Diagnostic features of SARS-COVID-2-positive patients: A rapid review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: To identify the main diagnostic features of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients at the time of hospitalisation and their prevalence. BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 outbreak in China in December of 2019, several studies attempted to identify the epidemiological, viral and clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2. Given the rapid widespread transmission of the COVID-19 disease worldwide, a more comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of its features is needed to better inform nurses, clinicians and public health policy makers. METHODS: A rapid review and meta-analysis were carried out to identify the main diagnostic features of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients at the time of hospitalisation. All case series, cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies published from 01/01/2020 till 30/06/2020 in English and Chinese that stated all or at least two of the outcomes of interest (clinical features, laboratory and radiological findings) were included. We performed a random-effects model meta-analysis to calculate pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals. Conduction of the review adheres to the PRISMA checklist. RESULTS: 21 studies involving 8837 patients were included in the quantitative synthesis. Fever, cough and fatigue were the most common clinical features, while the most relevant laboratory abnormalities at the time of hospitalisation were lymphopenia, elevated C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase. CT images showed a bilateral lung involvement, with ground glass infiltrates and patchy shadows on most patients. CONCLUSION: This review provides an up-to-date synthesis of main diagnostic features of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients at the time of hospitalisation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Our findings could provide guidance for nurses and clinicians to early identification of positive patients at the time of the hospitalisation through a complete definition of main clinical features, laboratory and CT findings.

[Professional policies: a qualitative study of perceptions and opinions of professionals nurses/midwives and students attending the Master of Science in Nursing]. / Politiche professionali: studio qualitativo sulle percezioni e le opinioni dei professionisti infermieri/ostetriche e degli studenti della Laurea magistrale in Scienze infermieristiche e ostetriche.

INTRODUCTION: Politics, the science and the art of administering public affairs, is a very important field. Dealing with professional policy means to dedicate ourselves to the good of the profession. Professional policies are an integral part of taking care; the professional family needs clear reference points: training, tutoring, promotion and institutional representation. AIM: Exploring perceptions, ideals, shared imagination and desires about the professional policies of nurses/midwives and of master's students in order to be able to have a representation of the reality and to start a critical reflection on the subject. METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted on a proactive sample of 22 nurses / midwives as qualified witnesses of the national situation. The data was collected through a questionnaire built ad hoc. RESULTS: From the analysis of the answers given to the questionnaire, we identified 10 main themes. In the training sector two of the themes that were selected are the importance of the new knowledges and inadequate differentiation of the positions; Regarding the working sector two of the themes that came out are the lack of meritocracy and of new opportunities; meanwhile, in the research field one of the main theme identified is the gap between the theory and the practice. CONCLUSION: The present study finds out that participation in policy-making processes is occasional and of little intensity: just few nurses/midwives are actively involved in the promotion and development of projects in the health sector and of healthcare policies.

Diabetic education in nursing: A Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis.

AIM: This concept analysis aims to clarify the concept of diabetic education in nursing to provide guidance for the further conceptualization and clarification of diabetic education in nursing. BACKGROUND: Patient education is a fundamental component of diabetes care. Nurses have taken up a major role in educating people with diabetes to manage their conditions. However, the exact meaning of diabetic education in nursing remains challenging. DESIGN: Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was performed to explore the concept of diabetic education in nursing. DATA SOURCE: We conducted a literature search on Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MedLine, and PsycInfo for works published until October 2020 using "patient education," "diabetes," and "nursing" as key terms. RESULTS: The concept analysis revealed that key attributes of diabetic education in nursing include patient-centered and interactive approaches, planning, and problem solving. Antecedents related to individuals with diabetes are their backgrounds, needs, and motivations, while the antecedents related to nurses are experience and attitude. Finally, three different consequences of the concept emerged: an increase in knowledge and skills, a behavioral change, and the improvement of clinical outcomes.

Effectiveness of Psychological Support to Healthcare Workers by the Occupational Health Service: A Pilot Experience.

Work-related stress is a significant risk for healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of an individual psychological support programme for hospital workers. In all, 35 workers participated (n). A control group of 245 workers (7n) was set. Occupational distress was measured by the General Health Questionnaire, (GHQ-12), the quality of life by the Short Form-36 health survey, (SF-36), and sickness absence was recorded. Costs and benefits of the service were evaluated and the return on investment (ROI) was calculated. The level of distress was significantly reduced in the treated group at the end of the follow-up (p < 0.001). Quality of life had significantly improved (p < 0.003). A 60% reduction of sickness absence days (SADs) following the intervention was recorded. After the treatment, absenteeism in cases was significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.02). The individual improvement of mental health and quality of life was significantly correlated with the number of meetings with the psychologist (p < 0.01 and p < 0.03, respectively). The recovery of direct costs due to reduced sick leave absence was significantly higher than the costs of the programme; ROI was 2.73. The results must be examined with caution, given the very limited number of workers treated; this first study, however, encouraged us to continue the experience.

Robotic Technology in Pediatric Neurorehabilitation. A Pilot Study of Human Factors in an Italian Pediatric Hospital.

The introduction of robotic neurorehabilitation among the most recent technologies in pediatrics represents a new opportunity to treat pediatric patients. This study aims at evaluating the response of physiotherapists, patients and their parents to this new technology. The study considered the outcomes of technological innovation in physiotherapists (perception of the workload, satisfaction), as well as that in patients and their parents (quality of life, expectations, satisfaction) by comparing the answers to subjective questionnaires of those who made use of the new technology with those who used the traditional therapy. A total of 12 workers, 46 patients and 47 parents were enrolled in the study. Significant differences were recorded in the total workload score of physiotherapists who use the robotic technology compared with the traditional therapy (p < 0.001). Patients reported a higher quality of life and satisfaction after the use of the robotic neurorehabilitation therapy. The parents of patients undergoing the robotic therapy have moderately higher expectations and satisfaction than those undergoing the traditional therapy. In this pilot study, the robotic neurorehabilitation technique involved a significant increase in the patients' and parents' expectations. As it frequently happens in the introduction of new technologies, physiotherapists perceived a greater workload. Further studies are needed to verify the results achieved.