Views about perceived training needs of health care professionals in relation to socially assistive robots: an international online survey.

BACKGROUND: As Artificial Intelligence and social robots are increasingly used in health and social care, it is imperative to explore the training needs of the workforce, factoring in their cultural background. OBJECTIVES: Explore views on perceived training needs among professionals around the world and how these related to country cultures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive, mixed-methods international online survey. METHODS: Descriptive statistical analysis explored the ranking across countries and relationships with three Hofstede cultural dimensions. Thematic analysis was conducted on the open-ended text responses. RESULTS: A sample of N = 1284 participants from eighteen countries. Knowing the capabilities of the robots was ranked as the top training need across all participating countries and this was also reflected in the thematic analysis. Participants' culture, expressed through three Hofstede's dimensions, revealed statistically significant ranking differences. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should further explore other factors such as the level of digital maturity of the workplace. IMPACT STATEMENT: Training needs of health and social care staff to use robotics are fast growing and preparation should factor in patient safety and be based on the principles of person- and culture-centred care.

Impact of a dry inoculum deposition on the efficacy of copper-based antimicrobial surfaces.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of antimicrobial surfaces into healthcare environments is believed to impact positively on the rate of healthcare-associated infections by significantly decreasing pathogen presence on surfaces. AIM: To report on a novel efficacy test that uses a dry bacterial inoculum to measure the microbicidal efficacy of antimicrobial surfaces. METHODS: An aerosolized dry inoculum of Staphylococcus aureus or Acinetobacter baumannii was deposited on copper alloy surfaces or a hospital-grade stainless-steel surface. Surviving bacteria were enumerated following incubation of the inoculated surfaces at an environmentally relevant temperature and relative humidity. Damage caused to bacteria by the aerosolization process and by the different surfaces was investigated. FINDINGS: Dry inoculum testing showed a <2-log10 reduction in S. aureus or A. baumannii on the copper alloy surfaces tested after 24 h at 20°C and 40% relative humidity. Potential mechanisms of action included membrane damage, DNA damage and arrested cellular respiration. The aerosolization process caused some damage to bacterial cells. Once this effect was taken into account, the antimicrobial activity of copper surfaces was evident. CONCLUSIONS: Our test provided a realistic deposition of a bacterial inoculum to a surface and, as such, a realistic protocol to assess the efficacy of dry antimicrobial environmental surfaces in vitro.

Obstacles to compassion-giving among nursing and midwifery managers: an international study.

AIM: To explore nursing and midwifery managers' views regarding obstacles to compassion-giving across country cultures. BACKGROUND: The benefit of compassionate leadership is being advocated, but despite the fact that health care is invariably conducted within culturally diverse workplaces, the interconnection of culture, compassion and leadership is rarely addressed. Furthermore, evidence on how cultural factors hinder the expression of compassion among nursing and midwifery managers is lacking. METHODS: Cross-sectional, exploratory, international online survey involving 1 217 participants from 17 countries. Managers' responses on open-ended questions related to barriers for providing compassion were entered and thematically analysed through NVivo. RESULTS: Three key themes related to compassion-giving obstacles emerged across countries: 1. related to the managers' personal characteristics and experiences; 2. system-related; and 3. staff-related. CONCLUSIONS: Obstacles to compassion-giving among managers vary across countries. An understanding of the variations across countries and cultures of what impedes compassion to flourish in health care is important. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY: Nursing mangers should wisely use their power by adopting leadership styles that promote culturally competent and compassionate workplaces with respect for human rights. Policymakers should identify training and mentoring needs to enable the development of managers' practical wisdom. Appropriate national and international policies should facilitate the establishment of standards and guidelines for compassionate leadership, in the face of distorted organizational cultures and system-related obstacles to compassion-giving.

Use of a small-scale, portable test chamber for determining the bactericidal efficacy of aerosolized glycol formulations.

