A Post-Pandemic Review of American Association of Critical Care Nurses's Domains of Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: Strategies for Nurse Leaders.

This article explores current evidence and practical strategies for nurse leaders to advance a healthy work environment. American Association of Critical Care Nurses's Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments should guide efforts to reconnect clinical teams with meaningful and satisfying work. Authors propose adding the domain of Wellbeing to guide leaders in holistically addressing the health of all care team members and the work environment.

Supporting and Retaining Nurses in Trying Times.

The nursing profession has witnessed its share of challenging and trying times including toxic or unhealthy work environments, unsustainable workloads, an aging workforce, inadequate staffing, nurse burnout, staff retention, inadequately trained staff, an increase in workplace violence, and several pandemics. Both individually and collectively, these thorny issues have placed a heavy burden on nurses. Unfortunately, many capable and competent nurses have left the profession altogether, which further compounds an already problematic situation. This article highlights several important strategies for recruiting, retaining, and supporting a high functioning nursing workforce in challenging and trying times.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Achieving Outcomes, Improving Value, and Work Environment - Lessons Learned from the Pandemic.

Health care delivery science, according to Faerber, "focuses on ways to improve health and services to individuals and populations." The triple aim, described as improving population health, enhancing the care experience, and reducing costs; is a model for health care improvement. In 2014, the triple aim expanded to the quadruple aim to include the health and satisfaction of health care professionals.

Verification of correction factors for determining mean annual levels of radon in underground facilities.

The first verification of a tool developed to improve the work of controlling bodies, managers and employees of underground facilities subject to radiation protection requirements was conducted. The recommended values of correction factors were verified using archival results of measurements conducted for the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Lódz in seven underground workplaces in Poland over exposure periods of a month (10,8678 data) and a quarter of a year (53,688 data). In a cave two groups of monthly factors, produced estimates with almost 70% to 99% consistency with the measured values. Along tourist routes located in mines, a similar fit was obtained using three groups of correction factors for measurement results from March, June and July. In the extraction areas of active underground mines, the best fit was produced by factors calculated as averages for spaces varying in the degree of insulation and ventilation method, while in other departments of mining plants, by correction factors recommended for facilities equipped with mechanical ventilation systems. All the quarterly correction factors produced the best fit between estimated mean annual concentrations and measurement results obtained in the second quarter of the calendar year. A wide variation in result consistency (from 20-30 to 65-80%) obtained for two underground tourist routes in the fourth quarter of the year demonstrates that it is best not to adopt results from this measurement period (October-December) for estimating mean annual radon concentration using the set of quarterly correction factors.

Transitioning to Working from Home Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Significantly Increased Sedentary Behavior and Decreased Physical Activity: A Meta-Analysis.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned to remote work, which altered lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to understand if the transition to working from home due to the pandemic affected workers' physical activity and sedentary behavior worldwide. We reviewed articles published between November 2019 and May 2022. Of an initial 3485 articles, a total of 17 were included, 15 of 17 were included for their physical activity (PA) comparisons (n = 36,650), and 12 of 17 (n = 57,254) were included for their sedentary behavior (SB) comparisons (10 studies have data for both PA and SB). This work is registered through PROSPERO (CRD42022356000). Working from home resulted in a significant decrease in PA (Hedge's g = -0.29, 95% CI [-0.41, -0.18]) and an increase in SB (Hedge's g = +0.36, 95% CI [0.20, 0.52]). Working from home impaired preventative activity behaviors, and these results are relevant to worker health as the future of work evolves beyond the pandemic.

The Working Environment in Primary Healthcare Outpatient Facilities: Assessment of Physical Factors and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Working Environment Conditions.

