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Watch Out for Moral Injury and Psychological Distress Among Staff

Research into psychological distress and mental health issues during crises suggests that the world’s healthcare workers will face challenges through the pandemic and for years afterward. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an online survey revealed that one in 10 respondents seriously considered suicide within the past 30 days, and about one in five essential workers considered the same. Frontline professionals, and other healthcare workers to a lesser extent, are witnessing traumatic events that could lead to moral injury. Nurses and others affected by the pandemic’s trauma need education, coping tools, and therapy to help alleviate the adverse effects.

Reproductive Healthcare Workers Affected by Mental Health Stressors of Pandemic

New research explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the emotional and mental health of reproductive healthcare workers. Investigators surveyed reproductive health providers, including nurses, physicians, administrative staff, and others. Two-thirds of respondents reported feelings of stress, and one-third experienced increased feelings of anxiety and depression.

Social Media Fuels COVID-19 Vaccine Fear

To fight the proliferation of vaccine misinformation and disinformation spreading on social media, public health agencies and academic partners have created a vaccine misinformation field guide outlining how to respond to the misinformation that is undermining uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Needlestick Risks at COVID-19 Vaccination Sites

Needlesticks are threatening to move beyond the hospital in a big way. With a variety of people with various skill sets administering COVID-19 vaccines — sometimes in unusual situations — there is understandable concern about sharps injuries at immunization sites. As COVID-19 vaccine guidelines expand to more age groups and populations, occupational health experts are reminding HCWs that needlesticks could lead to transmission of bloodborne pathogens.

Good News for Pregnant Healthcare Workers

Pregnant healthcare workers face a personal choice to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, although emerging evidence suggests contracting the virus outweighs the risk of immunization. The CDC recommends lactating women can be vaccinated. However, the effects of the vaccines on pregnancy are unknown, though emerging trends look good.

OSHA Steps in to Protect Healthcare Workers from COVID-19

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a National Emphasis Program to ensure employees in high-hazard industries like healthcare are protected from contracting SARS-CoV-2. But a somewhat controversial problem is that researchers are finding most of the COVID-19 infections in healthcare workers are acquired in the community.

Vaccinated HCWs Can Be Trusted Voice to Communities, Colleagues

Healthcare workers (HCWs) immunized against COVID-19 can be trusted voices to instill vaccine confidence in their colleagues and communities, public health officials and clinicians emphasize. Role-modeling of immunization also might encourage HCWs who are reluctant to take a vaccine. In a recent poll of 1,327 HCWs, 27% said they do not plan to take a COVID-19 vaccine, or have not yet decided. Breaking down the results, 17% of the HCWs polled do not plan to take the vaccine, and 10% were undecided.

HCAHPS, Other Satisfaction Scores May Suffer from COVID-19 Effects

Before the pandemic, 73% of patients surveyed said they were very satisfied with the communication with their healthcare providers. During the pandemic, that figure nosedived to 60%. The number of patients who said they were not satisfied at all tripled.

Care Improved by Providing Better Feedback to Hospitalists

Providing detailed feedback to hospitalists, including key quality metrics, can improve the quality of care they provide patients, according to the results of a program at a Wisconsin medical college.

Lung Health Program Revamped to Help Manage COVID-19 Pandemic

A Maryland hospital adapted an existing program encouraging lung health to respond to the sudden demands of COVID-19. The program helped reduce COVID-19 readmission rates by two-thirds.