Editor's Note This study, led by researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, analyzed survey responses from 7,705 participants between April 1 and November 24, 2020, on their attitudes and resistance toward COVID-19 mitigation efforts. All US regions experienced decreases in COVID-19 mitigation efforts during this time period,…

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Editor's Note In a Vida Health survey, nearly half of some 2,000 US adults say they have thought about seeking mental health treatment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the January 19 Human Resource Executive. The vast majority (88%) of those surveyed report mental health symptoms, such as: difficulty…

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Editor's Note This study examines factors influencing patients’ decisions to accept or decline telepsychiatry care after stay-at-home orders were initiated in Michigan. Researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, surveyed 244 patients whose in-person appointments were scheduled within the first 3 weeks of stay-at-home orders. The majority (202, 82.8%)…

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A November 2020 survey from National Nurses United, the largest union of RNs in the US, rang some alarm bells about the preparedness of healthcare facilities bracing for influenza season along with COVID-19 case surges. Among the more than 15,000 nurses surveyed by the union, 30% named staffing shortages as…

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Editor's Note Employment in US hospitals was up 4,700 jobs in November to a seasonally adjusted 5,160,800, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on December 4. That’s down 76,000 employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment is at 15,979,800, which has decreased 439,400 in the past year. The overall…

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Editor's Note Brief huddles, rather than a barrage of emails and texts about safety and risk may be the fastest and simplest way for healthcare workers to avoid communication overload from COVID-19, this study from Baylor University reports. Interviews of 40 workers in two hospitals found the following: Healthcare workers…

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Editor's Note In response to an increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 66 hospitals have postponed or cancelled elective surgical procedures in an effort to free up space and ensure enough staff and PPE are available, the November 24 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. All of the hospitals are in the Midwest…

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Editor's Note In a November 23 letter to federal government leaders, the American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) asked officials “to act collectively and quickly in support of hospitals and healthcare providers as they continue to struggle in response…

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Editor's Note Demand for temporary nursing staff is on the rise as COVID-19 cases surge across the country, the November 13 Healthcare Dive reports. Surge capacity plans include the following: Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare is hiring 200 traveling nurses. The 24-hospital system also brought on 31 nurses from New York-Presbyterian, a…

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Editor's Note A new nationwide survey by National Nurses United of more than 15,000 RNs finds that hospitals are failing to prepare for a surge of COVID-19 during flu season. Among the nurses’ complaints: inappropriate pursuit of profits resulting in lack of proper infection control measures ongoing issues of both…

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