A study on optimism as a psychological strength in nurses through a prospective study from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to two years later.

Aims and objectives: This study analyzes, in nurses, the influence of openness to experience and hardiness (assessed at baseline and one year after the COVID-19 pandemic respectively) on the development of optimism (assessed two years after the COVID-19 pandemic). Concerns about self-contagion were included as a moderating variable, given their relevance as a risk factor. Background: Nurses have been among the healthcare professionals most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most previous studies have focused on the variables contributing to psychological symptoms, whilst the attention given to the variables adding to the well-being of these professionals has been much scarcer. Design: A prospective study was carried out. Methods: This study was carried out using three data collection periods: Period 1 (From May to June 2020), Period 2 (From January 2021 to April 2021), and Period 3 (From April 2022 to July 2022), with the participation of 151 Spanish nurses, using online self-reporting questionnaires. The study followed the STROBE statement. Results: The results showed that the proposed model was statistically significant. There was a positive effect of openness to experience (year 2020) on hardiness assessed one year later (year 2021). Similarly, hardiness had a positive effect on optimism assessed another year on (year 2022). Conclusions: Concerns about self-contagion behaved as a moderator in the relationship between openness to experience and hardiness (the relationship between openness and hardiness was statistically significant when contagion concern was higher). Relevance to clinical practice: In-depth understanding of the psychological processes that trigger psychological strengths (i.e. optimism) as a result of adverse situations (i.e. COVID-19 pandemic) is essential in promoting the mental health of healthcare professionals. Interventions targeting resilient personality traits and cognitive flexibility are key to this goal. No Patient or Public Contribution: The participants contributed exclusively to the collection of the sample.

Concern about contagion and distress in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Motherhood as moderator.

The aim of this research is to analyze the role that children play between fear of contagion and distress in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into account possible work stressors. Cross-sectional study using an online survey. The selection of the sample was carried out by means of a non-probabilistic sampling for convenience, sending the link to professionals of the Spanish healthcare system who had been in contact with COVID-19 patients. Social networks were also used. Data was collected from May to July 2020. Mothers were selected from among the female nurses for participation in this study. The sample was composed of 283 female nurses working in critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Distress levels were significantly lower (F = 2.372, p = .048) in women with children over the age of 16 (M = 8.26, SD = 4.44) than in those without them (M = 10.30;DT = 3.75) (cohabitants). No differences were observed in worries about contagion between nurses with children (either under or over 16 years of age) and without children at home. The regression analysis found significant direct positive contributions of worries about contagion (p = .025) and the presence of children living at home (p = .033) on distress levels. We found a moderating effect of having children over 16 years old living at home in this relationship (ß = 2.198, t = 2.422, p = .016, 95 percentCI = .406-3.992). Our results suggest higher levels of distress in ICU nurses who are working-mothers during COVID-19 pandemic. Living at home with children over 16 years of age has a moderating effect. Our study results point to the need to create action protocols that prepare the health system for outbreaks including early care actions with special emphasis on higher risk groups.

Incidencia y características de las caídas de pacientes hospitalizados: estudio de cohortes / Incidence and characteristics of falls in hospitalized patients: A cohort study

Objetivo: Estimar la incidencia de caídas y conocer sus características en cuanto a localización, temporalidad y lesiones producidas, y analizar las características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes que sufren caídas. Método: Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional de cohortes retrospectivo, en un hospital de nivel 2 del Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Se estudiaron las caídas de pacientes hospitalizados entre el 1 de julio de 2018 y el 30 de junio de 2019. Se estimó la tasa de incidencia de caídas por 1.000 días de estancia considerando una distribución de Poisson. Se describen las características de las caídas: temporalidad, lesiones producidas, localización de las lesiones y pauta de fármacos. Se registraron características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes que sufrieron una caída. Se realizó un análisis univariante para comparar los resultados por sexos. Todos los datos se han obtenido de registros de la historia clínica electrónica. Resultados: Se estudiaron 132 caídas, que suponen una tasa de 1,61 caídas por 1.000 días de estancia. Hombres, edad avanzada e ingreso a cargo de una especialidad médica presentaron una tasa de caída significativamente mayor. Los pacientes que sufrieron una caída tienen una edad media de 77,5 años (DE 11,7), y tuvieron pautados una mediana de 12,5 fármacos (RIC 9,25-15). El 63,6% de las caídas no presentan lesión alguna. Solo se encontró diferencia en cuanto al género en la situación en la que se produce la caída. Conclusiones: Nuestros datos notifican una incidencia de caídas similar a la de centros de nuestro entorno. El perfil del paciente que sufre una caída es el de un hombre mayor, ingresado a cargo de una especialidad médica, con estancias hospitalarias más largas, con alguna comorbilidad y polimedicado, sin una asociación temporal evidente.(AU)

