Attitudes and Feelings towards the Work of Teachers Who Had a School Nurse in Their Educational Center during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the availability of a health professional on the beliefs, attitudes, and work feelings of teaching staff when facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a two-phase study: In the first one, the Delphi technique was used to update an instrument used by the authors in a previous investigation in 2020. The second phase was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative study, carried out through an electronic questionnaire distributed among the teaching staff of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (Spain), during the first two months of the 2021/22 academic year, in the midst of the fifth wave of COVID-19. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test and the linear trend test. The reasons for advantages were analyzed and the dimensions of the questionnaire were compared between the groups studied (with or without a healthcare professional in the center). Out of 640 teachers in the study, 14.7% (n = 94) stated that they had a reference professional with health training in their educational center (a school nurse) for the management of possible cases of COVID-19. Significant differences were found in five of the nine dimensions studied between the groups of teachers analyzed. Teachers who had a health professional, specifically a nurse, during the pandemic indicated that they felt safer in their educational center, as they perceived that they had more personal protective equipment (OR = 2.03, [95% CI: 1.23-3.35]; p = 0.006). They were also more committed (OR = 1.89, [95% CI: 1.04-3.46]; p = 0.038) with their educational work and assumed more obligations (OR = 1.87, [95% CI: 1.01-3.44]; p = 0.045) and risks (OR = 2.82, [95% CI: 1.13-7.07]; p = 0.027). In addition, they presented fewer feelings of burnout (OR = 0.63, [95% CI: 0.41-0.98]; p = 0.041). These results indicate that having nurses in educational centers improves teachers' ability to cope with a pandemic situation.

Nurses' perception on competency requirement and training demand for intensive care nurses.

Objectives: Various authors have explored the combination of competencies necessary for ensuring safe and quality care carried out by nurses in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Nurses' perception of training is an element that must be studied in order to adopt appropriate educational measures. This study aimed to evaluate nurses' perception of the importance of intensive care training in Spain. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted on a national level in Spain. Totally 85 ICUs took part in the study. The questionnaire used was developed using the Delphi method and had 66 items to investigate nurses' perception on competency requirements and training needs. The evaluation was conducted by a 10-point Likert scale. Results: The sample was 568 Spanish nurses. Significant differences were found on an academic level, in terms of gender and hospital type, and in the professional experience of the nurse when it comes to evaluating the different training items; the differences in overall questionnaire scores among these groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The nurses analyzed believe that previous training and professional experience in other care services are necessary before starting work in an ICU. Conclusion: Implementation of training programs tailored to the needs of critical nurses had benefits for nurses and the health system. Nurses benefited from training focused on the skills and knowledge of each moment of their working life. Nurses have a different evaluation of their training needs throughout their professional cycle. Therefore, their training must be adapted to the professional stage of each nurse.

The Need for Psychological Support of Health Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Influence on Their Work.

The aim of this research was to analyze how the need for psychological support of health workers (HCWs) influenced the beliefs, perceptions and attitudes towards their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and to predict the need of psychological assistance. A descriptive transversal study was conducted based on a self-administered questionnaire distributed to health professionals working in the Canary Islands, Spain. The data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test and the linear trend test. The correlation test between ordinal and frequency variables was applied using Kendall's Tau B. Multiple logistic regression was used to predict dichotomous variables. The sample included 783 health professionals: 17.8% (n = 139) of them needed psychological or psychiatric support. Being redeployed to other services influenced the predisposition to request psychological help, and HCWs who required psychological support had more negative attitudes and perceptions towards their work. After five waves of COVID-19, these HCWs reported to be physically, psychologically and emotionally exhausted or even "burned out"; they did not feel supported by their institutions. The commitment of health personnel to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic decreased after the five waves, especially among professionals who required psychological support.

The training needs of critical care nurses: A psychometric analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Nurses develop the care methods they learn through specific training and this enables them to provide care in a safe, effective and efficient manner. Intensive Care Units (ICU), as complex areas in terms of care, require nurses with specific training. Due to this fact, we set ourselves the objective to validate a questionnaire that detects the training needs of intensive care nurses in Spain. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study, using an electronic questionnaire, adapted and validated through the Delphi technique, in 85 ICUs in Spain, for which a psychometric analysis is conducted. To explore the dimensions and determine the factorial structure, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were carried out. Internal consistency was determined through ordinal alpha. The statistical treatment was carried out using the statistical programmes Factor Analysis 10.9.02 and IBM AMOS version 24. RESULTS: A total of 568 Spanish intensive care nurses, randomly divided into two samples, participated in the study. The EFA presented a factorial solution with suitable values for both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olsen Index and Bartlett's Sphericity. In the CFA, the model fit achieved close to ideal values with a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) close to values of 0.9. The values of individual reliability, internal consistency and average variance extracted were appropriate for this type of analysis. CONCLUSION: The dimensions detected are close to the construct that encompasses the training needs of ICU nurses. The analyses carried out indicate that there are reasonable realities for incorporating these dimensions into the field of nursing training. This study opens the possibility of incorporating new items to adjust the model to improve the explanatory variables. Our findings help us to understand the dimensions that the training programmes should incorporate.

Effectiveness of Semiocclusive Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose Fibers and Hydrocolloid Dressings for Irritant Peristomal Dermatitis: A Case Series.

