scholarly journals Exploring health care workers’ perceptions and experiences of communication with ethnic minority elders

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-190
Author(s):  
Gloria Likupe ◽  
Carol Baxter ◽  
Mohamed Jogi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Workers

Purpose There is a recognition in Europe and in the western world of a demographic shift in the ageing population. While the overall ageing of the general population is growing, the numbers of immigrants getting old in their host countries is also increasing, thereby increasing the racial and ethnic proportion of older people in these countries. This changing landscape calls for understanding of issues related to health care provision, policy and research regarding ethnic minorities. Communication is seen as a key factor in understanding the needs of ethnic minority elders (EMEs). The purpose of this paper is to explore health care workers’ (HCWs) perceptions and experiences of communication with EMEs. In this paper the term HCW includes qualified nurses and health care assistants. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews was employed. Ten HCWs, who had ethnic minorities in their care were individually interviewed to explore their perceptions and experiences of communication when caring for EMEs. Findings Analysis of data revealed that in common with all older people, EMEs experience stereotyped attitudes and difficulties in communication. However, EMEs face particular challenges, including cultural differences, different language and stereotyping of care based on misunderstood needs of EMEs. Facilitators of communication included appropriate training of HCWs and appropriate use of interpreters. Research limitations/implications Only homes willing to take part in the study gave permission for their staff to be interviewed. In addition, the HCWs came from various settings. Therefore, views of staff in homes who did not give permission may not be represented. Practical implications The diversity of older people needing care in nursing homes and the community calls for training in culturally competent communication for effective provision care provision for EMEs. Originality/value Training of health care staff in culturally appropriate communication requires effective practice.

Fueling leadership in yourself: a leadership development program for all types of health-care workers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Houchens ◽  
Stacy L. Sivils ◽  
Elizabeth Koester ◽  
David Ratz ◽  
Jennifer Ridenour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Care Workers

Purpose Leadership development may be a key strategy to enhance job satisfaction, reduce burnout and improve patient safety in health-care systems. This study aims to assess feasibility of a leadership development series in an effort to invigorate a collaborative culture, create peer networks and elevate autonomy in daily work. Design/methodology/approach The authors implemented a collectivistic leadership development series titled Fueling Leadership in Yourself. The series was designed for all types of health-care workers in the medicine service at a tertiary referral center for veterans. Two series of leadership development sessions with varied experiential learning methods were facilitated by content experts. Subjects focused on leadership approaches and attributes applicable to all roles within a health-care system. The authors collected participant perceptions using pre- and post-series surveys. Primary outcomes were understanding and applicability of leadership concepts, employee engagement in leadership, satisfaction with training and work environment and qualitative reflections. Findings A total of 26 respondents (of 38 participants) from 8 departments and several role types increased their knowledge of leadership techniques, were highly satisfied with and would recommend the series and found leadership principles applicable to their daily work. Participants continued to use skills years after the series. Practical implications Short, intermittent, collectivistic leadership development sessions appear effective in expanding knowledge, satisfaction and skills used in daily practice for a diverse group of health-care workers. Originality/value Novel programmatic aspects included inviting all types of health-care workers, practicing universally applicable content and using a variety of active, experiential learning methods.

Health-care workers’ knowledge and management skills of psychosocial and mental health needs and priorities of individuals with COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-144
Author(s):  
Ayman Hamdan Mansour ◽  
Ahmad N. Al Shibi ◽  
Anas H. Khalifeh ◽  
Laith A. Hamdan Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Manage Care ◽  
Care Workers

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the knowledge and management skills of health-care workers regarding psychosocial and mental health priorities and needs of individuals with COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The data collected conveniently from 101 health-care workers in Jordan directly managing care of individuals with COVID-19. Findings Health-care workers have moderate-to-high level of knowledge and management skills of psychological distress related to COVID-19; means ranged from 50%–70% agreement and confidence. In general, health-care workers were able to identify mental and psychosocial health needs and priorities at a moderate level. Health-care workers knowledge had a positive and significant correlation with age (r = 0.24, p = 0.012) and years of experience (r = 0.28, p = 0.004), and a significant difference was found in their management between those who are trained on psychological first aids and those who are not (t = −3.11, p = 0.003). Practical implications There is a need to train health-care workers to integrate psychosocial and mental health care to manage care psychological distress related to COVID-19. Originality/value This study is emphasizing the need for mental health psychosocial support training and in integration. Health-care workers providing care to individuals with COVID-19 are not aware of mental health priorities and needs of their patients. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge adding more understanding about competencies of health-care workers providing care and their preparedness to manage care individuals with COVID-19.

