Professional nursing practice environment from students' perspective in COVID-19 / Ambiente de prática profissional em enfermagem na perspectiva de estudantes na COVID-19 / Ambiente de práctica profesional de enfermería por la perspectiva de estudiantes en el COVID-19

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar o ambiente da prática profissional em enfermagem na perspectiva de estudantes no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19. Métodos Estudo transversal, realizado com amostra por conveniência de 43 estudantes da última série do bacharelado em Enfermagem de uma universidade federal, localizada no município de São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Variáveis de caracterização: gênero, etnia, idade, local de estágio e um questionamento se já trabalharam e/ou realizam estágio extracurricular na área. Aplicou-se o Instrumento Practice Environment Scale - versão brasileira validada, composto de 24 itens e 5 subescalas. Os dados foram analisados com estatística descritiva e inferencial por meio dos testes: Kruskal Wallis, ANOVA, Tukey, t-student e Mann Whitney. Foi realizada a análise de regressão logística. Considerou-se como nível de significância de p<0,005. Resultados A Subescala 3 "adequação da equipe e de recursos" foi a única que apresentou média desfavorável (53,49%). A variável "ter trabalhado e/ou realizado estágio extracurricular" mostrou-se estatisticamente significante na Subescala 2 "habilidade, liderança e suporte dos coordenadores/supervisores de enfermagem aos enfermeiros/equipe de enfermagem" (p=0,003). Na média geral, os estudantes avaliaram o ambiente como favorável (p<0,001). Conclusão Apesar do contexto, a maioria dos estudantes avaliaram o ambiente como favorável. A variável "ter trabalhado e/ou realizado estágio extracurricular" foi estatisticamente significativa. A capacitação das lideranças, o fortalecimento de programas de educação continuada e o envolvimento dos enfermeiros nas atividades, resoluções de problemas e comissões internas da instituição, são considerados preâmbulos para ofertar uma assistência qualificada dentro de um ambiente de prática profissional próximo do favorável.

Resumen Objetivo Evaluar el ambiente de la práctica profesional de enfermería por la perspectiva de estudiantes en el contexto de la pandemia del COVID-19. Métodos Estudio transversal, realizado con muestra por conveniencia de 43 estudiantes del último año del grado de Enfermería de una universidad federal, ubicada en el municipio de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. Variables de caracterización: género, etnia, edad, lugar de la pasantía y un interrogante sobre si ya trabajaron o realizan una pasantía extracurricular en el área. Se aplicó el Instrumento Practice Environment Scale - versión brasileña validada, compuesto por 24 ítems y 5 subescalas. Los datos fueron analizados con estadística descriptiva e inferencial por medio de las pruebas: Kruskal Wallis, ANOVA, Tukey, t-student y Mann Whitney. Se realizó el análisis de regresión logística. Se consideró un nivel de significación de p<0,005. Resultados La Subescala 3 "adecuación del equipo y de recursos" fue la única que presentó un promedio desfavorable (53,49 %). La variable "haber trabajado o realizado una pasantía extracurricular" se mostró estadísticamente significante en la Subescala 2 "habilidad, liderazgo y suporte de los coordinadores/supervisores de enfermería a los enfermeros/equipo de enfermería" (p=0,003). En el promedio general, los estudiantes evaluaron al ambiente como favorable (p<0,001). Conclusión Pese al contexto, la mayoría de los estudiantes evaluaron al ambiente como favorable. La variable "haber trabajado o realizado una pasantía extracurricular" fue estadísticamente significante. La capacitación de los liderazgos, el fortalecimiento de programas de educación continua y la participación de los enfermeros en las actividades, resoluciones de problemas y comisiones internas de la institución, son considerados preámbulos para brindar una asistencia calificada dentro de un ambiente de práctica profesional próxima a lo favorable.

