Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Well-Being of Health Care Professionals in India

Introduction and Objective Health care professionals (HPs) have been at the forefront facing the pressures and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus have a higher psychological vulnerability. The incidence of psychological distress, which can negatively affect an HP's work efficiency and long-term well-being, has not been studied in depth in India.Materials and Methods A multicentric study was conducted using the digital means of communication across Max Healthcare between June and August 2020. HPs in the department of oncology, including doctors, nurses, and other support staff, were invited to voluntarily participate in the self-administered online survey. A total of 87 HPs in oncology (41 doctors, 28 nurses, and 18 in other fronts) were assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Outcome of interest was psychological distress (defined as a GHQ-12 score >15).Results The overall incidence of psychological distress among HPs in oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic was 17.20%. Significantly higher levels of psychological distress were observed among HPs with a history of psychiatric illness ( p = 0.003), and among HPs with a work experience of less than 10 years ( p = 0.017).Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the psychological well-being of HPs in India. This study implicated the recognition of the psychological well-being of HPs in oncology as an unmet need during the COVID-19 pandemic, further recommending efforts toward increasing accessibility of mental health services for them.

Factors Affecting the Intervention of Health-Care Professionals in Radiological Events: A Systematic Review.

This research aims to explore the factors affecting the intervention of health-care professionals regarding a radiological event and to determine what actions they cause. In line with the keywords determined, a search was conducted on Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed until March 2022. Eighteen peer-reviewed articles that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. This systematic review was conducted using the PICOS and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses)guidelines. Of the 18 studies included in the study, 8 were cross-sectional studies, 7 were descriptive studies, 2 were interventional studies, and 1 was a systematic review. As a result of the qualitative analysis, 7 factors affecting the intervention of health-care professionals in a radiological event were identified as follows: rarity of the event; inadequacy of health-care professionals against the radiological event; sensory responses; dilemma and ethical concern; communication, workload; and other factors. The most important factor affecting the intervention of health-care professionals in a radiological event is inadequate education about a radiological event, which influences the formation of other factors. These and other factors cause actions such as delayed treatment, death, and disruption of health services. Further studies are needed on the factors affecting the intervention of health-care professionals.

Addressing the Shortage of Health Professionals in Official Language Minority Communities to Strengthen Retention Strategies for the Benefit of New Brunswick Francophone and Acadian Communities: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Design.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has highlighted already existing human resource gaps in health care systems. New Brunswick health care services are significantly weakened by a shortage of nurses and physicians, affecting regions where Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) reside. Since 2008, Vitalité Health Network (the "Network"), whose work language is French (with services delivered in both official languages, English and French), has provided health care to OLMCs in New Brunswick. The Network currently needs to fill hundreds of vacant physician and nurse positions. It is imperative to strengthen the network's retention strategies to ensure its viability and maintain adequate health care services for OLMCs. The study is a collaborative effort between the Network (our partner) and the research team to identify and implement organizational and structural strategies to upscale retention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to support one of New Brunswick health networks in identifying and implementing strategies to promote physician and registered nurse retention. More precisely, it wishes to make 4 important contributions to identify (and enhance our understanding of) the factors related to the retention of physicians and nurses within the Network; determine, based on the "Magnet Hospital" model and the "Making it Work" framework, on which aspects of the Network's environment (internal or external) it should focus for its retention strategy; define clear and actionable practices to help the Network replenish its strength and vitality; and improve the quality of health care services to OLMCs. METHODS: The sequential methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches based on a mixed methods design. For the quantitative part, data collected through the years by the Network will be used to take stock of vacant positions and examine turnover rates. These data will also help determine which areas have the most critical challenges and which ones have more successful approaches regarding retention. Recruitment will be made in those areas for the qualitative part of the study to conduct interviews and focus groups with different respondents, either currently employed or who have left it in the last 5 years. RESULTS: This study was funded in February 2022. Active enrollment and data collection started in the spring of 2022. A total of 56 semistructured interviews were conducted with physicians and nurses. As of manuscript submission, qualitative data analysis is in progress and quantitative data collection is intended to end by February 2023. Summer and fall 2023 is the anticipated period to disseminate the results. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the "Magnet Hospital" model and the "Making it Work" framework outside urban settings will offer a novel outlook to the knowledge of professional resource shortages within OLMCs. Furthermore, this study will generate recommendations that could contribute to a more robust retention plan for physicians and registered nurses. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/41485.

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.

Influence of COVID-19 on Tertiary Orthopaedic Centres.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious lethal infection that has successfully spread all across the world. The novel coronavirus that is behind the menace and spread of COVID-19, is the next in the lineage of the Coronaviridae family of viruses, which had previously given two deadly viruses with limited geographical extent. After sustaining for more than two years, the virus is still active and keeps on mutating to evade human immunity. The impact of COVID-19 is felt not only by patients of COVID-19 who go through the trauma but also by non-COVID-19 patients due to the non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) enforced. Patients in the orthopedic departments suffered a huge blow as their rehabilitation practices were stalled due to a lack of health professionals and also restrictions imposed. But to soften the blow, usage of telemedicine was done in some instances so that the essential therapies can continue despite the movement restrictions imposed. COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of human life including clinical practices and this endeavor is to review those aspects and provide conclusions if any. The aim of the study is to review the available resources regarding Indoor orthopedic practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and draw a conclusion that can help further research on the aforementioned topic.