The objectives of this study were to assess the adequacy of physical parameters/factors (temperature, relative humidity, noise, and illuminance levels) of the work environment in PHC facilities, to evaluate the association between the adequacy of these measured physical parameters and the physical characteristics of the PHC facilities and their surroundings and to assess the association between health professionals' perceptions about exposure to physical risks in the PHC work environment and the adequacy of physical parameters measured in the same facilities. The study monitored 23 PHC facilities in southern Brazil and interviewed 210 health professionals. Data analysis involved Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Spearman's correlation, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used to control for confounding factors. The significance level was set at 5% (p ≤ 0.05). The combination of temperature and relative humidity presented thermal comfort levels outside the adopted criteria for adequacy in consultation (outdoor relative humidity, p = 0.013) and procedure rooms (front door open, p = 0.034). Inadequate sound comfort (noise) levels in the morning shift were found in the vaccination (front door open, p = 0.021) and consultation rooms (movement of people, p = 0.016). In PHC facilities where reception rooms had insufficient lighting, internal curtains were opened less frequently (p = 0.047). The analysis of health professionals' perceptions of physical factors demonstrated that physicians more frequently perceive the physical risk of temperature and humidity (p = 0.044). The higher the number of nurses (p = 0.004) and oral health technicians in the PHC facilities (p = 0.031), the greater the general percentage of adequacy of monitored physical parameters. It was also confirmed that the higher the perception of moderate or severe physical risk among health professionals, the lower the general percentage of the adequacy of the physical parameters of the work environment of the PHC facilities evaluated (rs = -0.450, p = 0.031). This study's evidence contributes to a better understanding of physical conditions and future occupational interventions to ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of PHC workers.

Dignity of Work and at Work: The Relationship between Workplace Dignity and Health among Latino Immigrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Latino immigrants living in the United States were highly vulnerable to the health and economic consequences brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We use the conceptual framing of workplace dignity, worth that is acknowledged based on performance of job responsibilities, to explore Latino immigrants' experiences during the early months of the pandemic. A qualitative study was conducted with La Clínica del Pueblo (La Clínica), a community health center serving low-income Latino immigrants. From June to December 2020, we conducted in-depth video interviews with 29 Latino immigrant clients to explore pandemic-related challenges, including workplace changes, discriminatory experiences, and effects on health. We conducted thematic analysis using Dedoose software. Nearly half of participants were undocumented immigrants. Most participants were unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic and 26-49 years of age; one-third were still working, and one-quarter were 50 years or older. About half were cisgender women and two were transgender women. Employed participants experienced a lack of dignity through being socially isolated and stigmatized at work; receiving no compensation for their extra labor or for sick leave; and experiencing discriminatory labor practices. Unemployed participants experienced a lack of dignity in being the first to lose their jobs without government support; losing self-esteem; and not being rehired. Participants associated denial of dignity with worsening health conditions and increased anxiety and depression. Our study suggests that denial of workplace dignity-through job loss, underemployment, and poor working conditions-is linked to adverse health outcomes for Latino immigrants. More research should recognize workplace dignity as an important social determinant of health.

The Potentials of Digital Workplace Health Promotion.

Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) can sustainably impact organizations by improving employee health and strengthening legitimization. Digital Workplace Health Promotion (DWHP) may have even more impact thanks to its scope. This study reports on a hospital in Austria wherein DWPH was introduced into the existing WHP structure in combination with a digitalization effort for the entire organization. The approach was mainly quantitative with a few open questions and included a survey before and an evaluation after the project with about 240 respondents each. The use, intentions, barriers and benefits of DWHP from the employees' perspectives were reported on to evaluate the potentials of DWHP for furthering sustainable developments within organizations. While DHWP is perceived as positive, current use is low. Nevertheless, intended future use is promising and perceived benefits are higher after implementation. However, perceived barriers are still high, requiring organizational efforts.

Practical Considerations of Workplace Wellbeing Management under Post-Pandemic Work-from-Home Conditions.

As a natural experiment or "stress test" on the rapidly shifting work environment from office to home during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, staff wellbeing has been considered as the most critical issue in organizational change management. Following an overview of the relevant literature and recent official statistics, this essay aims to (i) address the major considerations and challenges in light of the transformation and re-design of the mode of work in the new normal and (ii) inform practical decisions for overall staff wellbeing under post-pandemic work-from-home (WFH) conditions with recommendations. For the sake of both staff healthiness and safety, as well as organizational competitiveness, senior management should take reasonable steps to enhance occupational safety in their WFH policy in line with practical recommendations on five areas, namely, (i) ergonomics, (ii) stress and anxiety management, (iii) workplace boundaries, (iv) work-family conflicts, and (v) other factors regarding a negative work atmosphere (e.g., loneliness attack, burnout, and workplace violence) particularly on virtual platforms. With the suggested evidence-based practices on WFH initiatives, senior management could make a difference in optimizing the overall workplace wellbeing of staff after the pandemic.

