Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the perspectives and opinions of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and doctors at a COVID-19-designated pandemic hospital concerning the preparedness and response to COVID-19 and to consolidate the lessons learnt for crisis/disaster management in the future.

Design: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Purposeful sampling was conducted to identify participants. A semistructured guide was used to facilitate IDIs with individual participants. Two FGDs were conducted, one with the ICU doctors and another with the ICU nurses. Thematic analysis identified themes and subthemes informing about the level of preparedness, response measures, processes, and factors that were either facilitators or those that triggered challenges.

Setting: ICU in a quaternary referral centre affiliated to a university teaching COVID-19-designated pandemic hospital, in Adelaide, South Australia.

Participants: The participants included eight ICU doctors and eight ICU nurses for the IDIs. Another 16 clinicians participated in FGDs.

Results: The study identified six themes relevant to preparedness for, and responses to, COVID-19. The themes included: (1) staff competence and planning, (2) information transfer and communication, (3) education and skills for the safe use of personal protective equipment, (4) team dynamics and clinical practice, (5) leadership, and (6) managing end-of-life situations and expectations of caregivers.

Conclusion: Findings highlight that preparedness and response to the COVID-19 crisis were proportionate to the situation's gravity. More enablers than barriers were identified. However, opportunities for improvement were recognised in the domains of planning, logistics, self-sufficiency with equipment, operational and strategic oversight, communication and managing end-of-life care.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8819546PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051982DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

preparedness response
16
response covid-19
12
icu nurses
12
intensive care
8
care unit
8
covid-19-designated pandemic
8
pandemic hospital
8
icu doctors
8
doctors icu
8
identified themes
8

Similar Publications

Experiences of Nurse Managers in the 2023 Kahramanmaras, Turkey Earthquakes: A Qualitative Study.

J Trauma Nurs

January 2025

Author Affiliations: Department of Management and Organization, Bayburt University, Bayburt, Turkey (Dr Koroglu Kaba); Akdağmadeni School of Health, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey (Dr Bal); and Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey (Dr Ozturk).

Background: Nurse managers play a critical role in disaster response and management; yet research on their experiences in earthquakes remains limited.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurse managers in the Kahramanmaras, Turkey, earthquakes.

Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to guide this study, exploring the lived experiences of nurse managers who worked during the 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Natural hazards, such as earthquakes, pose a significant risk to both the public and healthcare professionals, jeopardising patient safety due to the disruption of healthcare systems and services. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of healthcare professionals concerning patient safety during natural hazards, specifically earthquakes.

Methods: Employing a descriptive phenomenological approach, the study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, accounting for approximately 17 million deaths annually, with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) as a significant contributor to this alarming statistic. SCA, the abrupt loss of heart function, is a critical medical emergency that requires early recognition and immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the effective resuscitation of victims. Various studies have shown a low level of knowledge regarding CPR in the community.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background Drug shortages have become a significant challenge globally, affecting healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess drug shortages' prevalence, causes, and impact at a tertiary care hospital in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), providing actionable insights for future mitigation strategies. Methods A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at Mediclinic Parkview (MPAR) Hospital, part of Mediclinic Middle East (MCME), UAE.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) self-testing serves as a crucial strategy for overcoming testing barriers, with urine-based self-testing emerging as a potential novel approach.

What Is Added By This Report?: In a real-world setting, this study demonstrated that the urine rapid test exhibited lower diagnostic accuracy compared to the blood rapid test. Study participants expressed stronger preferences for HIV self-testing methods utilizing finger prick samples, accompanied by standard written instructions and lower costs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!