Public health service options for affordable and accessible noncommunicable disease and related chronic disease prevention and management

Psychological distress among the nursing workforce in the United Arab Emirates: Comparing levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Nurses make up the majority of the healthcare workforce. They contribute to the development of healthcare systems and the provision of high-quality, effective, and patient-centered healthcare services. However, nurses need good mental and emotional well-being to provide adequate care and the necessary physical and mental health support for their clients. This study aimed to determine the level of generalized psychological distress among nurses in the United Arab Emirates. As this study was initiated before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we were able to compare data gathered before and during the pandemic.

METHOD

This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to measure generalized psychological distress. Nurses' distress levels were measured and compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

In total, 988 participants completed the questionnaire. The majority (n = 629, 63.7%) were employed in hospitals and the remainder worked in primary healthcare settings (n = 359, 36.3%). The mean distress score was 27.1 ± 13.7; 42.1% (n = 416) of participants had a severe level of distress, and only 36.4% (n = 360) reported no distress. More participants had severe stress levels before COVID-19 (59.5%, n = 386) compared with during COVID-19 (10.9%, n = 30).

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' K10 scores suggest that nurses experience significant distress, which may compromise their ability to care for their clients. This study emphasizes the importance of supporting nurses as a preliminary step to improving patient care. Despite the pressure of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants' general distress scores were lower during than before the pandemic. Organizational, governmental, and global support and appreciation may have contributed to relieving the distress nurses experienced. This may be a useful ongoing approach for enhancing healthcare systems.

Analyzing economic feasibility for investing in nursing care: Evidence from panel data analysis in 35 OECD countries

Objective

To analyze economic feasibility for investing in nursing care.

Method

The number of practicing nurses’ density per 1000 population as a proxy for nursing staff and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (current US$) were collected in 35 member countries of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) over 2000–2016 period. The statistical technique of panel data analysis including unit root test, cointegration analysis, Granger causality test, dynamic long-run model analysis and error correction model were applied to measure economic impact of nursing-related services.

Results

There was a committed bilateral relationship between nurse-staffing level and GDP with long-run magnitudes of 1.39 and 0.41 for GDP-lead-nurse and nurse-lead-GDP directions in OECD countries, respectively. Moreover, the highest long-run magnitudes of the effect nursing staff has on increasing GDP per capita were calculated in Finland (2.07), Sweden (1.92), Estonia (1.68), Poland (1.52), Czech Republic (1.48), Norway (1.47) and Canada (1.24).

Conclusion

Our findings verify that although the dependency of nursing characteristics to GDP per capita is higher than the reliance of GDP to number of nurses’ density per 1000 population, investing in nursing care is economically feasible in OECD countries i.e. nursing is not only a financial burden (or cost) on health care systems, but also an economic stimulus in OECD countries. Hence, we alert governments and policy makers about the risk of underestimating the economic impacts of nurses on economic systems of OECD countries.

Nurse-identified patient care and health services research priorities in the United Arab Emirates: a Delphi study

BACKGROUND

The need for improved research on ill health has been recognized internationally and locally in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council recently committed to enhancing the status and contributions of nursing in healthcare research across the UAE by establishing a National Committee for Research Development. This study using a Delphi method to identify research priorities from the perspective of nurses delivering frontline healthcare.

METHODS

A two-phase Delphi design was implemented with 1032 nurses participating in phase one of the study and 1339 in phase two.

RESULTS

The most important priority was patient safety and healthcare professionals' awareness of international patient safety goals (including staffing levels and shift length) and potential effects on patient safety. Other important priorities were infection control practices and management of communicable diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

These priorities may inform nursing research programs to improve patient care and health outcomes in the UAE and similar contexts worldwide.

Colocating an accredited practising dietitian to an adult community mental health service: An exploratory study

For people with severe mental illness, accredited practising dietitians may assist with a nutrition care plan that considers the medical, psychiatric, psychological, social, spiritual, and pharmacological aspects of their care. However, consumers' access to care has been limited by difficulties attending appointments and suboptimal interface between nutritional and mental health services. Therefore, the objectives of this exploratory study were to describe access to, and key stakeholder perspectives of, the accredited practising dietitian role colocated in a community mental health service. A total of 16 key stakeholders participated in one-to-one interviews. Two main themes with subthemes were derived from analysis of interviews: (i) 'building empowerment and collaboration' and included the subthemes, (a) nutrition awareness and education and (b) healthy lifestyle changes, and (ii) 'overcoming challenges to optimal nutrition and effective health care'. In addition, improved access to the role was demonstrated with 124 (79%) consumers attending at least one appointment with an accredited practising dietitian. A total of 15 (12%) consumers attended more than 10 appointments during their outpatient admission to the community mental health service. Colocating an accredited practising dietitian was perceived to build empowerment and collaboration, and overcome challenges to optimal nutrition and effective health care for consumers, carers, and clinicians. The colocation of a dietitian can empower consumers' to make health-informed decisions and support their willingness to engage with physical healthcare provision when it is prioritized alongside mental healthcare provision.