Objective: To estimate the incidence of falls and to know their characteristics in terms of location, temporality and injuries produced, and to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients who suffer falls. Methodology: A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a level 2 hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Falls in hospitalized patients between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were studied. The incidence rate of falls per 1,000 days of stay was estimated considering a Poisson distribution. The characteristics of the falls are described: temporality, injuries produced, location of the injuries and prescribed drugs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who suffered a fall were registered. A univariate analysis was performed to compare the results by gender. All data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results: One hundred and thirty-two falls were studied, which represent a rate of 1.61 falls per 1,000 days of stay. Men, older age, and admission to a medical specialty showed a significantly higher fall rate. The patients who suffered a fall had a mean age of 77.5 years (SD 11.7), and had a median of 12.5 drugs prescribed (IQR: 9.25-15). Of the falls, 63.6% did not present any injury. Difference in gender was only found in the situation in which the fall occurred. Conclusions: Our data report an incidence of falls similar to other institutions in our environment. The profile of the patient who suffers a fall is an older man, admitted under the charge of a medical specialty, with longer hospital stay, with associated comorbidity and polymedicated, without an obvious temporal feature.(AU)

Incidence and characteristics of falls in hospitalized patients: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of falls and to know their characteristics in terms of location, temporality and injuries produced, and to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients who suffer falls. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a level 2 hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Falls in hospitalized patients between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were studied. The incidence rate of falls per 1000 days of stay was estimated considering a Poisson distribution. The characteristics of the falls are described: temporality, injuries produced, location of the injuries and prescribed drugs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who suffered a fall were registered. A univariate analysis was performed to compare the results by gender. All data were obtained from the electronic medical record. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two falls were studied, which represent a rate of 1.61 falls per 1,000 days of stay. Men, older age, and admission to a medical specialty showed a significantly higher fall rate. The patients who suffered a fall had a mean age of 77.5 years (SD: 11.7), and had a median of 12.5 drugs prescribed (IQR: 9.25-15). Of the falls, 63.6% did not present any injury. Difference in gender was only found in the situation in which the fall occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Our data report an incidence of falls similar to other institutions in our environment. The profile of the patient who suffers a fall is an older man, admitted under the charge of a medical specialty, with longer hospital stay, with associated comorbidity and polymedicated, without an obvious temporal feature.

Intensive care unit professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: social and work-related variables, COVID-19 symptoms, worries, and generalized anxiety levels.

BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 outbreak has been identified as a pandemic and global health emergency. It presents as a severe acute respiratory disease. The rapid dissemination of the disease created challenges for healthcare systems and forced healthcare workers (HCWs) to deal with many clinical and nonclinical stresses. The aim of our research is to describe work conditions, symptoms experienced by HCWs, worries about contagion, and generalized anxiety symptoms and compare those findings across regions in Spain. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey. Critical care units throughout Spain were included. The sample comprised HCWs working in intensive care units from March to May 2020. We assessed work variables, physical symptoms, worries about contagion, and anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder-7 questionnaire). RESULTS: The final sample comprised 448 surveys. Among the respondents, 86.9% (n=389) were nursing professionals, and 84.8% (n=380) were women. All participants cared for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients during the study period. Workload during the pandemic in Madrid was judged to be higher than in other regions (P<0.01). The availability of personal protective equipment was found to be higher in Cataluña. The most frequently experienced symptom was headaches (78.1%). Worries about self-infection and the possibility of infecting others received mean scores of 3.11 and 3.75, respectively. Mean scores for generalized anxiety levels were 11.02, with 58.7% of the professionals presenting with generalized anxiety syndrome during the assessment. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found high levels of anxiety among HCWs caring directly for COVID-19 patients, which could produce long-term psychological alterations that still need to be assessed.