ABSTRACT: The most common complication in individuals with ostomies is irritant contact dermatitis from the acidic stoma effluent coming into contact with the peristomal skin. Although protective powders are widely used for the treatment of peristomal skin, there is little scientific evidence to justify their use. The combined use of sodium carboxymethylcellulose cellulose fibers (SCCFs) together with a hydrocolloid dressing for fixation is an effective alternative in the management of these wounds. Here, the authors report a case series of three patients presenting at a stoma therapy clinic with peristomal skin lesions because of severe irritant contact dermatitis. Patients were men aged between 70 and 81 years, had been diagnosed with colon cancer (n = 2) or bladder cancer (n = 1), and had undergone a colostomy (n = 1), ileostomy (n = 1), or Bricker-type ureteroileostomy (n = 1). A semiocclusive care protocol was applied in a moist environment using SCCF and an extrathin hydrocolloid adhesive dressing, and the collection device was secured using adhesive resin and an ostomy belt. The combined use of SCCF and hydrocolloid dressings provided beneficial results to treat the dermatitis, with reduced discomfort after 7 days and lesions healing within 4 weeks.

Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional observational descriptive study.

AIM: To provide data on the fears of pregnant women during the confinement period and to learn about the factors, which may have exacerbated fear in Spanish pregnant women during the pandemic. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational and descriptive study. METHODS: An anonymous survey was carried out using virtual media in a pregnant population (aged ≥18 years) during the confinement period from 1 April to 1 May 2020. RESULTS: The total sample comprised of 62 individuals, with a mean age of 33.6 ± 3.6 years and a mean gestation time of 23.6 ± 9.8 weeks. All of the women used preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2. The most common preventive measures were social isolation (82.3%, n = 51) and frequent handwashing (69.4%, n = 43). The most common feeling was fear (29%, n = 18). The main fears were related to transplacental infection (27%, n = 16), loneliness during childbirth, and being separated from the newborn (27%, n = 16). In addition, 59.7% (n = 37) considered changing their child-rearing practices after the pandemic.

Recovery of Inflammation, Cardiac, and Muscle Damage Biomarkers After Running a Marathon.

ABSTRACT: Bernat-Adell, MD, Collado-Boira, EJ, Moles-Julio, P, Panizo-González, N, Martínez-Navarro, I, Hernando-Fuster, B, and Hernando-Domingo, C. Recovery of inflammation, cardiac and muscle damage biomarkers after running a marathon. J Strength Cond Res 35(3): 626-632, 2021-Physical endurance sports conditions the increase of blood biomarkers responsible for the acute inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to observe the impact of intense physical exercise on these biomarkers and detect their recovery pattern. This is an experimental study of repeated measures (pre-post marathon). The biomarkers lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TNT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed in a total of 86 runners, 24 hours before the marathon, immediately after finishing the race and at 24, 48, 96, and 144 postrace hours. The comparative analyses were performed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon tests. The correlations between dependent and independent variables were analyzed using Spearman correlations. The data were processed through the IBM SPSS package, version 23. Significant value was p ≤ 0.05. The LDH increased and showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) for all times, compared with the initial LDH value, normalizing after 192 hours (p = 0.667) (effect size [ES], r = 0.807). The CK increased and showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) (ES, r = 0.975) up to 96 hours afterward, normalizing after 144 hours. The hs-TNT presented an increase and showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) between the pre-post race times, 24 and 48 hours, normalizing after 96 hours, although it showed a new significant value at 192 hours (p ≤ 0.001) (ES, r = 0.519). The CRP increased and showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.001) between the pre-post race times, at 24, 48, 96, 144, and 192 hours after race. The recovery after alterations produced by the marathon varies according to the biomarker. Blood levels of biomarkers decrease with longer race times. Greater energy expenditure increases the blood levels of LDH, CK, and hs-TNT.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Rubric to Assess Basic Performance During Simulation in Nursing.

AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of a rubric to assess nursing student performance in medium- and low-fidelity simulation. METHOD: A psychometric study was carried out. Content validity was explored by a group of experts. Internal consistency was determined by means of Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Interrater agreement and the level of concordance were established by the kappa coefficient and intraclass correlation index. RESULTS: The relevance of the dimensions and the definition of each category scored higher than 3.25 on a Likert-type scale (maximum value of 4); content validity ratio values were close to +1. The kappa index was above 0.61 (p < .001) in all dimensions, thereby indicating a good level of interrater agreement; the intraclass correlation index showed values above .82 (p < .001). CONCLUSION: The rubric appears to be psychometrically sound, thus supporting its reliability.

The nucleotide-bound/substrate-bound conformation of the Mycoplasma genitalium DnaK chaperone.

Hsp70 chaperones keep protein homeostasis facilitating the response of organisms to changes in external and internal conditions. Hsp70s have two domains-nucleotide binding domain (NBD) and substrate binding domain (SBD)-connected by a conserved hydrophobic linker. Functioning of Hsp70s depend on tightly regulated cycles of ATP hydrolysis allosterically coupled, often together with cochaperones, to the binding/release of peptide substrates. Here we describe the crystal structure of the Mycoplasma genitalium DnaK (MgDnaK) protein, an Hsp70 homolog, in the noncompact, nucleotide-bound/substrate-bound conformation. The MgDnaK structure resembles the one from the thermophilic eubacteria DnaK trapped in the same state. However, in MgDnaK the NBD and SBD domains remain close to each other despite the lack of direct interaction between them and with the linker contacting the two subdomains of SBD. These observations suggest that the structures might represent an intermediate of the protein where the conserved linker binds to the SBD to favor the noncompact state of the protein by stabilizing the SBDß-SBDα subdomains interaction, promoting the capacity of the protein to sample different conformations, which is critical for proper functioning of the molecular chaperone allosteric mechanism. Comparison of the solved structures indicates that the NBD remains essentially invariant in presence or absence of nucleotide.