COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care: An international perspective for policy considerations.

This paper identifies key factors rooted in the systemic failings of the long-term care sector amongst four high income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to offer practice and policy solutions to prevent future tragedies. Based on data from Australia, Canada, Spain and the United States, the findings support evidence-based recommendations at macro, meso and micro levels of practice and policy intervention. Key macro recommendations include improving funding, transparency, accountability and health system integration; and promoting not-for-profit and government-run long-term care facilities. The meso recommendation involves moving from warehouses to "green houses." The micro recommendations emphasize mandating recommended staffing levels and skill mix; providing infection prevention and control training; establishing well-being and mental health supports for residents and staff; building evidence-based practice cultures; ensuring ongoing education for staff and nursing students; and fully integrating care partners, such as families or friends, into the healthcare team. Enacting these recommendations will improve residents' safety and quality of life, families' peace of mind, and staff retention and work satisfaction.

COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care: An international perspective for policy considerations

This paper identifies key factors rooted in the systemic failings of the long-term care sector amongst four high income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to offer practice and policy solutions to prevent future tragedies. Based on data from Australia, Canada, Spain and the United States, the findings support evidence-based recommendations at macro, meso and micro levels of practice and policy intervention. Key macro recommendations include improving funding, transparency, accountability and health system integration;and promoting not-for-profit and government-run long-term care facilities. The meso recommendation involves moving from warehouses to "green houses.” The micro recommendations emphasize mandating recommended staffing levels and skill mix;providing infection prevention and control training;establishing well-being and mental health supports for residents and staff;building evidence-based practice cultures;ensuring ongoing education for staff and nursing students;and fully integrating care partners, such as families or friends, into the healthcare team. Enacting these recommendations will improve residents' safety and quality of life;families' peace of mind;and staff retention and work satisfaction.

Triaging your human capital: an integrative perspective on strategic human capital asset allocation: MRN

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an overarching framework to guide the understanding of the allocation and deployment of strategic human capital assets within an organization. Using the concept of medical triage with business units analogous to "patients” and their performance to "symptoms or injuries,” the framework suggests a "steal from the poor” perspective that is counter to conventional organizational decline literature.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper proposing that there are five different categories of business unit need for human capital assets: expectant, deceased, immediate, delayed or minimal;all based on the type of environment and holistic performance of the business unit. Based on a business unit's specific situation, the authors suggest a process model guiding how to conduct a triage analysis to optimize the allocation of strategic human capital assets within an organization.FindingsThe authors argue that current trends in assessing strategic human capital assets which make comparisons across organizations are necessary but insufficient (e.g. comparing a store to other stores in its district or region). Each business unit has its own unique internal capabilities and external constraints that also must be accurately assessed to make an informed organizational-level decision about where and how to deploy strategic human capital assets.Originality/valueBorrowing from medical science, this paper demonstrates a new conceptual framework with propositions for researchers and guidance for practitioners.

Operationalizing an academic pediatric practice during the COVID-19 crisis.

We report on innovating protocols at an Academic Pediatric practice during the COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) crisis. Facing the challenges of limited personal protective equipment and testing capacity, we rapidly and efficiently changed processes to optimize infection control, providing safe and effective care for our vulnerable population.