Abstract Objective To assess the professional nursing practice environment from the perspective of students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Cross-sectional study conducted with a convenience sample of 43 students attending the last grade of the Nursing Undergraduate course at a federal university located in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Characterization variables: sex, ethnicity, age, place of internship and a question on whether they have worked and/or did an extracurricular internship in the area. The Practice Environment Scale - Brazilian validated version, consisting of 24 items and five subscales, was applied. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the following tests: Kruskal Wallis, ANOVA, Tukey, t-student and Mann Whitney. Logistic regression analysis was performed. A significance level of p<0.005 was considered. Results Subscale 3 "Staffing and resource adequacy" was the only one with an unfavorable mean (53.49%). The variable "having worked and/or done an extracurricular internship" was statistically significant in Subscale 2 "Nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses" (p=0.003). On overall mean, students rated the environment as favorable (p<0.001). Conclusion Despite the context, most students rated the environment as favorable. The variable "having worked and/or done an extracurricular internship" was statistically significant. The training of leaders, the strengthening of continuing education programs and involvement of nurses in activities, problem solving and internal committees of the institution are considered preambles to offer qualified care within a close to favorable environment of professional practice.

Nurses' practice environment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic / Ambiente de prática dos enfermeiros antes e durante a pandemia de COVID-19 / Ambiente de práctica de enfermeros antes y durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Resumo Objetivo Comparar a percepção do ambiente de prática profissional dos enfermeiros antes e durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Métodos Estudo descritivo, tipo survey realizado em um hospital acreditado, situado no município de São Paulo - SP. Os enfermeiros foram convidados a responderem o instrumento Practice Environment Scale versão brasileira, em dois momentos: 10 meses antes da pandemia (Grupo 1) e seis meses após o início do atendimento de pacientes com a COVID-19 (Grupo 2). Foi adotado o nível de significância de p≤0,05 e empregado o teste de hipótese não-paramétrico Mann-Whitney para comparação entre dois grupos não pareados. Resultados O Grupo 1 foi composto por 55 enfermeiros e o Grupo 2 por 53. Todas as subescalas apresentaram médias superiores a 2,5, variando entre 2,8 a 3,3 no Grupo I e 3,0 a 3,4 no Grupo 2. As subescalas Habilidade, liderança e suporte dos coordenadores/ supervisores de enfermagem aos enfermeiros/ equipe de enfermagem; Adequação da equipe e de recursos e Relações de trabalho positivas entre médicos e enfermeiros foram melhor avaliadas no período pandêmico, com diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p = 0,05; 0,04 e 0,04, respectivamente). Conclusão O ambiente de prática profissional do enfermeiro foi classificado como favorável nos dois momentos, mas apresentou melhores resultados durante a pandemia.

Resumen Objetivo Comparar la percepción del ambiente de práctica profesional de los enfermeros antes y durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos Estudio descriptivo, tipo survey realizado en un hospital acreditado, ubicado en el municipio de São Paulo, estado de São Paulo. Los enfermeros fueron invitados a responder el instrumento Practice Environment Scale versión brasileña, en dos momentos: 10 meses antes de la pandemia (Grupo 1) y seis meses después del inicio de la atención de pacientes con COVID-19 (Grupo 2). Se adoptó el nivel de significancia de p≤0,05 y se utilizó la prueba de hipótesis no paramétrica Mann-Whitney para comparación entre dos grupos no pareados. Resultados El Grupo 1 estuvo compuesto por 55 enfermeros y el Grupo 2 por 53. Todas las subescalas presentaron promedios superiores a 2,5, que variaron entre 2,8 y 3,3 en el Grupo 1, y entre 3,0 y 3,4 en el Grupo 2. Las subescalas Habilidad, liderazgo y apoyo de los coordinadores/supervisores de enfermería a los enfermeros/equipo de enfermería; Adaptación del equipo y de los recursos, y Relaciones laborales positivas entre médicos y enfermeros fueron mejor evaluadas en el período pandémico, con diferencias estadísticamente significantes (p = 0,05; 0,04 y 0,04, respectivamente). Conclusión El ambiente de práctica profesional de enfermeros fue clasificado como favorable en los dos momentos, pero presentó mejores resultados durante la pandemia.