Facilitating a just and trusting culture

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Pattison ◽  
Theresa Kline
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Organizational Trust ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Policy Capturing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Training Systems ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Enhance Patient Safety ◽  
Executive Teams

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify managerial and organizational characteristics and behaviors that facilitate the fostering of a just and trusting culture within the healthcare system. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies were conducted. The initial qualitative one was used to identify themes based on interviews with health care workers that facilitate a just and trusting culture. The quantitative one used a policy-capturing design to determine which factors were most likely to predict outcomes of manager and organizational trust. Findings – The factors of violation type (ability vs integrity), providing an explanation or not, blame vs no blame by manager, and blame vs no blame by organization were all significant predictors of perceptions of trust. Research limitations/implications – Limitations to the generalizability of findings included both a small and non-representative sample from one health care region. Practical implications – The present findings can be useful in developing training systems for managers and organizational executive teams for managing medical error events in a manner that will help develop a just and trusting culture. Social implications – A just and trusting culture should enhance the likelihood of reporting medical errors. Improved reporting, in turn, should enhance patient safety. Originality/value – This is the first field study experimentally manipulating aspects of organizational trust within the health care sector. The use of policy-capturing is a unique feature that sheds light into the decision-making of health care workers as to the efficaciousness of particular managerial and organizational characteristics that impact a just and trusting culture.

scholarly journals Letter to the Editor: Burnout Management among Health Care Workers in the Age of Coronavirus Disease-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (E) ◽  
pp. 382-385
Author(s):  
Mohsen Khosravi ◽  
Alireza Ganjali
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Burnout Syndrome ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Workers

AIM: We aimed to understand the early warning signs and symptoms of occupational burnout as red flags among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Based on the suggestions of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies [8], health-care providers need to be trained to increase three components of resilience across the three levels of individual, team, and organization so that they can optimally manage their psychological responses to catastrophes. RESULTS: It seems that both targeted individual and organizational strategies are critical for the overall wellness of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Health care workers experience high levels of burnout during the COVID-19, which warrants attention and support from health policy-makers and practitioners. Current evidence demonstrated that health-care staff could gain significant benefits from interventions to modify burnout syndrome, especially from organization-directed interventions.

scholarly journals Examination of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from the Gloves and Gowns of Intensive Care Unit Health Care Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (32) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timileyin Adedrian ◽  
Stephanie Hitchcock ◽  
Lyndsay M. O’Hara ◽  
Jane M. Michalski ◽  
J. Kristie Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Genomic Diversity ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Workers

ABSTRACT Interactions with health care workers are often thought to be associated with the spread of microbes in the hospital setting. We have examined the genomic diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the gloves and gowns of health care workers from four hospitals in three states.

Mental illness among NHS health care workers: a survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-135
Author(s):  
Simon Sherring
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Evil Spirits

The literature suggests that mental illness among UK health care staff is common. This study reports health care workers' knowledge and experience of mental illness. Medical staff, administration staff and other staff members employed in four NHS Trusts (n=2073) responded to a questionnaire survey. A proportion of health care workers in the NHS reported having personal (colleagues, family and self) experience of mental illness. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that are not evidence based. This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based; for example, some respondents reported that demonic possession or possession by evil spirits was a very good explanation for mental illness.

How to survive mistreatment by customers

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Wang ◽  
Haibo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Positive Relation ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Withdrawal Behavior

Purpose The purpose of the present research is to investigate the mechanisms by which conflict with customers (i.e. customer mistreatment) contributes to employees’ work withdrawal. Design/methodology/approach This paper tests its hypotheses by means of a field study of a sample of front-line health care workers in China. Data were collected in three waves over four months; a total of 398 health care workers completed the questionnaires and represented the final sample. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that mistreatment by customers contributes to employees’ work withdrawal, and emotional exhaustion serves as a mediator in this linkage. In addition, social support moderates the positive relation between customer mistreatment and employees’ emotional exhaustion, whereas conscientiousness moderates the positive relation between emotional exhaustion and withdrawal behavior. Research limitations/implications The sample used may not fully justify the generalizability of the research results. Without distinguishing different sources of social support may be another limitation. In addition, this study could be improved by using a multi-source survey design. Practical implications To help employees effectively cope with interpersonal conflict with customers, organizations should take action to promote communication between employees and their supervisors and coworkers. It is also advisable for organizations to adjust their selection strategies and hire front-line employees high in conscientiousness. Originality/value This research presents a resource-based framework to illuminate the detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to customer mistreatment on health care workers’ withdrawal behavior in Chinese context. Furthermore, this study examines factors that may serve to mitigate the harmful effects of customer mistreatment and regards workplace social support and conscientiousness as two different kinds of resources that can play dissimilar roles when employees are coping with customer mistreatment.

scholarly journals Evaluation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus in Health Care Workers in a Low-Incidence Setting

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 1650-1657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee-Won Moon ◽  
Rajiv L. Gaur ◽  
Sara Shu-Hwa Tien ◽  
Mary Spangler ◽  
Madhukar Pai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Positive Results

