Ribeiro OMPL, Cardoso MF, de Lima Trindade L, da Rocha CG, Teles PJFC, Pereira S, Coimbra V, Ribeiro MP, Reis A, da Conceição Alves Faria A, da Silva JMAV, Leite P, Barros S, Sousa C. From the first to the fourth critical period of COVID-19: what has changed in nursing practice environments in hospital settings?
BMC Nurs 2023;
22:53. [PMID:
36841780 PMCID:
PMC9958319 DOI:
10.1186/s12912-023-01207-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the need to invest in nursing practice environments and health institutions were led to implement several changes. In this sense, this study aimed to analyze the impact of the changes that occurred in nursing practice environments between the first and fourth critical periods of the pandemic.
METHODS
Quantitative, observational study, conducted in a University Hospital, with the participation of 713 registered nurses. Data were collected through a questionnaire with sociodemographic and professional characterization and the Scale for the Environments Evaluation of Professional Nursing Practice, applied at two different points in time: from 1 to 30 June 2020 and from 15 August to 15 September 2021. Data were processed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
RESULTS
Overall, the pandemic had a positive impact on nursing practice environments. However, the Process component remained favourable to quality of care, while the Structure and Outcome components only moderately favourable. Nurses working in Medicine Department services showed lower scores in several dimensions of the Structure, Process and Outcome components. On the other hand, nurses working in areas caring for patients with COVID-19 showed higher scores in several dimensions of the Structure, Process and Outcome components.
CONCLUSIONS
The pandemic had a positive impact on various dimensions of nursing practice environments, which denotes that regardless of the adversities and moments of crisis that may arise, investment in work environments will have positive repercussions. However, more investment is needed in Medicine Department services, which have historically been characterised by high workloads and structural conditions that make it difficult to promote positive and sustainable workplaces.
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