Abstract Objective To compare nurses' perception of the professional practice environment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Descriptive, survey-type study conducted in an accredited hospital located in the city of São Paulo - SP. Nurses were invited to answer the Brazilian version of the Practice Environment Scale instrument in two moments: ten months before the pandemic (Group 1) and six months after the start of care for patients with COVID-19 (Group 2). A significance level of p≤0.05 was adopted and the Mann-Whitney non-parametric hypothesis test was used to compare two unpaired groups. Results Group 1 consisted of 55 nurses and Group 2 of 53. All subscales had means above 2.5, ranging from 2.8 to 3.3 in Group 1 and 3.0 to 3.4 in Group 2. The subscales Nurse manager ability, leadership and support to nurses; Staffing and resource adequacy; and Collegial nurse-physician relations were better evaluated in the pandemic period, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.05; 0.04 and 0.04, respectively). Conclusion Although nurse's professional practice environment was classified as favorable at both times, results were better during the pandemic.

The Impact and Complex Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Environment and the Use of Coworking Spaces in Malta

Coworking spaces in Malta have grown in their presence and use only within the last decade, yet the COVID-19 pandemic may have altered the cultural working office norms of Maltese society. Indeed, this chapter, using in-depth interviews with different groups of people, that is, co-worker owners, employees, traditional employers and members of an employment association, aims to explore how the pandemic may be impacting the coworking industry in complex ways. From the narratives, it emerged that the soft lockdown measures related to the pandemic had caused immediate negative effects due to the fear of contagion on the use of coworking spaces in Malta and the limitations related to social distances in workspaces. However, the pandemic itself may have created a shift within the Maltese context where the idea of remote working is perceived as beneficial and may become more popular. The pandemic may have contributed to the revision of the Maltese employers' priorities, such as the importance of owning or renting a permanent office space or giving permission to employees to work from home or renting a coworking space for socialisation at work. Therefore, the pandemic may have caused damaging short-term effects to the coworking industry in Malta yet possibly beneficial long-term effects. © 2023, The Author(s).

Design of Workstation for Remote Workers with Work Environment Consideration

The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 has caused various phenomena in some fields of work, especially the phenomenon of remote working. The phenomenon of remote working is possible through the advancement of information and communication technology (ICT). The good impact on the environment, especially air pollution decreasing due to the lack of commuting, makes the phenomenon of remote working need to be enhanced so that the positive impact on the environment increases. This exploratory research found that the work environment factors in the workstation design, including physical ergonomics, lighting, noise, etc., greatly affect the productivity of remote workers. This workstation design is a solution for remote workers during and post-pandemic.

From expert to novice and back: a qualitative study of interprofessional collaboration and the experiences of frontline healthcare professionals during the first wave of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic put extreme pressure on healthcare systems worldwide, forcing a heavy workload on healthcare professionals. Frontline treatment and care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 compelled healthcare professionals to rapidly adapt to new working conditions. This study explores the experiences of frontline healthcare professionals to learn more about how frontline work affects their learning and skills development but also interprofessional collaboration during a pandemic. METHODS: In-depth, one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 healthcare professionals. A broad interdisciplinary group, the participants were employed in public hospitals in four of Denmark's five regions. Using a reflexive methodology for the data analysis allowed reflexive interpretation when interpreting subjects and interpreting the interpretation. RESULTS: The study identified two empirical themes: into the unknown and in the same boat, which we critically interpreted using learning theory and theory on interprofessionalism. The study found that the healthcare professionals moved from being experts in their own fields to being novices in the frontline of the pandemic, and then back to being experts based on interprofessional collaboration that included shared reflection. Working in the frontline was imbued with a unique atmosphere in which workers were equals and functioned interdependently, the barriers normally obstructing interprofessional collaboration set aside to focus on combating the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals new insights regarding knowledge on frontline healthcare professionals in terms of learning and developing new skills, as well as the importance of interprofessional collaboration. The insights contributed to the understanding of the importance of shared reflection and how the development of expertise was a socially embedded process where discussions were possible without fear of being ridiculed and healthcare professionals were willing to share their knowledge.