ABSTRACT Although launched in 2015, little is known about the accuracy of QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus (QFT-Plus) for diagnosis of latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Unlike its predecessor, QFT-Plus utilizes two antigen tubes to elicit an immune response from CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes. We conducted a cross-sectional study in low-risk health care workers (HCWs) at a single U.S. center to compare QFT-Plus to QuantiFERON-TB Gold in-tube (QFT). A total of 989 HCWs were tested with both QFT and QFT-Plus. Risk factors for LTBI were obtained from a questionnaire. QFT-Plus was considered positive if either antigen tube 1 (TB1) or TB2 tested positive, per the manufacturer's recommendations, or if both TB1 and TB2 tested positive, using a conservative definition. Results were compared using Cohen's kappa and linear regression, respectively. Agreement of QFT with QFT-Plus was high, at 95.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94.3 to 96.9; kappa, 0.57). The majority of discordant results between QFT and QFT-Plus TB1 (84.8%) and QFT and QFT-Plus TB2 (88.6%) fell within the range of 0.2 to 0.7 IU/ml. The positivity rate in 626 HCWs with no identifiable risk factors and no self-reported history of positive LTBI tests was 2.1% (CI, 1.0 to 3.2) and 3.0% (CI, 1.7 to 4.3) with QFT and QFT-Plus, respectively. A conservative definition of a QFT-Plus-positive result yielded a positivity rate of 1.0% (CI, 0.2 to 1.7; P value of 0.0002 versus QFT-Plus and 0.07 versus QFT). On follow-up testing, of 11 HCWs with discordant QFT-Plus results, 90.9% (10/11) had a negative QFT result. The QFT-Plus assay showed a high degree of agreement with QFT in U.S. HCWs. A conservative interpretation of QFT-Plus eliminated nearly all nonreproducible positive results in low-risk HCWs. Larger studies are needed to validate the latter finding and to more clearly define conditions under which a conservative interpretation can be used to minimize nonreproducible positive results in low-risk populations.

Reducing post-cesarean wound infection at Muhororo Hospital by increasing hand hygiene practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelphine Nibamureke ◽  
Egide Kayonga Ntagungira ◽  
Eva Adomako ◽  
Victor Pawelzik ◽  
Rex Wong
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hygiene Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Hygiene Compliance

Purpose Post-cesarean wound infection (PCWI) is a common post-operative complication that can negatively affect patients and health systems. Poor hand hygiene practice of health care professionals is a common cause of PCWI. This case study aims to describe how strategic problem solving was used to introduce an alcohol-based hand rub in a district hospital in Rwanda to improve hand hygiene compliance among health care workers and reduce PCWI. Design/methodology/approach Pre- and post-intervention study design was used to address the poor hand hygiene compliance in the maternity unit. The hospital availed an alcohol-based hand rub and the team provided training on the importance of hand hygiene. A chart audit was conducted to assess the PCWI, and an observational study was used to assess hand hygiene compliance. Findings The intervention successfully increased hand hygiene compliance of health care workers from 38.2 to 89.7 per cent, p < 0.001, and was associated with reduced hospital-acquired infection rates from 6.2 to 2.5 per cent, p = 0.083. Practical implications This case study describes the implementation process of a quality improvement project using the eight steps of strategic problem solving to introduce an alcohol-based hand rub in a district hospital in Rwanda. The intervention improved hand hygiene compliance among health care workers and reduced PCWI using available resources and effective leadership skills. Originality/value The results will inform hospitals with similar settings of steps to create an environment that enables hand hygiene practice, and in turn reduces PCWI, using available resources and strategic problem solving.

scholarly journals A Personal Respirator Specification for Health-care Workers Treating COVID-19 (PeRSo)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Elkington ◽  
Alexander Dickinson ◽  
Mark Mavrogordato ◽  
Dan Spencer ◽  
Ric Gillams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Care Workers

The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a rapidly spreading global pandemic. Recent media coverage has highlighted the importance of protecting health-care workers together with issues surrounding availability and suitability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Around 20% of healthcare workers treating COVID19 cases in Italy have become infected which leads to staff absence at a critical point during the pandemic, and unfortunately in some cases mortality.PPE plays a major role in control programs. Standard PPE such as N95/FFP3 facemasks have limitations such as an ineffective seal during talking or after prolonged use, face shapes which cannot be adequately fitted, and logistical issues ensuring availability of the correct mask for each person. Furthermore, global stock is low, and issues around diagnostic testing specificity and turnaround time may lead to infectious patients receiving care from health care staff who are not wearing appropriate PPE. To address acute shortcomings in PPE availability, we have developed a simple pressurised air purified respirator unit, incorporating a combination of inexpensive and widely available components parts. The prototype was developed to minimise the number and complexity of manufacturing steps with the intention that derivative versions could be developed in many different parts of the world, including low resource settings with minor modification, where transmission could be rapid amongst high population densities.The “Personal Respirator – Southampton” (PeRSo) delivers HEPA filtered air from a battery powered fan-filter assembly through a lightweight hood/face mask that can be comfortably worn for several hours. Initial user feedback provided by doctors and nurses shows the PeRSo prototype was preferred to standard N95/FFP3 masks, being more comfortable, reducing time lost placing and removing PPE between patients, and allowing better communication. Preliminary tests indicate that the device removes microbes and passes the “fit tests” widely used to evaluate face masks. Full verification of the safety and the duration of effectiveness and durability of the device is required, as part of translation into use. Rapid upscale of production is required to protect healthcare workers from infection while the global situation accelerates, so that they can look after patients during the peak of the pandemic.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document