Alessia Lezzi

The Italian health profile of foreigners depends from several factors and events, such as: environmental, microbiological, cultural and / or behavioral. Healthcare professionals might to have greater and better basic and post-basic training in approaching foreign users. Listening and empathy, with complementary training can help to reduce distances and better understand the patient's socio-cultural background. The aim of the study is to explore the basic intercultural knowledge of the Italian nurses, the perception of the problems encountered during the interaction with foreign users and any solution strategies. From December 2020 to March 2021 a national observational study was conducted by involving 327 nurses. 85.5% among participants were females and most of them aged between 20 and 30 years (20.20%) and were employed in medical wards (22.60%). Among the hindering barriers explored, linguistic ones are highlighted (41.30%), specifically for the description of hospital rules (34.90%) and of social and health regulations (34.90%). From the present findings, it emerges that the cultural competence of nurses could be developed by offering a multicultural education through basic and post-basic courses. (www.actabiomedica.it).

(1) Background: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the precarious health situation of our country, thanks to the grueling workloads caused by understaffing and fear of contracting COVID-19. By considering this critical situation, frontline healthcare professionals who have been directly involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of SARS-CoV-2 patients are now at risk of developing psychological distress and other mental health symptoms, accomplices of the fear of contracting the COVID-19 and the exhausting workloads. (2) Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted by administering an online questionnaire to all Italian physicians and nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire consists of socio-demographic characteristics, an assessment of anxiety levels with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which also assessed trait and state anxiety, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to evaluate the condition of depressive severity, and, finally, the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES–R), which was administered in order to quantify the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the participants. (3) Results: A total of 770 Italian healthcare workers were enrolled in this study. Of these, 95 (12.30%) were physicians and 675 (87.70%) were nurses. By considering PTSD, anxiety, and depression levels between the physicians and nurses recruited, a significant difference was reported in the STAI-1 assessment, as both physicians and nurses reported slight and moderate levels (p = 0.033). (4) Conclusions: Physicians and nurses, who have been subjected to physical impoverishment, with the infinite physical forces spent to support the pace of work at the limits of the possible, but above all mental capacity, with the anxiety of having to face an unknown enemy, such as COVID-19. This has resulted in a significant increase in anxiety, depression, post-traumatic symptoms, and sleep disturbances, with possible repercussions not only on the quality of life of the physicians and nurses but also on the quality of assistance provided.

(1) Background: Nomophobia is considered a digital and virtual contemporary society disorder and refers to discomfort, anxiety, nervousness, or distress caused by being out of contact with a cell phone or computer. The present study had a twofold objective: to evaluate the expert use of the Internet among Italian nurses by correlating it with socio-demographic characteristics, such as: sex, years of work experience, professional role, and level of nursing education; and to assess a possible increase in the levels of nomophobia among Italian nurses during COVID-19 compared to the pre-pandemic period. (2) Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted from April to September 2020, such as during the First Wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. (3) Results: A total of 502 nurses were enrolled in the present study. Significantly differences were reported in the IAT (Internet Addiction Test) levels according to socio-demographic characteristics since males reported significantly higher IAT levels than females (p < 0.001). Nurses who worked more than 6 years reported significantly higher IAT levels (p = 0.031) than their younger colleagues. More nursing managers and coordinators reported significantly higher IAT levels than registered nurses (p < 0.001). This trend was repeated by considering the nursing educational level, as nurses who recorded more years of nursing educational level reported significantly higher IAT levels than the others (p = 0.003). Additionally, significant differences were reported according to all the socio-demographic characteristics considered and IAT subdimensions, namely: Salience, Excessive Use, Neglect Work, Anticipation, and Lack of Control. (4) Conclusions: The study revealed higher levels of Internet addiction in men than in women during the COVID-19 pandemic period, as well as a significant correlation between nomophobia, years of work experience, and the role of nursing coordinator/manager.

In a society that tries so hard to forget and make people forget that death exists, death has never been so close to man in his daily life as during this pandemic. Health care professionals have therefore all too often had to deal with the death of the people they care for and with related issues such as, for example, the dignity of death, the humanization of death and care for the dying. The aim of the study is to highlight the perceptions of physicians, nurses and health and social workers in the difficult moment of the end of life, also analyzing which coping strategies were implemented by them. All Italian healthcare workers were enrolled in this survey. The questionnaire was administered in an online version. Physicians, nurses and support staff (social and health workers) were contacted through social networks. A total of 512 healthcare workers were enrolled in this survey. No statistical significant differences were recorded among the COPE-NVI- 25 sub dimensions according to sex, profession and to different wards. Additionally, by considering the COPE-NVI-25 sub dimensions according to years of work experience, a statistical significant difference was reported in the Transcendent Orientation sub dimension (p=.047), as healthcare workers with 11-20 years of work experience recorded higher levels than the other two groups. By considering differences in the COPE-NVI-25 sub dimensions according to religion, significant differences were recorded in the transcendent orientation (p=.032), in the positive attitude (p=.030), in the social support (p=.035). From the evidence in the literature, the quality of end-of-life care performance has a positive correlation with awareness of a good death and attitudes towards end-of-life care.