,01) and adaptability to university life (β = 0,59, p < 0,01) predict satisfaction with studies (adjusted R2 = 0,49). Conclusions: satisfaction with studying in health university students is conditioned by the use and quality of virtual environments, the perception of possible negative consequences due to the Pandemic and the level of adjustment to online education. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.