Disinfection and Sanitation Measures in an Accredited Testing Laboratory - Retrospect of COVID-19 Infection

Living and working environments are most often closed spaces where it is necessary to provide health protection for family members and employees. Some activities require special protection, especially during a pandemic. The living and working environments can be kept clean and tidy in three ways: by cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitising. This paper presents a review of the literature linking disinfectants, their use, and resistance of microorganisms to disinfectants. In addition, it gives an overview of critical points that have arisen in various testing laboratories in the Republic of Croatia, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a consequence of the lack of guidelines in norms. The literature search was conducted based on the keyword 'disinfection' in PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, and on the CDC and HZJZ websites due to the latest recommendations regarding COVID-19 infections. Results have shown that a norm is a basic document that needs a specific upgrade depending on the type of laboratory and its activities, and it should not be an independent decision of each individual laboratory. Based on the identified needs and problems, state institutions should provide detailed instructions depending on the laboratory activity. Therefore, this situation and the experience gained should be used as a starting point for document development that could be applicable in crisis states generally. In addition, it could be used as a basis for education and training in crisis states.

HR Analytics: Serbian Perspective

The explosion of new business models is not only the consequence of the accelerated development of information and communication technologies but also of a global crisis. Disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic have made managers realize faster that change is necessary and has already taken place. Traditional Human Resources (HR) models were not ready to respond to the challenge of digital transformation. The "new normal” implies a new set of necessary skills, capabilities, and a different working environment. Companies face the challenge to innovate HR functions by developing new career paths and creating more flexible models and relationships with different stakeholders. Most business leaders have become aware that it is impossible to carry out a business transformation without quantifying HR functions. HR analytics is on the business agenda, and it is the fastest-growing area of HR Management today, driven significantly by global crises, and it will be more crucial for organizations' decision-making on how to proceed to the "next normal”. The paper defines HR 5.0 as the future of HR, in the framework of Industry 5.0. It attempts to study the state-of-the-art HR in order to explore the current status and perspectives of HR analytics in Serbia and points out the approach that radically transforms the use of human data by policymakers;moreover, it defines one set of conceptual recommendations for successful HR implementation. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Offerings and challenges of demand response ventilation under covid-19 scenarios

Owning to the outbreak of COVID-19, individuals have to spend more time indoor. It is therefore essential to prepare for a long-term healthy indoor working environment in the transition of post COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is no relevant research so far in investigating such crisis impacts around indoor environmental quality and economic-health issues while home offices are expected becoming common practice soon. Therefore, a case of single-family house in Sweden is specially investigated using IDA ICE. By comparing four predominant ventilation approaches, three operational schedules are proposed, covering different confinement for occupants. Main results show that the demand response ventilation (DRV) generally should sacrifice in remarkable performance in energy saving, and emission reduction to better confront with more challenges in indoor air quality, occupied thermal dissatisfaction fraction and air stagnation under the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic scenario. Altered ventilation strategy should be customized from increased outdoor air supply, various demand-control signal, displacement method towards a heathier homeworking environment. © International Building Performance Simulation Association, 2022

SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics over time and risk factors associated with infection and long COVID-19 symptoms in large working environments.