This study aimed to understand the efficacy and mechanisms of action of an aerosolized glycol-ethanol formulations against bacteria. We validated a small-scale in-house test chamber to determine the microbicidal efficacy of four aerosolized formulations combining dipropylene glycol and ethanol against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli embedded in alginate. The aerosolized glycol/ethanol formulation decreased bacterial viability by 3 log10 and was more efficacious than an ethanol only control formulation. Electron microscopic examination indicated extensive structural damage in both bacteria, and membrane damage was confirmed with potassium release in S. aureus and DNA release in E. coli. The development of a small test chamber facilitated the measurement of the microbicidal efficacy and experiments to understand the mechanism of action of an aerosolized microbicidal formulation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: There is an increased interest in developing effective microbicidal-aerosolized formulations. The development of a small in-house test chamber allowed the measurement of the microbicidal efficacy of an aerosolized glycol/ethanol formulation at a low cost. We showed that a glycol/ethanol aerosolized formulation caused extensive structural damage in Gram-negative and -positive bacteria resulting in a 3 log10 reduction in viability.

Active animal health surveillance in European Union Member States: gaps and opportunities.

Animal health surveillance enables the detection and control of animal diseases including zoonoses. Under the EU-FP7 project RISKSUR, a survey was conducted in 11 EU Member States and Switzerland to describe active surveillance components in 2011 managed by the public or private sector and identify gaps and opportunities. Information was collected about hazard, target population, geographical focus, legal obligation, management, surveillance design, risk-based sampling, and multi-hazard surveillance. Two countries were excluded due to incompleteness of data. Most of the 664 components targeted cattle (26·7%), pigs (17·5%) or poultry (16·0%). The most common surveillance objectives were demonstrating freedom from disease (43·8%) and case detection (26·8%). Over half of components applied risk-based sampling (57·1%), but mainly focused on a single population stratum (targeted risk-based) rather than differentiating between risk levels of different strata (stratified risk-based). About a third of components were multi-hazard (37·3%). Both risk-based sampling and multi-hazard surveillance were used more frequently in privately funded components. The study identified several gaps (e.g. lack of systematic documentation, inconsistent application of terminology) and opportunities (e.g. stratified risk-based sampling). The greater flexibility provided by the new EU Animal Health Law means that systematic evaluation of surveillance alternatives will be required to optimize cost-effectiveness.

Systematic review of surveillance systems and methods for early detection of exotic, new and re-emerging diseases in animal populations.

In this globalized world, the spread of new, exotic and re-emerging diseases has become one of the most important threats to animal production and public health. This systematic review analyses conventional and novel early detection methods applied to surveillance. In all, 125 scientific documents were considered for this study. Exotic (n = 49) and re-emerging (n = 27) diseases constituted the most frequently represented health threats. In addition, the majority of studies were related to zoonoses (n = 66). The approaches found in the review could be divided in surveillance modalities, both active (n = 23) and passive (n = 5); and tools and methodologies that support surveillance activities (n = 57). Combinations of surveillance modalities and tools (n = 40) were also found. Risk-based approaches were very common (n = 60), especially in the papers describing tools and methodologies (n = 50). The main applications, benefits and limitations of each approach were extracted from the papers. This information will be very useful for informing the development of tools to facilitate the design of cost-effective surveillance strategies. Thus, the current literature review provides key information about the advantages, disadvantages, limitations and potential application of methodologies for the early detection of new, exotic and re-emerging diseases.

Diabetes y ¿discapacidad? / Diabetes and, Disability? / Diabetes e, Deficiência?

El número de personas que vive con diabetes mellitus (DM) se ha incrementado considerablemente durante los últimos años. La DM, por su carácter crónico, impacta los aspectos físicos, psíquicos, emocionales, espirituales y sociales de la vida de la persona que la padece. Ello implica, a su vez, una serie de impactos en las interacciones sociales y familiares y genera diversos significados para las personas que viven con ella. Objetivo: Comprender los significados que le atribuyen a la discapacidad un grupo de adultos que conviven con retinopatía y nefropatía diabéticas. Metodología: Abordaje cualitativo-interpretativo, con enfoque narrativo biográfico que favorece los relatos de vida. Participantes: diez personas seleccionadas mediante muestreo intencional; información recolectada a través de entrevistas a profundidad; se empleó el método de análisis de contenido. Resultados: Los significados dieron cuenta de tres grandes categorías: 1) las experiencias de dependencia; 2) la capacidad tanto de funcionar como de lograr algo y vivir el tipo de vida que consideran importante y valiosa, y 3) las relaciones de reciprocidad, establecidas con su entorno, donde emerge la experiencia del cuidado, como una relación íntima y directa entre dos o más personas, profundamente emocional, pragmática y práctica que afecta tanto a la persona que recibe el cuidado como a quienes la proporcionan. Conclusiones: La experiencia de discapacidad es única para cada individuo, toma un significado de acuerdo con las características personales, la edad, el tipo de enfermedad, la forma de relacionarse con el entorno y las interacciones que lleve a cabo en este proceso.

