Healthcare worker stress, anxiety and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore: A 6-month multi-centre prospective study.

AIM: The long-term stress, anxiety and job burnout experienced by healthcare workers (HCWs) are important to consider as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic stresses healthcare systems globally. The primary objective was to examine the changes in the proportion of HCWs reporting stress, anxiety, and job burnout over six months during the peak of the pandemic in Singapore. The secondary objective was to examine the extent that objective job characteristics, HCW-perceived job factors, and HCW personal resources were associated with stress, anxiety, and job burnout. METHOD: A sample of HCWs (doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and operations staff; N = 2744) was recruited via invitation to participate in an online survey from four tertiary hospitals. Data were gathered between March-August 2020, which included a 2-month lockdown period. HCWs completed monthly web-based self-reported assessments of stress (Perceived Stress Scale-4), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), and job burnout (Physician Work Life Scale). RESULTS: The majority of the sample consisted of female HCWs (81%) and nurses (60%). Using random-intercept logistic regression models, elevated perceived stress, anxiety and job burnout were reported by 33%, 13%, and 24% of the overall sample at baseline respectively. The proportion of HCWs reporting stress and job burnout increased by approximately 1·0% and 1·2% respectively per month. Anxiety did not significantly increase. Working long hours was associated with higher odds, while teamwork and feeling appreciated at work were associated with lower odds, of stress, anxiety, and job burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived stress and job burnout showed a mild increase over six months, even after exiting the lockdown. Teamwork and feeling appreciated at work were protective and are targets for developing organizational interventions to mitigate expected poor outcomes among frontline HCWs.

Extracorporeal life support in adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

The use of extracorporeal life support in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of adult patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by the application of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during cardiac arrest has been increasing over the past decade. This can be attributed to the encouraging results of extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) in multiple observational studies. To date, only one randomised controlled trial has compared ECPR to conventional advanced life support measures. Patient selection is crucial for the success of ECPR programmes. A rapid and organised approach is required for resuscitation, i.e. cannula insertion with ECMO pump initiation in combination with other aspects of post-cardiac arrest care such as targeted temperature management and early coronary reperfusion. The provision of an ECPR service can be costly, resource intensive and technically challenging, as limited studies have reported on its cost-effectiveness.

Clinical evaluation of intravenous alone versus intravenous or intraosseous access for treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVE: Obtaining vascular access during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is challenging. The aim of this study was to determine if using intraosseous (IO) access when intravenous (IV) access fails improves outcomes. METHODS: This was a prospective, parallel-group, cluster-randomised study that compared 'IV only' against 'IV + IO' in OHCA patients, where if 2 IV attempts failed or took more than 90 s, paramedics had 2 further attempts of IO. Primary outcome was any return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Secondary outcomes were insertion success rate, adrenaline administration, time to adrenaline and survival outcome. RESULTS: A total of 1007 patients were included in the analysis. An Intention To Treat analysis showed a significant difference in success rates of obtaining vascular access in the IV + IO arm compared to the IV arm (76.6% vs 61.1% p = 0.001). There were significantly more patients in the IV + IO arm than the IV arm being administered prehospital adrenaline (71.3% vs 55.4% p = 0.001). The IV + IO arm also received adrenaline faster compared to the IV arm in terms of median time from emergency call to adrenaline (23 min vs 25 min p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in ROSC (adjusted OR 0.99 95%CI: 0.75-1.29), survival to discharge or survival with CPC 2 or better in both groups. A Per Protocol analysis also showed there was higher success in obtaining vascular access in the IV + IO arm, but ROSC and survival outcomes were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: Using IO when IV failed led to a higher rate of vascular access, prehospital adrenaline administration and faster adrenaline administration. However, it was not associated with higher ROSC, survival to discharge, or good neurological outcome.

Reorganising the emergency department to manage the COVID-19 outbreak.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 disease outbreak that first surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has taken the world by storm and ravaged almost every country in the world. Emergency departments (ED) in hospitals are on the frontlines, serving an essential function in identifying these patients, isolating them early whilst providing urgent medical care. This outbreak has reinforced the role of Emergency Medicine in public health. This paper documents the challenges faced and measures taken by a tertiary hospital's ED in Singapore, in response to the outbreak. MAIN BODY: The ED detected the first case of COVID-19 in Singapore on 22 January 2020 in a Chinese tourist and also the first case of locally transmitted COVID-19 on 3 February 2020. The patient journeys through the patient reception area in the ED and undergoes fever screening before being shunted to isolation areas within the ED. Management and disposition of suspect COVID-19 patients are guided by a close-knit collaboration between ED and department of infectious diseases. With increasing number of patients, back-up plans for expansion of space and staff augmentation have been enacted. Staff safety is also of utmost importance, with provision and guidelines for personal protective equipment and team segregation to ensure no cross-contamination across staff. These have been made possible with an early setup of an operational command and control structure within the ED, managing manpower, logistics, operations, communication and information management and liaison with other clinical departments. CONCLUSION: With the large numbers of undifferentiated patients managed by the ED to date, more than 820 patients with COVID-19 have been identified in the hospital. Not a single member of the staff of the SGH Emergency Department has come down with the illness. The various measures undertaken by the department have helped to ensure good staff morale and strict adherence to safety procedures. We share the lessons learnt so that others who manage EDs around the world can benefit from our experience.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cardiac arrest.

The survival of cardiac arrest patients is dependent on the efficient and timely application of the chain of survival. This includes early identification of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), rapid defibrillation, basic and advanced medical services, and advanced life support and post-cardiac arrest care. However, some patients may be refractory to these measures. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation CPR (ECPR), otherwise known as extracorporeal life support, offers an alternative to such refractory cardiac arrest cases. As hospitals have limited resources, it is important to devise effective patient selection methods, and improve our understanding and experience of ECPR to ensure the best outcome. It is also vital to understand that ECPR constitutes only one component of post-cardiac arrest care, which includes other aspects such as therapeutic hypothermia and early perfusion for best patient outcome.

EZ-IO in the ED: an observational, prospective study comparing flow rates with proximal and distal tibia intraosseous access in adults.

INTRODUCTION: Intraosseous (IO) access is an important alternative to conventional intravenous access when intravenous access is difficult. METHODS: A nonrandomized, prospective, observational study comparing flow rates with distal and proximal tibia IO access in adults using the EZ-IO-powered drill device. The proximal tibia was the first site of insertion, and a second IO was inserted in the distal tibia if clinically indicated. Intravenous saline infusion was started for all patients, initially without, then with a pressure bag device applied. RESULTS: From September 19, 2008 to November 3, 2010, 22 patients were recruited, with 20 proximal tibial and 22 distal tibia insertions. Two patients had only distal tibia IO insertions. Five distal tibia and 3 proximal tibia insertions had no flow when initiating normal saline infusion without pressure. Upon comparing the mean flow rates without pressure bag, it is significantly faster in the proximal tibia, 4.96 mL/min, compared with distal tibia, 2.07 ml/min, difference of 2.89 ml/min (95% CI 1.20-4.58). Flow rates with pressure bags also revealed a similar result. Flow rates in the proximal tibia were significantly faster, 7.70 ml/min to that of distal tibia, 3.80 ml/min, difference of 3.89 ml/min (95% CI 1.68-6.10). In both proximal and distal tibia groups, the flow rates are also significantly faster with pressure bags compared with without. CONCLUSION: Flow rates are significantly faster in the proximal tibia compared with the distal tibia. In addition, flow rates with pressure bags are significantly faster than without pressure bags in both groups.