BACKGROUND: Factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics, transmission, waning and long COVID-19 symptomatology are still not fully understood. METHODS: In the Danish section of the Novo Nordisk Group, we performed a prospective seroepidemiological study during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. All employees and their household members (>18 years) were invited to participate in a baseline (June-August 2020), 6-month follow-up (December 2020-January 2021), and 12-month follow-up (August 2021) sampling. In total, 18,614 accepted and provided at least one blood sample and completed a questionnaire regarding socioeconomic background, health status, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and persistent symptoms. Total antibody and specific IgM, IgG and IgA levels against recombinant receptor binding domain were tested. RESULTS: At baseline, the SARS-CoV-2-antibody seroprevalence was 3.9%. At 6-month follow-up, the seroprevalence was 9.1%, while at 12-month follow-up, the seroprevalence was 94.4% (after the vaccine roll-out). Male sex and younger age (18-40 years) were significant risk factors for seropositivity. From baseline to the 6-month sampling, we observed a substantial waning of IgM, IgG and IgA levels (p < 0.001), regardless of age, sex and initial antibody level. An increased antibody level was found in individuals infected prior to vaccination compared to vaccinated infection naïves (p < 0.0001). Approximately a third of the seropositive individuals reported one or more persistent COVID-19 symptoms, with anosmia and/or ageusia (17.5%) and fatigue (15.3%) being the most prevalent. CONCLUSION: The study provides a comprehensive insight into SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence following infection and vaccination, waning, persistent COVID-19 symptomatology and risk factors for seropositivity in large working environments.

The physical activity and health promotion activities of global university students: a review of reviews.

University students globally are reportedly living unhealthy lifestyles, challenging universities to develop physical activity (PA) and health promotion (HP) intervention strategies. The current study aimed to review global universities' physical activity and health promotion activities to inform the PA and HP guidelines for Eswatini university students in the Sub-Saharan region. An electronic search was performed for review articles published between 1996 and 2021, using Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Medline Web of Science databases. The documents reviewed showed that some global universities under investigation follow the health promoting university (HPU) concept influenced by the Ottawa charter (1986). The review articles further showed that implementing the healthy university concept differs due to cultural and contextual differences from one institution to another. The reviews showed the main item areas as smoking control/alcohol and drug abuse, mental health, sexual health, physical activities, healthy eating habits/diet categorized under health promotion. The main PA activities were pedometer activity tracking, measurement of PA using validated questionnaires, sports, games, among other intervention activities. The HPU concept is thus a good starting point that can be promoted and spread to all other universities globally with different charters' guidance, including the Ottawa charter and the Okanagan charter.

Virtual REU Program: Engineering Education Research

This paper describes a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program conducted through virtual working environment. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, REU 2021 activities were conducted online through Canvas and Zoom communication platforms. The major aim of this program is to provide undergraduate students with experiences in engineering education research (i.e., education research in the context of engineering). This paper provides an overview of the program, and briefly describes the virtual working environment, and students' research experiences during the 10-week program. A total of 11 undergraduate students, seven graduate mentors, and seven faculty mentors have actively participated in the program. The program is conducted in two phases: Phases 1 (i.e., Weeks 1-2) and 2 (i.e., Weeks 3-10). Phase 1 consists of preparatory and foundational work that is delivered to participants and will allow them to begin Phase 2 with some educational research foundation already established. The results of the project evaluation show that the program has made a positive impact on increasing education research skills and communication skills of the participating REU students. The participating REU students reported that the research projects they worked on increased their motivation and confidence for continuing to engage in engineering education research. Four participants (i.e., 36.4% of the total participants) suggested that, if available, they would prefer face-to-face over a virtual REU program. Another four participants (i.e., 36.4%) felt that both face-to-face and virtual would offer the same quality of research experiences, and 3 participants (i.e., 27.2% of the total participants) voiced their preference of virtual over face-to-face REU program. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.

Impact on health and well-being of working at home during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Introduction: After the onset of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, many workers were forced to start working from home, creating a new dynamic that could potentially affect their health in several ways. Objectives: To study the impact of working at home during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on a sample of Brazilian workers. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional methodology with an online survey conducted by a Brazilian human resources website from June 1 to August 15, 2020, with a sample of employees working at home during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Results: The sample of 653 valid responses revealed that 87.7% of the survey respondents reported that the change to home working started because of the situation caused by the pandemic. However, 550 (84.2%) people from this group stated that their employer did not conduct any health and safety evaluation of their workstation in the domestic environment. Regarding physical symptoms, there were high prevalence rates of symptoms related to musculoskeletal conditions, sleeping problems, feelings of fatigue, headaches, and migraines. The study also used the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index instrument and there were statistically significant associations between low scores and physical symptoms of musculoskeletal conditions, feelings of fatigue, headache or migraine, heartburn and indigestion, and leg pain. Conclusions: The findings of this research confirm the importance of developing strategies and programs to preserve the health and well-being of workers who start working at home, with participation of and supervision by companies' occupational physicians. Future investigations should continue to capture data about health, well-being, and productivity and share best practices to plan support for the occupational health of those working from home.