Locating frontline workers' position up against COVID-19.

History of mankind has been brutal and marred by wars, attacks, invasions, occupying others territory and killing other human beings with their animals in the process. But now with arrival of Industrial Revolutions in last century or so, we gradually realized that for having and maintaining economic prosperity; we need others' cooperation and since then full- scale wars almost disappeared. But when we fight now and support others in the process, we realise that brute force is only occasionally used entity and most of the times technological methods are deployed to injure others. It is this rationale which makes way for people of either gender having capability to use highly advanced weaponry to enter the arena to decide fate of their side. Therefore, now war is not exclusively masculine entity and that analogy may not be appropriate in modern era. When we use masculine notion to explain our war against COVID-19, there are many shortcomings.

[Expert opinion on strategies to improve vaccination coverage against seasonal influenza]. / Documento de opinión de expertos para la mejora de la cobertura vacunal frente a la gripe estacional.

Seasonal flu continues to be a major public health concern, and the influenza vaccine remains the most effective preventive measure. In Spain, vaccination coverage data from previous seasons show vaccination rates well below official targets; however, these figures improved significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the importance of achieving and maintaining high vaccination rates in order to avoid the clinical and economic impact of influenza, our multidisciplinary group of experts on vaccines analyzed the impact of low vaccination rates in Spain and drafted a series of measures to boost influenza vaccination coverage, particularly among priority groups.

COVID-19 pandemic in the intensive care unit: Psychological implications and interventions, a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic produced changes in intensive care units (ICUs) in patient care and health organizations. The pandemic event increased patients' risk of developing psychological symptoms during and after hospitalisation. These consequences also affected those family members who could not access the hospital. In addition, the initial lack of knowledge about the virus and its management, the climate of fear and uncertainty, the increased workload and the risk of becoming infected and being contagious, had a strong impact on healthcare staff and organizations. This highlighted the importance of interventions aimed at providing psychological support to ICUs, involving patients, their relatives, and the staff; this might involve the reorganisation of the daily routine and rearrangement of ICU staff duties. AIM: To conduct a systematic review of psychological issues in ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic involving patients, their relatives, and ICU staff. METHODS: We investigated the PubMed and the ClinicalTrials.gov databases and found 65 eligible articles, upon which we commented. RESULTS: Our results point to increased perceived stress and psychological distress in staff, patients and their relatives and increased worry for being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 in patients and relatives. Furthermore, promising results were obtained for some psychological programmes aiming at improving psychological measures in all ICU categories. CONCLUSION: As the pandemic limited direct inter-individual interactions, the role of interventions using digital tools and virtual reality is becoming increasingly important. All considered, our results indicate an essential role for psychologists in ICUs.

Translating Cultural Safety to the UK.

Disproportional morbidity and mortality experienced by ethnic minorities in the UK have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 'Black Lives Matter' movement has exposed structural racism's contribution to these health inequities. 'Cultural Safety', an antiracist, decolonising and educational innovation originating in New Zealand, has been adopted in Australia. Cultural Safety aims to dismantle barriers faced by colonised Indigenous peoples in mainstream healthcare by addressing systemic racism.This paper explores what it means to be 'culturally safe'. The ways in which New Zealand and Australia are incorporating Cultural Safety into educating healthcare professionals and in day-to-day practice in medicine are highlighted. We consider the 'nuts and bolts' of translating Cultural Safety into the UK to reduce racism within healthcare. Listening to the voices of black, Asian and minority ethnic National Health Service (NHS) consumers, education in reflexivity, both personal and organisational within the NHS are key. By listening to Indigenous colonised peoples, the ex-Empire may find solutions to health inequity. A decolonising feedback loop is required; however, we should take care not to culturally appropriate this valuable reverse innovation.

Stress- and Work-Related Burnout in Frontline Health-Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting humankind in unprecedented and monumental ways. Health-care professionals (HCPs) have had to deal with traumatic and complex situations at work. However, the current understanding of the emotional effects on HCPs and their vulnerability during the pandemic is limited. We investigated the effects of HCPs' viral epidemic-related stress, professional quality of life (ProQOL), depression, and anxiety on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS: We recruited a convenience sample of 60 HCPs at 2 tertiary hospitals in provinces P and Y, Republic of Korea. We analyzed their demographics, viral epidemic-related distress, ProQOL (compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress), depression, anxiety, and HRQOL through self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Burnout had a significant direct effect on depression, anxiety, physical health, and psychological HRQOL and indirectly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Viral epidemic-related stress had no significant direct effect on any variable, but indirectly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Depression and anxiety were endogenous variables (mediators). Depression was a pathway that directly and significantly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Burnout had the most significant effect on physical health and psychological HRQOL, whereas depression had the greatest effect on social relationships and environmental HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Low compassion satisfaction caused burnout in HCPs, and burnout was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and HRQOL. Furthermore, HRQOL showed a greater response when affected by indirect burnout through depression and anxiety than when directly affected by burnout.