Anna Aftyka

Stress prevalence and stressors among anaesthesiology and intensive care unit workers: A multicentre survey study

BACKGROUND High stress levels have been commonly reported among ICU workers. Currently, anaesthesiology is safer for the patient but more stressful for the staff working in this branch of medicine. ICU and anaesthesiology personnel are prone to stress because of the specific character of their work. OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to assess stress prevalence among anaesthesiology and ICU workers to compare this stress prevalence in relation to professional groups, sex, job seniority, and type of hospital and describe the importance of major stressors at work. METHODS The ICU and anaesthesiology workers of 15 randomly selected Polish hospitals were surveyed. To assess stress prevalence, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was used. The analysis included 544 surveys. RESULTS The examined population was divided into two groups. Group N consisted of 406 nurses (74.60%) and group P of 138 physicians (25.40%). The mean result in the PSS-10 scale for the N group was 19.00 and for the P group 17.00. Both group results were related to a 6 sten score, which implied a medium level of stress. In the N group, the PSS-10 results were significantly higher than in the P group. Women showed higher levels of stress than men. CONCLUSIONS Stress levels among ICU and anaesthesiology personnel were of a medium range. Nurses showed significantly higher levels of stress than physicians. Female personnel showed higher levels of stress than male personnel. Age, job seniority and type of hospital did not have an influence on stress levels. The most stressful circumstances for anaesthesiology and ICU personnel included night shifts and duty overload.

Nursing Activities in the Prevention and Treatment of Perioperative Complications After Airway Foreign Body Removal in Pediatric Patients

PURPOSE 1) To evaluate postanesthesia complications after bronchoscopy performed for a suspected foreign body (FB) in the pediatric population and 2) To propose an algorithm of nursing activities for management of this problem. DESIGN A retrospective descriptive design was used. METHODS A chart review of 155 children who underwent rigid bronchoscopy for FB removal was conducted. FINDING Complications occurred in 78% of children: 43% of them experienced desaturation below 90% requiring oxygen therapy. Therapy ranged from oxygen administration via blow-by nasal cannula or face mask (89%) to positive pressure ventilation via bag-mask (23%). Seven percent of the population required intubation and admission to intensive care unit (all were less than 2 years of age). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest special attention to the children less than 2 years of age as serious respiratory failure may occur after FB removal. The algorithm for nurses was created to manage children after bronchoscopy.

Hospitalization of a child in the Neonatal Intensive Care – parents’ experiences

Abstract Introduction. Significant progress in the perinatal and intensive care therapy resulted in a meaningful increase of survival of extremely immature, and burdened with severe diseases neonates. Although infants are the patients of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the needs of their parents should also be noticed and realized. The aim of the study was the analysis of the parents’ experiences of children hospitalized in the NICU. Material. The research material comprises 39 written contributions of parents of children hospitalized in the NICU. Method. A qualitative analysis of the text was used. Quotes of parents were classified in three categories: emotions, thoughts and support. Results. Fear, happiness, joy, uncertainty, stress and shock are the most frequently emotions appearing in the parents’ reports. The most frequently mentioned areas of cognitive reactions of parents include: realization of child’s mortality, realizing problems of the premature birth, search for the guilty, and the reformulation of looking at the world. Parents often described support they received, but also pointed to the areas where support lacked. Conclusion: As a result of intense emotions, both positive and negative tint that parents experience at birth of a premature or sick child, multi-disciplinary care is necessary in order to reduce the negative effects of experienced emotions. Support, including information support for parents of critically ill newborns is a key skill in the practice of doctors taking care of children hospitalized in NICU. Psychological support is an essential element of the holistic care of the neonate’s family.