Research on the Changes of College Students' Cognitive Level under the Broadcast Teaching Mode during the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

A variety of smart education evaluation methods have emerged in the era of information technology. This study proposes an improved Bayesian Cognitive Tracing Model (BKT-IRT) based on the working environment of classroom response system. The college physics classroom response data set is analyzed to compare the cognitive level under broadcast teaching mode during the COVID-19 epidemic period and traditional classroom teaching mode. The results show the student cognitive level under broadcast teaching mode is lower compared with that of the traditional mode. The BKT-IRT method can show the differences in cognitive level more clearly compared with IRT method and questionnaire survey method. © 2022 ACM.

Tensions between infection control regulations and the home care working environment: An interview study with health care providers early during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate caregivers' experiences of ordinary homes as a working environment in home care and home health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic, hospital care was in focus and the care of older adults was criticized around the world. Design and methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in two municipalities in Sweden between March 2020 and May 2021. One large municipality (population 155,000) with experience of care recipients with COVID-19, and a smaller municipality (population 32,000) were included;both had a focus on preventing the spread of the infection. A total of 27 participants working in home care were interviewed;these were occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, and assistant nurses. The interview material was analyzed using content analysis. Results: The interviews provided a comprehensive insight into the complex work environment in municipal home care during the pandemic. The staff had to deal with constantly changing information and new guidelines. They were also given new tasks and work routines that demanded more planning and were time-consuming. The staff experienced higher workload and pressure during the pandemic and did not have enough time to recover. Conclusions: During a pandemic situation, the information must be comprehensive and gathered in one place, and the managers must ensure sufficient staffing levels, time for reflection, and support for prioritization. The managers must also ensure the mental health of staff and meet their needs for recovery, both at and outside work.

Strategic Evaluation of Implementing Artificial Intelligence Towards Shaping Entrepreneurial Development During Covid- 19 Outbreaks

Artificial intelligence (AI) shape the business enterprises and enable in realizing enhanced growth and development. It has been observed that the application of AI enables in influencing the organizational culture in an effective manner thereby enhancing the working environment which will lead to better productivity and output. The implementation of AI support in enhancing the entrepreneurial aspects through enhancing the cultural and ethical aspects and influence better decision making, create new business practices which will harness human capital and effective leadership capabilities. It has been regarded that the implementation of AI possesses the overall ability to quickly understand the business process and address the issues efficiently for superior performance. The companies which apply AI enable in enhancing the service delivery, understand customer requirements, forecast the business patterns for realizing growth and development. It has been regarded that the current organizational environment is focusing in implementing effective and dynamic capabilities which will influence in attaining growth and success in an effective manner Therefore, the overall success to these initiatives is mainly based on the changes in the internal and external environment, and culture & ethical aspects are being applied in the organizational context. The application of effective leadership support in enhancing the organizational culture and which will create better entrepreneurial aspect for effective performance. This study is focused in addressing the critical strategic evaluation of implementing Artificial Intelligence towards shaping Entrepreneurial Development during COVID- 19 Outbreaks. In its pure essence it is focused in understanding the critical nature of culture and ethical aspect which will enable in creating better programs and support entrepreneurial spirit. © 2022 IEEE.

The Impact of COVID-19 Crisis on the Control and Management of Radiography Practice in the United Arab Emirates.