Perspectives and Experiences of Public Safety Personnel Engaged in a Peer-Led Workplace Reintegration Program Post Critical Incident or Operational Stress Injury: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Public safety personnel (PSP) experience operational stress injuries (OSIs), which can put them at increased risk of experiencing mental health and functional challenges. Such challenges can result in PSP needing to take time away from the workplace. An unsuccessful workplace reintegration process may contribute to further personal challenges for PSP and their families as well as staffing shortages that adversely affect PSP organizations. The Canadian Workplace Reintegration Program (RP) has seen a global scale and spread in recent years. However, there remains a lack of evidence-based literature on this topic and the RP specifically. The current qualitative study was designed to explore the perspectives of PSP who had engaged in a Workplace RP due to experiencing a potentially psychologically injurious event or OSI. METHODS: A qualitative thematic analysis analyzed interview data from 26 PSP who completed the RP. The researchers identified five themes: (1) the impact of stigma on service engagement; (2) the importance of short-term critical incident (STCI) program; (3) strengths of RP; (4) barriers and areas of improvement for the RP; and (5) support outside the RP. DISCUSSION: Preliminary results were favorable, but further research is needed to address the effectiveness, efficacy, and utility of the RP. CONCLUSION: By addressing workplace reintegration through innovation and research, future initiatives and RP iterations can provide the best possible service and support to PSP and their communities.

Exploring the workplace factors and their influence on the employment outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: High unemployment rate of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is associated with substantial economic costs. Whilst the impact of MS symptoms and other disease-related factors on employment outcomes of PwMS has been assessed, limited evidence exists on the impacts of workplace factors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the most common individual and group workplace factors associated with unemployment or a perceived risk of unemployment in PwMS, and to identify patient subgroups that are more susceptible to changes in employment status due to such factors. METHODS: Data from the Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS) on employment status and workplace factors were used. Fifteen workplace factors were classified under four groups: organisational, commuting, moving around at work, and equipment usage factors. Participants answered 'Yes' to each factor if it related to their unemployment and/or perceived risk of becoming unemployed and a group factor was considered "Yes" if at least one individual factor within it was answered as "Yes". The proportions of "Yes" responses were calculated for both individual and group factors. Total number of individual factors was calculated and descriptive analyses and ordered logistic regression were used to summarize the total number of factors affecting each participant, and their association with participants' occupations, sex, disability severity and disease duration. RESULTS: Common workplace factors influencing employment were organisational (39.8 % perceived risk, 44.0 % lost employment), commuting (28.9 % perceived risk) and equipment usage difficulty (30.9 % lost employment). Common individual factors included inflexible working conditions, lack of suitable work, commuting difficulties, architectural barriers, and requirement to stand for long periods to use equipment. Professionals, blue-collar workers, and those with moderate/severe disability were more likely to report a higher number of workplace factors risking their employment. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace factors undermine PwMS employment, with variations among subgroups based on occupation and disability severity. Understanding these barriers is crucial for supporting PwMS in the workforce.

The effects of different designs of indoor biophilic greening on psychological and physiological responses and cognitive performance of office workers.

Impression on biophilic designs influences the effects of indoor greening. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of different biophilic designs in office rooms on the psychological and physiological responses and the cognitive performance of office workers. Indoor greening rooms with Japanese and tropical designs were used along with the green-free (control) design in this study. The heart rate variability of the participants was not affected by green designs. However, there was improvement in impressions on tropical and Japanese designs in office rooms. In particular, the Japanese design was more effective in decreasing negative emotions than the tropical design. The electroencephalography during 5-min exposure to the greening designs showed limited frequency bands and regions of interest affected by the greenery design. Taken together with the psychological data, indoor greening with the tropical design promoted positive mood states. Meanwhile, indoor greening in the Japanese design, inhibited negative mood states. However, there were no significant differences between the two designs in terms of cognitive task performance. Hence, indoor greening increases neural efficiency during cognitive tasks.

Reliability and Sensitivity of a Virtual Assessment Developed for Workplace Concussions: Protocol for a Method-Comparison Study.

