Evaluating a Workplace Violence Management Program and Nurses' Confidence in Coping With Patient Aggression

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate nurse confidence in coping with patient aggression after implementing a workplace violence prevention program that includes management and postevent support.

BACKGROUND

Patient aggression toward nurses is increasing, leading many healthcare organizations to develop workplace violence prevention programs.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a large healthcare system in the Midwestern United States. Clinical nurses caring for adult patients across the care continuum ≥51% of the time were invited to participate.

RESULTS

In situ simulation plus standard training did not have a significant impact on confidence after controlling for the year education occurred; however, nurses completing training in 2022 had significantly higher confidence than nurses completing training in 2019. Use of the Violence Assessment Tool and participating in a post-control alert debriefing were also associated with significantly higher confidence.

CONCLUSION

Factors other than education may influence nurses' confidence in coping with patient aggression.

Association of Early Steroid Administration With Outcomes of Children Hospitalized for COVID-19 Without Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Importance

There is limited evidence for therapeutic options for pediatric COVID-19 outside of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Objective

To determine whether the use of steroids within 2 days of admission for non-MIS-C COVID-19 in children is associated with hospital length of stay (LOS). The secondary objective was to determine their association with intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, inflammation, and fever defervescence.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study analyzed data retrospectively for children (<18 years) who required hospitalization for non-MIS-C COVID-19. Data from March 2020 through September 2021 were provided by 58 hospitals in 7 countries who participate in the Society of Critical Care Medicine Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS) COVID-19 registry.

Exposure

Administration of steroids within 2 days of admission.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Length of stay in the hospital and ICU. Adjustment for confounders was done by mixed linear regression and propensity score matching.

Results

A total of 1163 patients met inclusion criteria and had a median (IQR) age of 7 years (0.9-14.3). Almost half of all patients (601/1163, 51.7%) were male, 33.8% (392/1163) were non-Hispanic White, and 27.9% (324/1163) were Hispanic. Of the study population, 184 patients (15.8%) received steroids within 2 days of admission, and 979 (84.2%) did not receive steroids within the first 2 days. Among 1163 patients, 658 (56.5%) required respiratory support during hospitalization. Overall, patients in the steroids group were older and had greater severity of illness, and a larger proportion required respiratory and vasoactive support. On multivariable linear regression, after controlling for treatment with remdesivir within 2 days, country, race and ethnicity, obesity and comorbidity, number of abnormal inflammatory mediators, age, bacterial or viral coinfection, and disease severity according to ICU admission within first 2 days or World Health Organization ordinal scale of 4 or higher on admission, with a random intercept for the site, early steroid treatment was not significantly associated with hospital LOS (exponentiated coefficient, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.81-1.09; P = .42). Separate analyses for patients with an LOS of 2 days or longer (n = 729), those receiving respiratory support at admission (n = 286), and propensity score-matched patients also showed no significant association between steroids and LOS. Early steroid treatment was not associated with ICU LOS, fever defervescence by day 3, or normalization of inflammatory mediators.

Conclusions and Relevance

Steroid treatment within 2 days of hospital admission in a heterogeneous cohort of pediatric patients hospitalized for COVID-19 without MIS-C did not have a statistically significant association with hospital LOS.

Early combination therapy with immunoglobulin and steroids is associated with shorter ICU length of stay in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort analysis from 28 U.S. Hospitals

Objectives

Suggested therapeutic options for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS‐C) include intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) and steroids. Prior studies have shown the benefit of combination therapy with both agents on fever control or the resolution of organ dysfunction. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the impact of IVIG and steroids on hospital and ICU length of stay (LOS) in patients with MIS‐C associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19).

Study Design

This was a retrospective study on 356 hospitalized patients with MIS‐C from March 2020 to September 2021 (28 sites in the United States) in the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS) COVID‐19 Registry. The effect of IVIG and steroids initiated in the first 2 days of admission, alone or in combination, on LOS was analyzed. Adjustment for confounders was made by multivariable mixed regression with a random intercept for the site.

Results

The median age of the study population was 8.8 (Interquartile range (IQR) 4.0, 13) years. 247/356 (69%) patients required intensive care unit (ICU) admission during hospitalization. Overall hospital mortality was 2% (7/356). Of the total patients, 153 (43%) received IVIG and steroids, 33 (9%) received IVIG only, 43 (12%) received steroids only, and 127 (36%) received neither within 2 days of admission. After adjustment of confounders, only combination therapy showed a significant decrease of ICU LOS by 1.6 days compared to no therapy (exponentiated coefficient 0.71 [95% confidence interval 0.51, 0.97, p = 0.03]). No significant difference was observed in hospital LOS or the secondary outcome variable of the normalization of inflammatory mediators by Day 3.

Conclusions

Combination therapy with IVIG and steroids initiated in the first 2 days of admission favorably impacts ICU but not the overall hospital LOS in children with MIS‐C.

Risk Factors for Critical Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Mortality in Hospitalized Young Adults: An Analysis of the Society of Critical Care Medicine Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS) Coronavirus Disease 2019 Registry

IMPORTANCE

Even with its proclivity for older age, coronavirus disease 2019 has been shown to affect all age groups. However, there remains a lack of research focused primarily on the young adult population.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the epidemiology and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 and identify the risk factors associated with critical illness and mortality in hospitalized young adults.

DESIGN SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

A retrospective cohort study of the Society of Critical Care Medicine's Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study registry. Patients 18-40 years old, hospitalized from coronavirus disease 2019 from March 2020 to April 2021, were included in the analysis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Critical illness was defined as a composite of mortality and 21 predefined interventions and complications. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations with critical illness and mortality.

