Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity of advanced-practice nurses on a reference unit for inflammatory bowel disease / Impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la actividad de la enfermera de práctica avanzada, en enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal en una unidad de referencia

Objective: To report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity of nurses working on an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) unit and to identify reasons for telehealth care and its relationship to certain characteristics. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had led to an increase in demand for remote care in patients with inflammatory bowel disease who require monitoring and frequent access to health services. Design – methods: A retrospective study of all activity (in person and by phone call or email) done on the unit during the acute phase of the pandemic at a reference hospital in Spain. Numbers of activities done by nurses, reasons for telehealth care and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using frequency, chi-squared and analysis of variance tests. Results: A total of 1095 activities for 561 patients who received care were reported. Among them, 1042 (95.2%) were telemedicine activities, amounting to a 47.3% increase over the prior year. COVID-19-related activities numbered 588 (59.5%). Consultations due to disease flare-up numbered 134 (13.7%), representing a 145% increase compared to 2019. Significant differences were found between reasons for using telemedicine and diagnosis, occupational status, contact week and treatment. Conclusion: The acute phase of the pandemic has changed the activity managed by the nursing staff on the unit. Identifying and analysing these changes has yielded valuable information to achieve more efficient management and better care quality for patients in special situations.(AU)

Objetivos: Describir el impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la actividad de la enfermera, en enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII) de la unidad, e identificar las razones de la asistencia telemática y la relación con las variables recogidas. Antecedentes: La pandemia de COVID-19 ha dado lugar a un aumento en la demanda de atención remota en pacientes con EII que requieren un seguimiento y un acceso frecuente a los servicios de salud. Diseño y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de toda la actividad (presencia, llamada telefónica o correo electrónico), realizado en la unidad durante la fase aguda de la pandemia, en un hospital de referencia en España. Se recogió el número de actividades llevadas a cabo por la enfermera, motivo de asistencia telemática y datos sociodemográficos y clínicos. El análisis estadístico se realizó utilizando la prueba de frecuencia, χ2 y el análisis de varianza. Resultados: Fueron registradas 1.095 actividades por 561 pacientes atendidos, siendo 1.042 (95,2%) actividades de telemedicina, lo que supuso un incremento del 47,3% con respecto al año anterior. Las demandas relacionadas con COVID-19 fueron 588 (59,5%). Por otro lado, 134 (13,7%) fueron consultas por brote de su enfermedad, un 145% más que en 2019. Se han encontrado diferencias significativas entre los motivos del uso de la telemedicina y el diagnóstico, la situación laboral, la semana en que se realizó el contacto y el tratamiento. Conclusión: La fase aguda de la pandemia ha cambiado la actividad gestionada por enfermería en la unidad. Identificar y analizar estos cambios nos ha proporcionado información para conseguir una gestión más eficiente y de calidad al cuidado de los pacientes en situaciones excepcionales.(AU)

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity of advanced-practice nurses on a reference unit for inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity of nurses working on an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) unit and to identify reasons for telehealth care and its relationship to certain characteristics. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had led to an increase in demand for remote care in patients with inflammatory bowel disease who require monitoring and frequent access to health services. DESIGN - METHODS: A retrospective study of all activity (in person and by phone call or email) done on the unit during the acute phase of the pandemic at a reference hospital in Spain. Numbers of activities done by nurses, reasons for telehealth care and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using frequency, chi-squared and analysis of variance tests. RESULTS: A total of 1095 activities for 561 patients who received care were reported. Among them, 1042 (95.2%) were telemedicine activities, amounting to a 47.3% increase over the prior year. COVID-19-related activities numbered 588 (59.5%). Consultations due to disease flare-up numbered 134 (13.7%), representing a 145% increase compared to 2019. Significant differences were found between reasons for using telemedicine and diagnosis, occupational status, contact week and treatment. CONCLUSION: The acute phase of the pandemic has changed the activity managed by the nursing staff on the unit. Identifying and analysing these changes has yielded valuable information to achieve more efficient management and better care quality for patients in special situations.

Clinical nurses's critical thinking level according to sociodemographic and professional variables (Phase II): A correlational study.

Critical thinking ability is one of the basic competencies of clinical nurse and is widely accepted as being associated with the provision of quality care, however, the few evidence-based data related to the relationship between level of critical thinking ability and nurses' sociodemographic and professional characteristics. The aim of this study was to identify the level of critical thinking among nurses in clinical practice according to sociodemographic and professional variables. Descriptive cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out in a sample of 339 nurses from medical, surgical and critical care units at a tertiary care hospital. This study is related to a previous publication that presents psychometric analysis. Data were compiled using the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire and ad hoc form for the recording of sociodemographic and professional characteristics. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using frequency, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. Nurses reported moderate levels of critical thinking. Older nurses, with 11-15 years of experience in the actual unit, with continuous shift work, a permanent contract and master's degree indicated a higher level of critical thinking. Critical thinking skills are related to certain socio-demographic and professional variables, particularly age, years of experience, shift work, type of contract and educational level.

Critical thinking: A comparative analysis between nurse managers and registered nurses.

AIM: To analyse the levels of critical thinking among nurse managers and registered nurses and to explore the association between these levels and socio-demographic and occupational factors. BACKGROUND: Critical thinking is an essential skill in advanced clinical nursing. However, few studies to date have explored critical thinking levels in nurse managers or compared them with those recorded in registered nurses. METHODS: A randomized sample of 44 nurse managers and 295 registered nurses from a tertiary hospital in Barcelona participated in this study. The Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire was used to measure the level of critical thinking. The data were analysed using multivariate analysis by logistic regression. RESULTS: Levels of critical thinking were higher in nurse managers than in registered nurses. Age, work shift schedule and educational level were associated with a higher level of critical thinking in nurse managers and were predictor factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified age, work shift schedule and educational level as factors that impact on the acquisition of critical thinking skills among nurse managers. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study provides substantive evidence of the levels of critical thinking among nurse managers. When introducing strategies to enhance these skills, the associated occupational factors should be taken into account.

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A complex healthcare environment, with greater need for care based on the patient and evidence-based practice, are factors that have contributed to the increased need for critical thinking in professional competence. At the theoretical level, Alfaro-LeFevre () put forward a model of critical thinking made up of four components. And although these explain the construct, instruments for their empirical measurement are lacking. The purpose of the study was to develop and validate the psychometric properties of an instrument, the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire (N-CT-4 Practice), designed to evaluate the critical thinking abilities of nurses in the clinical setting. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A pool of items was generated for evaluation by a panel of experts who considered their validity for the new instrument, which was finally made up of 109 items. Following this, validation was carried out using a sample of 339 nurses at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Reliability was determined by means of internal consistency and test-retest stability over time, although the validity of the construct was assessed by means of confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: The content validity index of the N-CT-4 Practice was .85. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole instrument was .96. The intraclass correlation coefficient was .77. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the instrument was in line with the four-dimensional model proposed by Alfaro-LeFevre (). LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The psychometric properties of theN-CT-4 Practice uphold its potential for use in measuring critical thinking and in future research related with the examination of critical thinking.