The present study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on radiology practices in Abu Dhabi, UAE. An electronic survey (Google form) was distributed among Abu Dhabi government and private hospitals. The survey included general X-ray services, which were only provided in the radiology departments. The diagnostic radiographers who reported changes in the number and type of radiology procedures (37%) reported that the changes reached 61-80% compared to the number of procedures being conducted prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. While infection control was challenging due to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), 51.2% of the participants were affected. The healthcare workers in the radiology departments in Abu Dhabi are exposed to a high number of COVID-19-infection patients, which increases their chances of contracting the disease. A total of 90% of employees were infected with COVID-19 during the crisis. COVID-19 has resulted in changes in clinical working patterns, such as the type and number of procedures performed daily. Additionally, PPE shortages, staff infection during the pandemic, an increase in workplace-related difficulties, and staff well-being are common consequences of the pandemic. It is vital to enhance coping strategies in order to support staff well-being. However, the psychological effects caused as a result of the pandemic should not be ignored, and providing professional support to workers is recommended.

Balancing work and life: An examination of social worker experiences

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of social workers balancing work and life. A qualitative phenomenological research design allowed for the focus of the participating social workers to be on their lived experiences balancing work and life. Seven social workers from Ohio and California participated in semi-structured digitally recorded interview sessions. Manually transcribing and coding initial raw data and then imported the raw data into the computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) NVivo, three critical themes emerged from the collected data: words demands, allocation of time and blurring lines between work and home. The universal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all seven participants proved to create more stress on the social workers but also revealed some new professional and personal traits that will need to be fostered in the future. The results of this study could provide assistance to social worker organizations to construct a blended remote and traditional working environment that is conducive to operating in a harmony state of work and life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Clinical Practices, Working Environment, and Social Life of Intensivists in Non-COVID ICU.

Purpose: Enlightening the changes in the usual clinical practices, working environment, and social life of Intensivists working in noncoronavirus disease intensive care units (non-COVID ICU) during the COVID pandemic. Materials and methods: Observational cross-sectional study for Indian intensivists working in non-COVID ICUs conducted between July and September 2021. A 16-question online survey consisting of the work and social profile of the participating intensivists, changes in the usual clinical practices, working environment, and impact on their social life was administered. For the last three sections, intensivists were asked to compare pandemic times to prepandemic times (pre-mid-March 2020). Results: The number of invasive interventions performed by intensivists working in the private sector with lesser clinical experience (<12 years) were significantly less as compared to the government sector (p = 0.07) and clinically experienced (p = 0.07). Intensivists without comorbidities performed significantly lesser number of patient examinations (p = 0.03). The cooperation from healthcare workers (HCWs) decreased significantly with lesser experienced intensivists (p = 0.05). Leaves were significantly reduced in case of private sector intensivists (p = 0.06). Lesser experienced intensivists (p = 0.06) and intensivists working in the private sector (p = 0.06) spent significantly lesser time with family. Conclusion: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) affected the non-COVID ICUs as well. Young and private sector intensivists were affected due to less leaves and family time. HCWs need proper training for better cooperation during the pandemic time. How to cite this article: Ghatak T, Singh RK, Kumar A, Patnaik R, Sanjeev OP, Verma A, et al. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Clinical Practices, Working Environment, and Social Life of Intensivists in Non-COVID ICU. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(7):816-824.

Promoting lab culture to enhance academic resilience during crises.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted academics' professional and personal lives, forcing many research groups (labs) to shift from an academic system primarily based on in-person work to an almost full-time remote workforce during lockdowns. Labs are generally characterized by a strong lab culture that underpins all research and social activities of its members. Lab culture traditionally builds on the pillars of in-person communication, knowledge sharing, and all social and professional activities that promote collaboration, team building, scientific productivity, and well-being. Here, we use the experience of our research group facing the COVID-19 pandemic to illustrate how proactively reinforcing lab culture and its positive outcomes have been essential to our lab when transitioning from an in-person to a remote lab environment, and through its ongoing evolution toward a hybrid remote/in-person model. We argue that the proactive promotion of lab culture in research groups can foster academic resilience during crises, helping research groups to maintain their capacity to conduct scientific activities while preserving a sustainable life/work balance and a healthy mental condition.