Experiences of Home Care Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked several changes in home care. Understanding home care nurses' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic plays an essential role in home care management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore and articulate the experience of home care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. DESIGN: A qualitative study using hermeneutic phenomenology was carried out. Twenty home care nurses were interviewed by teleconference between January and March 2021. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. RESULTS: Three main themes with five subthemes emerged from the data analysis: (a) "The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on home care," with the subtheme "the reorganization of home care nurses' competencies"; (b) "The role of telehealth in home care," which included the subthemes "home care nurses' satisfaction with telehealth" and "barriers to implement telehealth in home care"; and (c) "Effects of the pandemic on home care nurses' lives," including the subthemes "working in a pandemic is emotionally draining" and "the continuing fear of infecting others." DISCUSSION: The findings from this study demonstrate the profound effect that home care has experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home care nurses' competencies were modified to care for and diagnose COVID-19 patients. Face-to-face home care was replaced by telehealth. All home care nurses experienced physical and psychological symptoms and the fear of infecting others.

The Experiences of Home Care Nurses in Regard to the Care of Vulnerable Populations: A Qualitative Study.

Home care nurses have become the main references in home care for vulnerable patients. In patients' homes they offer comprehensive and continuous care to both the vulnerable population and their families. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore experiences and perspectives of home care nurses regarding the care of vulnerable patients in Spain. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 home care nurses working with a vulnerable population. From a data analysis, two themes and four subthemes emerged: (1) "barriers to providing home care to vulnerable populations", with the following subthemes: "the particularities of the patient and their home caregivers" and "perceived barriers for the involvement of home care nurses in the care"; and (2) "the emotional cost of home care" with the subthemes "home care is draining for caregivers" and "the impact of home care on the home care nurses". These findings show us that nurses face a number of difficulties in home care for vulnerable patients. The training of nurses in certain competencies and skills by the social health services would enhance the quality of care offered to these patients.

La prevención y la constancia conducen a la integridad tisular / Prevention and perseverance lead to tissue integrity

Las úlceras de la extremidad inferior presentan una elevada prevalencia queguarda una relación directa con la edad. El predominio de úlceras abiertas esdel 0,1 a 0,3% y su incidencia de tres a cinco nuevos casos por 1.000 personasal año. Cuando estas se curan, ocurren recidivas del 33 al 42% de los casos,padeciendo una de cada tres úlceras una recidiva en un periodo de nueve mesesy alrededor del 60% a los cinco años. Los ácidos grasos hiperoxigenados(AGHO) han demostrado ser eficaces en la prevención de las úlceras de laextremidad inferior gracias a su acción favorable sobre la piel, puesto queaumentan la microcirculación sanguínea, impulsan la renovación celularepidérmica y mejoran notablemente la hidratación cutánea. En el presenteestudio, hemos querido evaluar una posible disminución de la incidencia derecidivas de lesiones vasculares con el uso continuado de los ácidos grasoshiperoxigenados (AGHO) en emulsión (Mepentol® Leche), en el mismo grupode pacientes tratados con el producto en un estudio anterior, en el que seobtuvieron excelentes resultados que demostraron su efectividad en laprevención de la aparición de nuevas lesiones en la piel tratada con Mepentol®Leche, así como en la mejora de los diferentes síntomas que acompañan a estetipo de úlceras. Para ello, se ha realizado un seguimiento de dos años, desde2006 a 2008, de estos mismos pacientes con úlceras de la extremidad inferiorya resueltas, con el fin de valorar la incidencia de recidivas en este grupo (AU)

Lower extremity ulcers have a high prevalence, which has a direct relationshipwith age, his prevalence is 0.1 to 0.3%, and its incidence is three to five new cases per thousand people per year. When these healed, relapses occur in 33 to42% of cases, one in trhee suffer ulcer recurrence in a period of nine months, andabout 60% at five years. Hyper-oxygenated fatty acids has proven to be effectivein preventing lower extremity ulcers due to its favorable action on the skin,increasing blood microcirculation, promoting epidermal cell turnover andsignificantly improving skin hydration. In this study we wanted to evaluate apossible reduction in the incidence of recurrence of vascular lesions withcontinued use of hyper-oxygenated fatty acids (AGHO) emulsion, Mepentol®Leche, in the same group of patients treated with the product in a previous study, in which excellent results were obtained which showed its effectiveness inpreventing appearance of new lesions in the skin treated with Mepentol® Leche,as well as the improvement of various symptoms that accompany this type ofulcers. To do this, it has been monitoring two years, from 2006 to 2008, thesesame patients with lower extremity ulcers healed in order to assess the incidence ofrecurrences in this group (AU)

Un antes y un después: del riesgo o deterioro de la integridad cutánea 57 a la integridad tisular / Turning point: From risk or damage of skin integrity to tissue integrity

Las úlceras vasculares y las úlceras de pie diabético suponen un grave problemasanitario que afecta a un gran número de pacientes y constituyen, por ello, ungran reto de trabajo para los profesionales de la salud. Los ácidos grasos hiperoxigenados(AGHO) han demostrado tener eficacia gracias a su acción favorablesobre la piel, aumentando la microcirculación sanguínea, impulsando la renovacióncelular epidérmica y mejorando notablemente la hidratación cutánea. Hemosevaluado la eficacia del producto Mepentol® Leche, una emulsión a base deácidos grasos hiperoxigenados, Aloe barbadensis y Mimosa tenuiflora, en el cuidadode la piel y el alivio de los síntomas, en pacientes de riesgo o con úlceras vascularesy úlceras de pie diabético. Se demuestra un antes y un después en el usosistemático de Mepentol® Leche, evitando la sequedad cutánea, reduciendo elprurito, escozor, dolor y eczema, y devolviendo la piel a su coloración normal(AU)

Vascular ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers present a health serious problem which affects alarge number of patients, creating a major challenge for health professionals. Hyperoxygenatedfatty acid dressings have proven to be effective thanks to their favorable actionon the skin, increasing the microcirculation of the blood, promoting the renovation ofthe epidermic cells, and notably increasing cutaneous hydration. We evaluate the effectivenessof Mepentol® Leche, an emulsion based on Hyper-oxygenated fatty acids, Aloebarbadensis and Mimosa tenuiflora, used to treat the skin and alleviate symptoms inpatients at risk or with vascular ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. This study showed aturning point in applying this product systematically, avoiding skin dryness and redu -cing itching, stinging, pain and eczema while returning normal color to the skin(AU)