BACKGROUND: Workplace mild traumatic brain injuries are frequently associated with persistent symptoms, leading to a reduction in productivity at work or even disability. People who sustain workplace injuries frequently need rehabilitation and support, and the challenges of delivering these services was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic as injured workers had to be cared for remotely. Currently, clinicians are conducting both in-person and virtual (remote) concussion assessments; however, the measures that are being used to complete these assessments have undocumented psychometric properties. OBJECTIVE: This study will document the psychometric properties of the clinical measures that are being used remotely and their ability to produce similar results to in-person assessments. Specifically, through this method-comparison study, we aim to (1) evaluate the sensitivity of the measures included in a virtual assessment toolkit when compared to an in-person assessment and (2) determine the interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the measures included in a virtual assessment toolkit. METHODS: Patient participants (people living with acquired brain injuries) will attend two assessments (in person and virtual) at the Ottawa Hospital. The two assessments will be identical, consisting of the measures included in our previously developed virtual concussion assessment toolkit, which includes finger-to-nose testing, the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening tool, balance testing, cervical spine range of motion, saccades testing, and evaluation of effort. All virtual assessments will occur using the Microsoft Teams platform and will be audio/video-recorded. The clinician assessor and patient participant will complete a feedback form following completion of the assessments. A different clinician will also document the findings on observed videos of the virtual assessment shortly after completion of both in-person and virtual assessments and approximately 1 month later. Interrater reliability will be assessed by comparing the second clinician's observation with the first clinician's initial virtual assessment. Intrarater reliability will be evaluated by comparing the second clinician's observation with their own assessment approximately 1 month later. Sensitivity will be documented by comparing the findings (identification of abnormality) of the in-person assessment completed by the initial clinician assessor with those of the second clinician assessor on the observation of the recording of the virtual assessment. RESULTS: As of May 2024, we have recruited 7 clinician assessors and completed study assessments with 39 patient participants. The study recruitment is expected to be completed by September 2024. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, it is unknown if completing concussion assessments virtually produces similar results to the in-person assessment. This work will serve as a first step to determining the similarity of the virtual assessment to the matching in-person assessment and will provide information on the reliability of the virtual assessment. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/57663.

Creating an Effective Simulation Environment.

Simulation is a teaching and learning strategy that is used commonly in healthcare education in academia and practice settings. Nurses at the bedside may recall times in their formal education where simulation was used as a form of clinical learning or evaluation of their performance. It is possible that with the rise of nurse residency programs and in situ simulation that bedside nurses are experiencing simulation regularly within the workplace as a means of professional development. This article will set the stage for educators to develop high-quality simulation experiences.

Enhancing construction safety: predicting worker sleep deprivation using machine learning algorithms.

Sleep deprivation is a critical issue that affects workers in numerous industries, including construction. It adversely affects workers and can lead to significant concerns regarding their health, safety, and overall job performance. Several studies have investigated the effects of sleep deprivation on safety and productivity. Although the impact of sleep deprivation on safety and productivity through cognitive impairment has been investigated, research on the association of sleep deprivation and contributing factors that lead to workplace hazards and injuries remains limited. To fill this gap in the literature, this study utilized machine learning algorithms to predict hazardous situations. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the applicability of machine learning algorithms, including support vector machine and random forest, by predicting sleep deprivation in construction workers based on responses from 240 construction workers, identifying seven primary indices as predictive factors. The findings indicate that the support vector machine algorithm produced superior sleep deprivation prediction outcomes during the validation process. The study findings offer significant benefits to stakeholders in the construction industry, particularly project and safety managers. By enabling the implementation of targeted interventions, these insights can help reduce accidents and improve workplace safety through the timely and accurate prediction of sleep deprivation.

Intervention effect of targeted workplace closures may be approximated by single-layered networks in an individual-based model of COVID-19 control.

