Hospital Topics最新文献

Introduction: Post-COVID syndrome, a long-term consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of post-COVID syndrome, describe its clinical spectrum, and identify associated factors among patients with non-severe forms of the disease.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using telephone interviews in Sfax, southern Tunisia, during January 2021. The study population included individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in October 2020. Minors and deceased individuals were excluded. Post-COVID syndrome was defined as the persistence of symptoms for more than eight weeks following the initial COVID-19 diagnosis.

Results: A total of 2,070 patients were enrolled. The sample included 1,230 women (59.4%), with a male-to-female ratio of 0.68. The median age was 40 years [semi-interquartile range (SIR): 12.5 years]. The prevalence of post-COVID syndrome was 41.6% (n = 861). Among these, 229 patients (26.5%) consulted a physician for persistent symptoms, and 122 (14.13%) underwent further paraclinical evaluation. The most commonly reported symptoms were ageusia (68.9%), cognitive difficulties including concentration and memory impairment (24.9%), and fatigue (17.4%). Independent factors significantly associated with post-COVID syndrome included: age under 60 years (AOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.50-2.66), female gender (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.35-1.96), history of chronic respiratory disease (AOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.8), history of cancer (AOR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.03-12.2), anticoagulant therapy (AOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.1-1.8), salicylic acid use (AOR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9), and initial clinical severity categorized as mild (AOR = 5.5; 95% CI: 3.5-8.5) or moderate (AOR = 7.1; 95% CI: 4.2-11.9).

Conclusion: A better understanding of the long-term manifestations of COVID-19, such as post-COVID syndrome, is essential. In the context of widespread vaccination and evolving variants, multidisciplinary approaches must be reconsidered to improve patient follow-up and healthcare strategies.

Global nursing scarcity was more evident during COVID-19. This study investigated the rates and contributing factors of turnover intention in the middle east through meta-analysis. Medline EMCARE, Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE, Ovid, Psych Info, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases searched, Protocol PROSPERO Registration Number was CRD42022337686. The turnover intention rate was 42.3% [CI: 40%, 44.6%]. Working environment, stress, deployment to COVID, fear of infection, long working hours, shift duties, and lack of social support were the major contributing factors.

A disturbing problem in the United States is that of illegal termination by hospitals of professional employees. Nurses, for example, have consistently decried poor staffing levels and, more recently in times of COVID-19, inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that places both nurse and patient at high risk. For the most part, hospitals do little to correct these issues. The complaints have usually been kept "in house" and the nurses were expected to "stand down" once they'd complained. Physicians, who are now employees in growing numbers, have also filed formal complaints with professional associations, States' licensing authorities, and also with States Boards of Health. When this happens, it is not unusual to hear that the physicians who were in good standing and who filed the complaints have been dismissed from their employment even in cases where the physicians have been long term employees of hospitals. Terminated medical employees have sued their former employers. This paper examines the issue of employment of professionals by hospitals, in particular physicians, and causes for termination that are legal. The paper will also examine, by means of analyzing a current case (Zelman), the termination of employment of a physician that appears to be illegal/retaliatory. The paper concludes by demonstrating civil penalties that can attach to the successful proof of retaliatory termination by reviewing of some recent cases that are illuminating in their outcomes.

Critical care is the specialized treatment provided to patients in intensive care units who are severely ill and need extensive care and close monitoring. Hence the present study was undertaken. A total of hundred samples were collected exclusively on those who stayed a minimum of five days in Intensive Care Unit from two reputed Multispecialty Tertiary Hospitals from Kerala, India. APACHE II scoring system, Day World Wide's ICU Questionnaire and Glasgow Coma Scale were adopted to collect patient's data such as personal details, demographic data, medical history, bio-physical parameters, bio- chemical parameters, feeding techniques, time of feeding and nutritional requirements. Admission to Medical ICU were about 43% with respiratory failure, sepsis and other infections, 22% were admitted with neurological diseases and 35% were nephrology patient. It is evident that about 79% were suffering from anorexia. Comparing the administration of exclusive commercial feed to commercial plus kitchen feed, it was observed that patients fed with the latter experienced increased abdominal pain (21%) and vomiting (17%). Diarrhea was more common in patients fed with commercial formula (12%), while constipation was higher in patients fed with kitchen feed (19%). There is no conclusive evidence favoring either exclusive commercial feed or kitchen plus commercial feed. A small percentage (7%) of patients had a mortality rate exceeding 80%. Positive outcomes were observed in critically ill patients through the enteral feeding system, with no significant difference between exclusive commercial feed and kitchen plus commercial feed.