RESULTS

Data from 4,005 patients (152 centers, 19 countries, 18.6% non-U.S. patients) were analyzed. The median age was 32 years (interquartile range, 27-37 yr); 51% were female, 29.4% Hispanic, and 42.9% had obesity. Most patients (63.2%) had comorbidities, the most common being hypertension (14.5%) and diabetes (13.7%). Hospital and ICU mortality were 3.2% (129/4,005) and 8.3% (109/1,313), respectively. Critical illness occurred in 25% (n = 996), and 34.3% (n = 1,376) were admitted to the ICU. Older age (p = 0.03), male sex (adjusted odds ratio, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.2-2.6]), and obesity (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1-2.4]) were associated with hospital mortality. In addition to the above factors, the presence of any comorbidity was associated with critical illness from coronavirus disease 2019. Multiple sensitivity analyses, including analysis with U.S. patients only and patients admitted to high-volume sites, showed similar risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Among hospitalized young adults, obese males with comorbidities are at higher risk of developing critical illness or dying from coronavirus disease 2019.

A novel in situ simulation framework for introduction of a new technology: the 3-Act-3-Debrief model

Background

New technologies for clinical staff are typically introduced via an “in-service” that focuses on knowledge and technical skill. Successful adoption of new healthcare technologies is influenced by multiple other factors as described by the Consolidated Framework in Implementation Research (CFIR). A simulation-based introduction to new technologies provides opportunity to intentionally address specific factors that influence adoption.

Methods

The new technology proposed for adoption was a telehealth cart that provided direct video communication with electronic intensive care unit (eICU) staff for a rural Emergency Department (ED). A novel 3-Act-3-Debrief in situ simulation structure was created to target predictive constructs from the CFIR and connect debriefing to specific workflows. The structure and content of the simulation in relation to the framework is described. Participants completed surveys pre-simulation/post-simulation to measure change in their readiness to adopt the new technology.

Results

The scenario was designed and pilot tested before implementation at two rural EDs. There were 60 interprofessional participants across the 2 sites, with 58 pre-simulation and 59 post-simulation surveys completed. The post-simulation mean ratings for each readiness measure (feasibility, quality, resource availability, role clarity, staff receptiveness, and tech usability) increased significantly as a result of the simulation experience.

Conclusions

A novel 3-stage simulation-debriefing structure positively targets factors influencing the adoption of new healthcare technologies.

Impact of an Electronic App on Resident Responses to Simulated In-Flight Medical Emergencies: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Health care providers are often called to respond to in-flight medical emergencies, but lack familiarity with expected supplies, interventions, and ground medical control support.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine whether a mobile phone app (airRx) improves responses to simulated in-flight medical emergencies.

METHODS

This was a randomized study of volunteer, nonemergency resident physician participants who managed simulated in-flight medical emergencies with or without the app. Simulations took place in a mock-up cabin in the simulation center. Standardized participants played the patient, family member, and flight attendant roles. Live, nonblinded rating was used with occasional video review for data clarification. Participants participated in two simulated in-flight medical emergencies (shortness of breath and syncope) and were evaluated with checklists and global rating scales (GRS). Checklist item success rates, key critical action times, GRS, and pre-post simulation confidence in managing in-flight medical emergencies were compared.

RESULTS

There were 29 participants in each arm (app vs control; N=58) of the study. Mean percentages of completed checklist items for the app versus control groups were mean 56.1 (SD 10.3) versus mean 49.4 (SD 7.4) for shortness of breath (P=.001) and mean 58 (SD 8.1) versus mean 49.8 (SD 7.0) for syncope (P<.001). The GRS improved with the app for the syncope case (mean 3.14, SD 0.89 versus control mean 2.6, SD 0.97; P=.003), but not the shortness of breath case (mean 2.90, SD 0.97 versus control mean 2.81, SD 0.80; P=.43). For timed checklist items, the app group contacted ground support faster for both cases, but the control group was faster to complete vitals and basic exam. Both groups indicated higher confidence in their postsimulation surveys, but the app group demonstrated a greater increase in this measure.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of the airRx app prompted some actions, but delayed others. Simulated performance and feedback suggest the app is a useful adjunct for managing in-flight medical emergencies.

Deliberate Practice with Standardized Patient Actors and the Development of Formative Feedback for Advance Care Planning Facilitators

OBJECTIVE

Multimodal curricular assessment after adding standardized patient (SP) actor-based simulation to an advance care planning (ACP) facilitator training course and development of a formative feedback tool.

BACKGROUND

ACP represents a highly valued service requiring more and better trained facilitators.

METHODS

Participants were primarily nurses and social workers in a large multisite health system. The course included a precourse video demonstration of ACP, traditional lectures, and four 30-minute simulations with SPs. Knowledge was tested with a multiple choice question (MCQ) test. In addition to standard postcourse/postsimulation evaluations, learners were surveyed pre/post/30-90 days delayed for self-perceived confidence. A linear mixed-effects model was used to analyze changes over time. Trained faculty rated performance in simulations with an observational mini-clinical examination (mini-CEX)-type rating form with a checklist, global competency, and global communication rating. Inter-rater reliability (IRR) was calculated on randomly selected paired ratings.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven individuals consented to participate. MCQ scores improved from 83% ± 10% to 92% ± 8% (p < 0.001). Paired learner surveys of self-confidence across six domains were available for 65 pre, 65 post, and 40 delayed with a mean positive change on a 0 to 10 point scale from pre-post (2.32 ± 1.65; p < 0.001) and predelayed (2.34 ± 1.96; p < 0.001) time frames. For the faculty observation ratings of simulation performance, the average raw agreement for critical actions was 82% and IRR was 0.71.

CONCLUSIONS

Learner feedback and self-assessment suggest that actor-based simulation contributed to improved confidence in conducting ACP. The mini-CEX observation form is adequate for formative feedback, with further testing needed to make judgments of competence.