Healthcare worker's perspectives on use of memes as an implementation strategy in infection prevention: An exploratory descriptive analysis

Characteristics and patients' portrayals of Norwegian social media memes. A mixed methods analysis

Background

Despite reports on troublesome contents created and shared online by healthcare professionals, a systematic inquiry of this potential problem has been missing. Our objective was to characterize the content of healthcare-associated social media memes in terms of common themes and how patients were portrayed.

Materials and methods

This study applied a mixed methods approach to characterize the contents of Instagram memes from popular medicine- or nursing-associated accounts in Norway. In total, 2,269 posts from 18 Instagram accounts were included and coded for thematic contents. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive thematic analysis of 30 selected posts directly related to patients.

Results

A fifth of all posts (21%) were related to patients, including 139 posts (6%) related to vulnerable patients. Work was, however, the most common theme overall (59%). Nursing-associated accounts posted more patient-related contents than medicine-associated accounts (p < 0.01), but the difference may be partly explained by the former focusing on work life rather than student life. Patient-related posts often thematized (1) trust and breach of trust, (2) difficulties and discomfort at work, and (3) comical aspects of everyday life as a healthcare professional.

Discussion

We found that a considerable number of Instagram posts from healthcare-associated accounts included patients and that these posts were diverse in terms of contents and offensiveness. Awareness that professional values also apply online is important for both healthcare students and healthcare providers. Social media memes can act as an educational resource to facilitate discussions about (e-)professionalism, the challenges and coping of everyday life, and ethical conflicts arising in healthcare settings.

Video engagement to improve handwashing duration: A longitudinal study assessing creative and messaging fatigue

BACKGROUND

Poor hand hygiene can contribute to increased rates of health care and community-acquired infections. Effective hand hygiene involves both a washer's technique and the duration of their wash.

METHODS

The purpose of this longitudinal study was 2-fold: to improve the ability of hand-washers to meet the recommended handwashing duration of ≥20 seconds and to assess the effect of washer fatigue with the intervention. An innovative system of smart connected soap and towel dispensers synchronized to engaging video content was implemented to meet this objective.

RESULTS

The intervention increased mean handwashing duration by 7.5 seconds (95% CI: 6.6, 8.4) and improved handwashing duration ≥20 seconds by 39.3% (P < .001). Using a similar cohort of hand-washers over 26 months, the video content had peak effect in month 1, and declined to a new steady state at month 11.

DISCUSSION

Handwashing for the recommended time can be difficult to achieve. Most hand hygiene studies examine the rate of completion without measuring duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Video engagement can improve and sustain handwashing duration. To mitigate creative and messaging fatigue, video content refresh for this intervention should be considered at 3 months for optimal effect or at 11 months prior to full decline to new steady state.

Memes and Poetry: A Descriptive Analysis on Creative Arts Therapy to Reduce Health Care Worker Burnout

BACKGROUND

Health care workers (HCWs) face high levels of burnout, which can lead to workforce turnover and poor patient outcomes. Health care leaders should identify strategies to improve staff resilience.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe HCWs' perspective on using creative arts therapy to reduce burnout and improve resiliency.

METHODS

During Infection Prevention week, staff were encouraged to submit and vote on educational memes and haikus. Staff were asked their perspectives on how this activity could be used to reduce burnout and improve resiliency using a 4-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

Twenty-two staff members submitted 26 memes and 27 haikus. Staff felt this activity could be an effective strategy to help reduce burnout and improve resiliency.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is warranted to better understand the correlation between this form of art therapy and burnout and resiliency; however, health care leaders may consider using this as a tool for staff well-being.

Examining the effect of infection prevention and control awareness among nurses on patient and family education: A cross-sectional study

The significance of patient engagement in infection prevention and control remains to be stressed as a means of improving patient safety. This study aimed to determine nurses' awareness of infection prevention and control, assess patient and family education on infection prevention and control, and examine the effect of nurses' infection prevention and control awareness on patient and family education. A multi-site, cross-sectional study was conducted among 566 nurses in Hungary. Nurses responded to a questionnaire of three parts: demographics, infection prevention, and control awareness; healthcare-associated infections, hand hygiene, and standard precautions; and patient and family education. High scores were reached in overall awareness and standard precautions. Nurses educated patients and family members the most on hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. Nurses with higher awareness educated patients more than those with lower awareness, but the differences were only significant for respiratory hygiene and the reason for isolation. Nursing leaders are encouraged to enhance the culture that is based on nurse/patient partnership and to develop reminders to emphasize the importance of engaging patients and family members in infection prevention and control.