The hand-brain-heart connection: ICU nurses' experience of managing patient safety during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has challenged critical care nursing through increased critical care service utilization. This may have a profound impact on intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' ability to maintain patient safety. However, the experiences of ICU nurses in managing patient safety during an infectious disease outbreak remains unexplored. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore ICU nurses' narratives in managing patient safety in the outbreak ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: A narrative inquiry design. METHODS: A purposive sample of 18 registered nurses who practiced in the outbreak ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited between June and August 2020. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and narratively analysed. RESULTS: Findings reviewed an overarching anatomy-specific storyline of a 'hand-brain-heart' connection that describes nurses' experience with managing patient safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, stories on 'the hands of clinical practice' revealed how critical care nursing is practiced and adapted by ICU nurses during the pandemic. In particular, ICU nurses banded together to safeguard patient safety by practicing critical care nursing with mastery. Secondly, stories on 'the brain of psychosocial wellness' highlights the tumultuous impact of COVID-19 on the nurses' psychosocial well-being and how nurses demonstrated resilience to continually uphold patient safety during the pandemic. Lastly, stories on 'the heart of nursing' drew upon the nurses' intrinsic professional nursing identity and values to safeguard patient safety. Specific patient tales further boosted the nurses' commitment to render safe nursing care during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Through their stories, ICU nurses reported how they continually seek to uphold patient safety through clinical competence, resilience, and heightened nursing identity. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: ICU nurses require sustainable clinical resources and references such as clinical instructors, as well as visible psychosocial support channels, for ICU nurses to continue to uphold patient safety during COVID-19.

'From Expert to Novice', Perceptions of General Ward Nurses on Deployment to Outbreak Intensive Care Units during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the perceived preparedness and psychosocial well-being of general ward nurses prior to their deployment into the outbreak intensive care units (ICUs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: With the surge in COVID-19 cases requiring ICU care, non-ICU nurses maybe deployed into the ICUs. Having experienced through SARS, hospitals in Singapore instituted upskilling programs to secure general ward nurses' competency in providing critical care nursing. However, no studies have explored the perceptions of general ward nurses on deployment into the ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: The study was conducted at Singapore's epicentre of COVID-19 management. Five focus groups were conducted following purposive sampling of 30 general ward nurses identified for outbreak ICU deployment. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and data thematically analysed. This study was conducted and reported in accordance with the COREQ checklist. RESULTS: Three salient themes arose, exemplifying the transition from clinical experts in the general wards to practising novices in the outbreak ICUs. Firstly, 'Into the deep end of the pool' described general ward nurses' feelings of anxiety and stress associated with higher exposure risk and expanded responsibilities to nurse critically ill patients. Secondly, 'Preparing for "war"' illustrated deployed nurses' need for clear communication and essential critical care nursing training. Lastly, 'Call of duty' affirmed the nurses' personal and professional commitment to embrace this transition into the ICUs, and their desire for greater psychosocial support. CONCLUSION: The study findings highlight that though general ward nurses perceived their impending ICU deployment positively, they require ongoing support to facilitate a smoother transition. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Findings provided an evidence base to improve the preparedness of general ward nurses deployed into the ICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic within key areas of training, information dissemination and psychosocial resilience.

Interprofessional bedside rounds: Nurse-physician collaboration and perceived barriers in an Asian hospital.

Interprofessional bedside rounds by nurses and physicians provide valuable space and time for the discussion of patient care, which is essential for providing quality care. However, nurse-physician collaboration and barriers to attending these rounds are not well-examined. This study aimed to examine the collaboration of nurses and physicians and their perceived barriers to interprofessional bedside rounds. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 371 medical ward-based nurses and physicians from an acute care tertiary hospital in Singapore, using a 27-item Nurse-Physician Collaboration Scale and a 21-item Perceived Barriers to Interprofessional Bedside Rounds questionnaire. The overall Nurse-Physician Collaboration scores indicated positive attitudes toward nurse-physician collaboration in bedside rounds, with no significant difference found between nurses and physicians. While the sharing of information was reported to be the most frequent collaborative activity, the cooperative relationship was rated to be the least frequent behavior. The highest ranked barriers were related to time-related issues. The nurses reported a significantly greater perceived barrier in attending bedside round than the physicians. To optimize nurse-physician collaboration, the study advocates healthcare leaders to foster cooperative relationships between nurses and physicians and to reorganize ward routines to provide designated time periods for nurses to attend rounds.