Communication challenges caused by wearing masks and strategies used by pediatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic and the use of facemasks have caused many communication challenges for pediatric nurses. The purpose of this study was to investigate these challenges and the strategies that nurses use to overcome them during the nursing care of sick children. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a qualitative study using conventional content analysis. The nurses were selected by purpose-based sampling and interviewed semi-structurally between April and June 2023 at the Children's Educational Therapy Center in Tabriz, Iran. The sample size was determined by the data saturation principle. The report of this research followed the COREQ guidelines. RESULTS: Twelve nurses were interviewed. The analysis revealed four main categories: "Disturbances in communication", "Disturbances in trust", "Disturbances in providing care", and "Nurses' strategies to mitigate the challenges of mask usage. To solve the challenges caused by the mask, nurses used solutions such as removing the mask and mitigating the adverse effects of mask usage they used. The central theme of the study was "Humanistic care requires trust-based communication". CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the communication challenges faced by pediatric nurses due to mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, nurses have developed innovative strategies to improve communication and build trust with their young patients. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of these strategies. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: These strategies can be useful for other nurses who work with children in similar conditions. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of these strategies in different settings and populations.

The Relationship Between Unmet Needs of Parents with Hospitalized Children and the Level of Parental Anxiety in Iran.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parents' unmet needs with hospitalized children and the level of parental anxiety. DESIGN AND METHODS: This correlational study was conducted on 194 parents with hospitalized children. The data were collected using the questionnaires of "revised needs of parents with hospitalized children" and "Zung's anxiety scale". The data were then analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software version 19. RESULTS: There was a very weak positive relationship between the number of unmet needs of the sick child and the physical symptoms of anxiety (P = 0.038, r = 0.149) and overall anxiety score (P = 0.018, r = 0.17). However, there was no significant relationship between the number of unmet needs in other groups. Also, there was no significant relationship between the total number of unmet needs and parental anxiety. The most frequent unmet needs of parents, respectively, belonged to 1) support and guidance, 2) needs of other family members, and 3) comfort. CONCLUSIONS: It might not be possible to obviate all the parental needs during the child's hospitalization. It is noteworthy that failure to meet those parental needs directly related to the child may cause anxiety for the parents. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Meeting the needs of parents regarding support and guidance, comfort, other family members, and needs directly related to the child is recommended to prioritize in pediatric nursing care.

Prevalence of headaches in healthcare workers while using personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) are at a serious risk of contracting this virus. Therefore, they should use personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves. Long-term use of these devices has led to many side effects, including headaches. This study investigated the prevalence of headaches related to using PPE in HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched from December 2019 to February 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: All cross-sectional studies that investigated the prevalence of headache complications caused by PPE were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two researchers reviewed the articles separately and independently. The Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies was used to address study design quality and the risk of bias in cross-sectional studies. The heterogeneity of the studies was checked with the I2 statistic, and due to the high heterogeneity, the random effects model was used for synthesis. Data were analysed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software V.3.3.70. RESULTS: Out of 3218 articles retrieved for all side effects, 40 were eligible for this meta-analysis. The prevalence of headaches related to the use of PPE in these 40 studies, with a sample size of 19 229 people, was 43.8% (95% CI 43.1% to 44.6%, I2=98.6%, p<0.001). Based on the meta-regression results, no significant relationship was observed between the prevalence of headaches and variables such as year of publication, study location, sample size and quality of studies. CONCLUSION: Headache is one of the common side effects of PPE, which can interfere with HCWs' performance. It is suggested that manufacturers improve the quality of their equipment while healthcare managers should equip and train staff adequately to minimise side effects, ensuring health and enhanced service delivery. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021264874.

Breathing Rooms: A Strategy to Improve the Performance of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 and Future Pandemics.

Healthcare workers (HCWs), as frontline soldiers in the fight against COVID-19, were more exposed to the risk of contracting this disease. In addition to facing psychological, social, and physical trauma and post-traumatic stress due to the corona pandemic, HCWs were also exposed to complications due to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The impermeable and confining nature of some PPE poses complications for HCWs that can endanger their physical health, while also affecting the quality of healthcare they provide. Among the complications of using PPE, respiratory problems are more worrisome than other complications. This article makes a suggestion of a breathing room (BR) to improve the health and performance of HCWs in caring for patients with infectious respiratory diseases. A debate on the strengths of the implementation of a BR in hospitals is described.