Safety of nursing professionals and patient facing COVID-19 pandemic in critical care unit.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate nursing professionals and patient safety culture during the professional performance in the care of suspected or infected patients with COVID-19. METHOD: a cross-sectional study carried out with 90 professionals from critical care units of two teaching hospitals. An instrument for sociodemographic characterization and health conditions was used, in addition to the constructs "Nursing professional and patient safety" and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Univariate analyzes were performed between the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the characteristics of Nursing professionals, applying Kendell's correlation between the constructs. RESULTS: the COVID-19 diagnosis presented a significant statistical difference between nursing professionals that worked for more than six years at the critical care unit (p=0.020) and the items of the construct "Nursing professional and patient safety" regarding the doubts about how to remove the personal protective equipment (p=0.013) and safety flow (p=0,021). The dimensions 2 (p=0.003), 3 (p=0.009), 4 (p=0.013), 6 (p<0.001), and 9 (p=0.024) of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture were associated with the accomplishment of training. CONCLUSION: a higher professional nursing experience time was associated with non-infection by COVID-19. The perception of the safety culture of the patient was related to the accomplishment of training.

Aromatherapy on Psycho-Emotional Symptoms and Fatigue in Nursing Professionals in the COVID-19 Setting / Aromaterapia en los síntomas psicoemocionales y fatiga en profesionales de enfermería en el marco de la COVID-19 / Aromaterapia nos sintomas psicoemocionais e fadiga em profissionais de enfermagem no contexto da COVID-19

Abstract Objective: To compare the effectiveness of aromatherapy with lavender essential oil (EO) versus an EO synergy on psycho-emotional symptoms and fatigue of nursing professionals in the COVID-19 setting. Materials and Methods: This is a quasi-experimental pilot study conducted in 2020. The professionals were randomized in Group 1 - lavender, and in Group 2 - lavender and other EOs synergy. The instruments were validated in Brazil, namely the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the Fatigue Pictogram, which were applied at three moments: before the intervention, after 21 days of intervention, and three weeks after the end of the intervention follow-up. The data were evaluated using Pearson's x2 test or Fisher's exact test (dichotomous variables) and Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test (continuous variables). Results: A total of 18 professionals participated, and both groups presented improved SRQ-20 scores (p < 0.010), which was maintained in the follow-up for Group 1 compared to the pre-intervention moment (p = 0.033). There was a significant decrease in fatigue in professionals in both groups (p = 0.010), but no difference was observed in the improvement of the impact of fatigue on daily life. Conclusions: There was a reduction in psycho-emotional symptoms and fatigue in nursing professionals who used aromatherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic in both groups.

Resumen Objetivo: comparar la efectividad de la aromaterapia con aceite esencial (AE) de lavanda versus una sinergia de AE en síntomas psicoemocionales y fadiga de profesionales de enfermería en el marco de la pandemia ocasionada por la covid-19. Materiales y método: estudio piloto casi-experimental realizado en 2020. Se hizo randomización de los profesionales en Grupo 1 - lavanda y Grupo 2 - sinergia lavanda y otros AE. Instrumentos validados en Brasil, Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) y Pictograma de Fadiga, se aplicaron en tres momentos: antes de la intervención, luego de 21 días de intervención y tres semanas tras el término de la intervención follow-up. Se evaluaron los datos por la prueba x2 de Pearson o prueba exacta de Fisher (variables dicotómicas) y por la prueba t de Student o Mann-Whitney (variables continuas). Resultados: participaron 18 profesionales y ambos grupos mostraron mejores puntuaciones del SRQ-20 (p < 0,010), que se mantuvo en el follow-up para el Grupo 1, comparado al momento preintervención (p = 0,033). Hubo disminución significativa de la fadiga de los profesionales en los dos grupos (p = 0,010), pero no se observó diferencia en la mejoría del impacto de la fadiga en la vida diaria. Conclusiones: hubo reducción en los síntomas psicoemocionales y la fadiga de profesionales de enfermería que emplearon aromaterapia durante la pandemia de la covid-19 en ambos grupos.