Individual-based models of infectious disease dynamics commonly use network structures to represent human interactions. Network structures can vary in complexity, from single-layered with homogeneous mixing to multi-layered with clustering and layer-specific contact weights. Here we assessed policy-relevant consequences of network choice by simulating different network structures within an established individual-based model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics. We determined the clustering coefficient of each network structure and compared this to several epidemiological outcomes, such as cumulative and peak infections. High-clustered networks estimate fewer cumulative infections and peak infections than less-clustered networks when transmission probabilities are equal. However, by altering transmission probabilities, we find that high-clustered networks can essentially recover the dynamics of low-clustered networks. We further assessed the effect of workplace closures as a layer-targeted intervention on epidemiological outcomes and found in this scenario a single-layered network provides a sufficient approximation of intervention effect relative to a multi-layered network when layer-specific contact weightings are equal. Overall, network structure choice within models should consider the knowledge of contact weights in different environments and pathogen mode of transmission to avoid over- or under-estimating disease burden and impact of interventions.

Designing a Workplace-Based Learning Environment for Learning Health Promotion: A Design-Based Research.

Introduction: The healthcare landscape has a growing emphasis on health promotion (HP), which makes HP important in the training of future physicians. This study employed design-based research to develop a clerkship focused on HP and to outline design principles for shaping workplace learning environments to promote HP learning. Methods: We evaluated a nursing-home clerkship designed at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and refined it over three rounds. Data collection involved individual and group interviews with students and supervisors, as well as observations during clerkship-related meetings and activities. These interactions also facilitated the exchange of perspectives between participants and generation of new design ideas, fostering co-creation of the clerkship design. Data were analyzed through iterative thematic inquiry to inform new design choices and develop design principles. Results: Evolved clerkship designs included an app for capturing practice experiences to discuss in relation to students' professional roles, loosening the strict assessment structure, and collaborative creation of a practice assignment about 'Positive Health'. We constructed four design principles, including: to question and discuss students' professional identity, provide concrete and meaningful assignments, aim for a peer-learner role for supervisors, and foster co-creation of the workplace learning environment. Discussion: Our design principles support the design of workplace-based learning for HP, a subject that is novel within healthcare practice. We find that co-creation of workplace-based learning, which requires embracing uncertainty, is pivotal in this context, for students, practitioners, and educational institutions.

Workplace Resilience and Stress Among Certified Nursing Assistants in Long-Term Care Institutions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To explore the relationship among resilience, stress, and demographic factors in certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who worked in long-term care institutions during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHOD: A cross-sectional correlation-based research design was used. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Occupational Stress Scale. CNAs from 21 long-term care institutions in Taiwan were recruited. RESULTS: This study included 118 female and 26 male CNAs (response rate = 80%). Mean age was 46.8 years. A moderately negative correlation was found between workplace resilience and stress. Overall, being a woman and parent were found to be significantly correlated with CNAs' resilience. Furthermore, resilience and shift work were important predictors of stress. CONCLUSION: We suggest that leadership and management pay more attention to CNAs' basic demographic background information. Furthermore, timely, relevant strategies can be provided to enhance resilience and reduce workplace stress. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(7), 19-26.].

Pets at work: integrating pet-friendly initiatives into human resources for enhanced workplace harmony.

AIMS: The representation of companion animals, or pets, has been changing recently. Research concerning how pets influence employees' work-related well-being has also started to take its first steps. This research aimed to analyze (1) how managers perceive pet-friendly practices and their main effects at work, and (2) the impact of such practices on employees' well-being and work engagement. Relying on the social exchange perspective and the self-determination theory it was hypothesized that pet-friendly practices would positively influence employees' well-being and work engagement by satisfying their three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). METHODOLOGY: Two studies with mixed methods were conducted. The first and exploratory study resorted to semi-structured interviews with six managers. The second was a two-wave study conducted with a large sample of workers (N = 379). RESULTS: The first study highlighted the primary advantages and disadvantages of pet-friendly practices, along with the various obstacles and limitations, and proposed managerial strategies to overcome them. Managers generally expressed interest and enthusiasm about the topic but also pointed out challenges in implementing a pet-friendly strategy due to the limited number of empirical studies demonstrating its benefits. The second study's findings indicated that pet-friendly practices positively impacted employees' work engagement and well-being by fulfilling their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. ORIGINALITY: Overall, Portugal is seen as having a conservative culture, which slows the dissemination and implementation of these measures. To overcome these challenges, several managerial recommendations have been proposed. Raising awareness and fostering discussion on the topic are crucial steps toward integrating pet-friendly policies into human resources management.