Introduction: Many healthcare workers have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These infected healthcare workers had contacts, some of whom later developed COVID-19. We aim to investigate the risks of contact and infection in different departments and professions in the hospital.

Methods: From April 2020 to September 2021, healthcare workers with COVID-19 were investigated from the follow-up files, respectively. The follow-up files included information on healthcare workers with COVID-19, as well as their contacts, contact patterns, and test results after 7 days of contact follow-up. The relationship between the occupations, the departments, COVID-19 patient care, and the contacts' degree, types, and test results was investigated.

Results: A total of 464 healthcare workers were SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive. While 230 (49.6%) healthcare workers had no contacts, 234 had 1094 contacts. The contact numbers were related to their occupation and department (p 0.028, 0.001). The cleaning staff had the highest contacts per person. Among all contacts, 112 (10.23%) were high risk, and 363 (33.18%) were social contacts. Healthcare workers providing healthcare to COVID-19 patients had a lower risk for high risk and social contacts, and after follow-up, COVID-19 infection (p 0.005, p 0.001, and p 0.017). After social contacts, healthcare workers had more COVID-19 infections than work-related contacts (p 0.00).

Conclusion: COVID-19 was most prevalent among non-healthcare workers. Non-healthcare departments had the highest contact numbers. Social contacts had a higher risk of infection. Social areas, non-healthcare-related workers, and workers who did not provide healthcare to COVID-19 patients had a higher risk of COVID-19.

The study aims to investigate registered nurses' perceptions of their practice environment in public hospitals. A 12-month repeated cross-sectional study with quarterly surveys was conducted in 71 adult medical and surgical wards in four public hospitals in Hong Kong. The perceptions of nurses' practice environment were measured by the 31-item Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index administered in four quarterly survey waves (ranging from 604 to 865 participants). Four of the five subscales scored above 2.5 on average, indicating that these wards were considered favorable practice environments. The only subscale rated unfavorably was "Staffing and resource adequacy."

Underserved communities often face significant reproductive health challenges, including limited access to contraceptive methods. In the Isare health district, rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are high due to insufficient information and resources. To explore how nurses can play a crucial role in improving knowledge, awareness and accessibility of contraceptive methods within underserved communities. Explore specific strategies, interventions, and education programs that nurses can implement to empower community members to make informed decisions about contraception. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used and it was the qualitative data coding system that allowed us to obtain reliable results. Using Alain Bouchard's sampling technique, 72 community members and other health actors involved in the provision of contraceptive services were selected. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical software for the social sciences. The results of this article provided practical recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of nurses in promoting awareness and access to contraceptive methods. These recommendations include continuing education for nurses to strengthen their communication skills, developing culturally appropriate awareness campaigns, and strengthening collaboration with other health and community actors. We find that this article will direct the efforts of nurses, health professionals and decision makers in the Isare health district toward more effective strategies to promote awareness and access to contraceptive methods. By following our recommendations given in this article, it is possible to make a significant contribution to improving reproductive health and quality of life in underserved communities.

The growth of physician assistants/associates (PAs) in hospital medicine is due to increased demand and insufficient physician-house staff. We compared the demographics and practice attributes of 4074 PAs in hospital medicine to 111,430 in all other specialties. Hospitalist PAs were younger (median age, 36 vs. 39), female (73.4% vs. 68.9%), resided in urban regions (93.3% vs. 92.4%), and worked in secondary positions (18.7% vs. 15.1%). However, hospitalist PAs indicated a higher burnout rate than all other specialties. The growth of PAs in hospital medicine makes them part of the strategy to meet the demand for specialized service delivery.

Background: Hospital waste has the potential to contain dangerous microorganisms. Potentially harmful bacteria found in hospital waste can cause infections in the public, healthcare personnel, and workers.

Aim: The study aimed to determine waste management knowledge, attitudes, and practice and their relationship with risk perception among critical care nurses.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used. Data was collected using self-reported questionnaires to measure nurses' knowledge, attitude, practice, and risk perception toward waste management. The study was conducted in intensive care units at two major hospitals in the Alberehria government in Egypt.

Results: A total of 300 nurses were recruited. The risk perception measure revealed a slight positive association with nurses' practice and attitude, but a strong positive correlation with their knowledge. Furthermore, over two-thirds of the nurses scored moderate practice for waste management, and over half showed strong knowledge of waste management.

Conclusion: The results suggest that factors such as level of education, gender, type of working units, experience years, and the number of working hours may influence waste management knowledge, attitudes, practice, and risk perception among nurses.