Resumo Objetivo: comparar a efetividade da aromaterapia com óleo essencial (OE) de lavanda versus uma sinergia de OE em sintomas psicoemocionais e fadiga de profissionais de enfermagem no contexto da covid-19. Materiais e método: estudo-piloto quase-experimental realizado em 2020. Os profissionais foram randomizados em Grupo 1 - lavanda e Grupo 2 - sinergia lavanda e outros OE. Instrumentos validados no Brasil, Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) e Pictograma de Fadiga, foram aplicados em três momentos: antes da intervenção, após 21 dias de intervenção e três semanas após o fim da intervenção follow-up. Os dados foram avaliados pelo teste x2 de Pearson ou teste exato de Fisher (variáveis dicotômicas) e pelo teste t de Student ou Mann-Whitney (variáveis contínuas). Resultados: participaram 18 profissionais e ambos os grupos mostraram melhora nos escores do SRQ-20 (p < 0,010), que se manteve no follow-up para o Grupo 1, comparado ao momento pré-intervenção (p = 0,033). Houve diminuição significativa da fadiga dos profissionais nos dois grupos (p = 0,010), porém não se observou diferença na melhora do impacto da fadiga na vida diária. Conclusões: houve redução nos sintomas psicoemocionais e na fadiga de profissionais de enfermagem que utilizaram aromaterapia durante a pandemia da covid-19 em ambos os grupos.

Personal protective equipment implementation in healthcare: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including the proper use of protective personal equipment (PPE), in health care is complex and is influenced by many factors. Isolated interventions do not have the potential to achieve optimal PPE adherence and appropriate provision, leading to incomplete PPE implementation. OBJECTIVE: To map PPE implementation in health care with a focus on its barriers and facilitators. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted across 14 electronic databases using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. RESULTS: Seventy-four papers were included in the review. Findings were analyzed and synthesized into categories to match the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains. The content was then synthesized into barriers for PPE implementation and interventions to address them. The main barriers were discomfort in clinical work; shortage, supply and logistics problems; inadequacies in facilities infrastructure, weakness in policies and communication procedures; and health workers' (HW) psychological issues and lack of preparedness. Implementation interventions reported were related to HW wellbeing assurance; work reorganization; IPC protocols; adoption of strategies to improve communication and HW training; and adoption of structural and organizational changes to improve PPE adherence. CONCLUSIONS: PPE implementation, which is critical IPC programs, involves multilevel transdisciplinary complexity. It relies on the development of context-driven implementation strategies to inform and harmonize IPC policy in collaboration with local and international health bodies.

Teleconsultation as an advanced practice nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic based on Roy and Chick-Meleis.

Teleconsultation can be classified as an advanced practice nursing that requires nurses' clinical reasoning based on a consistent theoretical framework to use in the nursing process. Our study conducted a theoretical-reflective analysis, based on Callista Roy's Adaptation Model of Nursing and Chick-Meleis' Transition Theory, about the contribution of teleconsultation as an advanced practice nursing in the care of older adults with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. We reflect on this in two moments: "nursing theories and dealing with COVID-19" and "ways of adapting to new care models and advanced practice nursing," based on communication and information technologies. The worsening of the pandemic in Brazil changed life cycles, health/disease and organizational processes, demanding the development of an adaptive-transactional state by users and health care providers. Thus, information and communication technologies combined with advanced practice nursing can relieve social distancing and its repercussions on health care.

Safety in the practice of decontaminating filtering facepiece respirators: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Considering the new SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the potential scarcity of material resources, the reuse of personal protective equipment such as filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) for N95 filtering or higher is being discussed, mainly regarding the effectiveness and safety of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization processes. AIM: To analyze the available evidence in the literature on the safety in processing FFRs. METHODS: A systematic review conducted by searching for studies in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, CENTRAL, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus. RESULTS: Forty studies were included in this review. The disinfectant/sterilizing agents most frequently tested at different concentrations and exposure periods were ultraviolet irradiation, vaporized hydrogen peroxide and steam sterilization. Microbial reduction was assessed in 21 (52.5%) studies. The only disinfectants/sterilizers that did not caused degradation of the material-integrity were alcohol, electric cooker, ethylene oxide, and peracetic acid fogging. Exposure to ultraviolet irradiation or microwave generated-steam resulted in a nonsignificant reduction in filter performance. CONCLUSION: There is a complex relationship between the FFR raw materials and the cycle conditions of the decontamination methods, evidencing the need for validating FFRs by models and manufacturers, as well as the process. Some methods may require additional tests to demonstrate the safety of FFRs for use due to toxicity.