The number of people living with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has increased considerably in recent years. The DM for their chronic impacts the physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social aspects of the life of the person suffering, implying in turn a number of impacts on social and family interactions generating different meanings for people living with it. Objective: To understand the meanings attributed to a group of disabled adults living with retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. Methodology: Interpretative qualitative approach with biographical narrative approach favoring life stories. Participants: 10 people selected by purposive sampling. Information gathered through in-depth interviews; the method of content analysis was used. Results: The meanings realized three broad categories: (a) The experiences of dependency; (b) the capacity, that works both as to achieve something, and live the kind of life they consider important and valuable, and (c) the reciprocal relationships, established with their environment, which emerges care experience as a close and direct relationship between two or more people, deeply emotional, pragmatic and practical that affects both the person receiving care and those who provide it. Conclusions: The experience of disability is unique to each individual, taking a meaning according to personal characteristics, age, type of disease, how to interact with the environment and the interactions that take place in this process.

O número de pessoas que vivem com o diabetes mellitus (DM) tem aumentado consideravelmente nos últimos anos. O DM para os crônicos os aspectos físicos, psicológicos, emocionais, espirituais e sociais da vida da pessoa em sofrimento, o que implica, por sua vez uma série de impactos sobre as interações sociais e familiares gerando significados diferentes para pessoas que vivem com ela. Objetivo: Compreender os significados atribuídos a um grupo de adultos com deficiência que vivem com retinopatia e nefropatia diabética. Metodologia: Abordagem qualitativa interpretativa com abordagem narrativa biográfica que favorecem histórias de vida. Participantes: 10 pessoas selecionadas por amostragem intencional. As informações recolhidas através de entrevistas em profundidade. Foi utilizado o método de análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Os significados realizado em três grandes categorias: 1) as experiências de dependência, 2) a capacidade, trabalhando tanto como para alcançar algo e viver o tipo de vida que eles consideram importante e valioso e 3) as relações de reciprocidade estabelecida com o seu ambiente, que emerge a experiência de cuidado como uma relação estreita e direta entre duas ou mais pessoas, profundamente emocionais, pragmáticos e práticos que afeta tanto os cuidados que recebe pessoa e aqueles que fornecê-la. Conclusões: A experiência da deficiência é único para cada indivíduo, tendo um significado de acordo com as características pessoais , idade, tipo de doença, como interagir com o ambiente e as interações que ocorrem neste processo.

A new approach for rapidly assessing the risk of Aujeszky's disease reintroduction into a disease-free Spanish territory by analysing the movement of live pigs and potential contacts with wild boar.

Aujeszky's disease (AD) causes significant economic losses in the Spanish pig sector due to import trade restrictions imposed by disease-free countries. Most regions of Spain have achieved 'low AD prevalence' status as a result of an intensive national AD eradication programme involving vaccination and other measures. However, to achieve AD-free status that would eliminate trade restrictions, vaccination must be stopped. For this final stage of eradication, up to date and reliable estimates of the risk of AD reintroduction are essential. Here, we propose an approach based on spatio-temporal scan statistics that the assesses risk of AD reintroduction in a disease-free territory by analysing the two most frequent risk pathways: movement of live domestic pigs and contact with wildlife reservoirs. The approach is illustrated using the case of Navarre, one of the first Spanish regions which plan to stop vaccination. Moreover, direct contacts among pig farms in Navarre were used to evaluate the potential spread of AD in the event of reintroduction. Areas at highest risk of AD reintroduction were in the southern part of the region during the second half of the year through pig movements and in the western and east-central parts of Navarre through contact with wild boars. Northern Navarre, despite having the highest density of pig farms, seems to be at low risk of AD reintroduction. Analysing the network of pig movements within Navarre revealed distinct northern and southern compartments that may be used in preventive compartmentalization strategies to reduce potential risk of AD re-infection in the scenario without vaccination. The approach described here may be extended to other regions and may be useful for guiding risk-based measures that reduce the risk of AD re-infection in a more cost-effective manner. Such analysis in Spain may allow authorities to stop vaccination in the safest possible way.