Veränderungen in anhaltenden Extremsituationen

Background

The Covid-19 virus caused increased challenges for nursing professionals.

Objectives

This study aims to explore psychosocial stress in the work environment of nursing staff resulting from the pandemic within an Austrian hospital. In addition, differences in the experience between nurses and nursing assistants, in leadership and management positions, as well as between wards with (suspected) Covid-19 positive patients and wards without Covid-19 patients will be recorded.

Design and Methods

In a mixed-method study, a web-based survey was conducted using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). The qualitative data was collected with four open questions. The results were analysed descriptively and inferentially with a one-way analysis of variance and the Mann-Whitney-U test. The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis.

Results

A total of 104 participants completed the survey. The results show that there is a burden on nursing professionals (p = 0.03) within the area of emotional and quantitative demands (p < 0.01), but no differences between the individual nursing groups emerged. Leadership and management positions report less stress than the rest of the nursing staff (p ≤ 0.05). When distinguishing between Covid-19 (suspected) wards and non-Covid-19 wards, two scales (demands for hiding emotions % possibilities for development) were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.04).

Conclusion

The results of this study illustrate the psychosocial burden of the Covid-19 pandemic on nurses with different characteristics and are in line with current research. Further studies should address the impact of the burden on nursing practice.

Effectiveness of an advanced practice nurse-led delirium education and training programme

AIM

To develop an education and training programme to enhance bedside nurses' knowledge, competency and compliance in accurately performing delirium screening in intensive care units.

BACKGROUND

Delirium in intensive care units is associated with several poor patient outcomes. Delirium detection can be improved by enhancing nurses' knowledge, competency and compliance in accurately performing delirium screening.

METHODS

A descriptive quantitative study with pretest-post-test design was adopted. There were 245 nurses from five intensive care units who participated in the study. Multiple-choice questions were used to assess nurses' knowledge change before and after the education programme. Competency was assessed before and 2 months after the programme by simulation with a standardized patient, followed by real patients at the bedside. Compliance data on screening were collected from the documentation of the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU before and 3 and 10 months after the programme. Data collection took 1 year, from June 2014 to May 2015.

RESULTS

Despite nurses' improved knowledge and good competency, delirium screening documentations after 3 months were poor. However, screening documentations subsequently improved when measured at 10 months, following further emphasis by the senior nursing staff.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY

Nursing administrators and bedside nurses need to be involved in the policy-making process and plan a training programme for the new nursing staff in the high-risk areas. A short refreshment course should be offered to the nursing staff 3 months after the initial training programme.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved knowledge and competency in assessment did not improve compliance and documentation of delirium screening. Therefore, it is important to reinforce nurses' compliance of delirium screening over time.

Smartphone use to answer clinical questions: a descriptive study of APNs

This study examines the use of smartphones by Alabama Advanced Practice Nurses to find information to address clinical questions and seeks to describe the types of questions answered using smartphones; barriers to information seeking; apps and online resources perceived as most helpful; and training/resource needs. Information collected in this study can be used by libraries that serve nursing students to develop training and resources to assist both nursing students and practicing nurses to become more efficient and effective information seekers.