James A. Town

Cardiac arrest is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, and is a critical event that hospital-based physicians must be prepared to manage. While cardiac arrest care follows established algorithms, management of patients after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is more dynamic and nuanced. Resident physicians therefore need structured training to provide high-quality post-ROSC care. We developed a 90-minute simulation session on postarrest care for internal medicine interns. The session included 2 simulation cases: one involving a patient with ventricular tachycardia arrest in the intensive care unit, and another featuring a patient with pulseless electrical activity arrest in an acute care setting. Interns alternated between roles as participants and observers to both practice and analyze communication and clinical skills. Between simulation cases, a brief teaching talk was delivered to review a framework for post-ROSC care. The curriculum was evaluated using pre- and postsession questionnaires to evaluate changes in knowledge and confidence. Thirty-four learners participated in our curriculum over 2 academic years. We observed a statistically significant increase in the percentage of learners who correctly answered knowledge-based questions about target blood pressure (50% to 100%) and oxygen saturation (22% to 74%) in the post-ROSC period. We also saw significant increases in learners' self-reported confidence in communication (28% to 74%) and ability to generate a differential diagnosis for a cardiac arrest (25% to 74%). Our simulation session increased intern knowledge and confidence in managing patients in the post-ROSC setting.

RESUMO Objetivo: Explorar as percepções dos profissionais de saúde que trabalham na unidade de terapia intensiva quanto às políticas de visitação familiar e examinar sua influência no sofrimento psicológico desses profissionais de saúde. Métodos: Divulgamos um inquérito eletrônico para profissionais de saúde interdisciplinares por meio da Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira durante o pico mais grave da COVID-19 no Brasil (março de 2021). Avaliamos as percepções e as preferências das políticas de visitação familiar e medimos o sofrimento dos profissionais de saúde, incluindo esgotamento, depressão, ansiedade, irritabilidade e pensamentos suicidas, usando escalas validadas. Realizamos regressões multivariáveis para avaliar os fatores associados ao sofrimento dos profissionais de saúde, incluindo políticas de visitação familiar e preocupações dos profissionais de saúde. Resultados: Incluímos respostas de 903 profissionais de saúde: 67% médicos, 10% enfermeiros, 10% fisioterapeutas e 13% outros. A maioria (55%) dos profissionais de saúde relatou que seus hospitais não permitiam visitação familiar ou permitiam visitação restrita (43%); apenas 2% relataram permitir visitação sem restrições. A maioria (78%) acreditava que restringir a visitação afetava negativamente a assistência ao paciente, e 46% preferiam permitir mais visitação (menor nos enfermeiros [44%] do que nos médicos [50%]; p < 0,01). Aproximadamente metade (49%) dos profissionais de saúde relatou que a visitação restrita contribuiu para seu esgotamento, sendo menor nos enfermeiros (43%) do que nos médicos (52%), p = 0,08. No geral, 62% dos profissionais de saúde relataram esgotamento, 24% relataram sintomas de depressão maior, 37% relataram sintomas de ansiedade, 11% relataram consumo excessivo de álcool ou drogas e 14% relataram pensamentos de automutilação. Na análise multivariada, as políticas de visitação familiar (visitação restrita versus nenhuma visitação) e as preferências por políticas (mais visitação versus a mesma ou menos) não foram associadas ao sofrimento psicológico. Em vez disso, as preocupações financeiras e o relato de má comunicação com os supervisores estavam mais profundamente associados ao esgotamento, à depressão e à ansiedade. Conclusão: Metade dos profissionais de saúde relatou que as restrições à visitação familiar contribuíram para seu esgotamento, e a maioria sentiu que isso afetou negativamente a assistência ao paciente. Entretanto, as preferências de visitação familiar não foram associadas ao sofrimento do profissional de saúde nas regressões multivariáveis. Mais médicos do que enfermeiros indicaram preferir políticas de visitação mais flexíveis.

Objective: To explore the perceptions of healthcare workers in the intensive care unit about family visitation policies and to examine their impact on healthcare workers’ psychological distress. Methods: We disseminated an electronic survey to interdisciplinary healthcare workers via the Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira during Brazil's most severe peak of COVID-19 (March 2021). We assessed perceptions of and preferences for family visitation policies and measured healthcare worker distress, including burnout, depression, anxiety, irritability, and suicidal thoughts using validated scales. We conducted multivariable regressions to evaluate factors associated with healthcare worker distress, including family visitation policies and healthcare workers’ concerns. Results: We included responses from 903 healthcare workers: 67% physicians, 10% nurses, 10% respiratory therapists, and 13% other. Most healthcare workers reported that their hospitals allowed no family visitation (55%) or limited visitation (43%), and only 2% reported allowing unlimited visitation. Most believed that limiting visitation negatively impacted patient care (78%), and 46% preferred allowing more visitation (which was lower among nurses [44%] than among physicians [50%]; p < 0.01). Approximately half (49%) of healthcare workers reported that limited visitation contributed to their burnout, which was lower among nurses (43%) than among physicians (52%), p = 0.08. Overall, 62% of healthcare workers reported burnout, 24% reported symptoms of major depression, 37% reported symptoms of anxiety, 11% reported excessive alcohol/drug consumption, and 14% reported thoughts of hurting themselves. In the multivariable analysis, family visitation policies (limited visitation versus no visitation) and preferences about policies (more visitation versus same or less) were not associated with psychological distress. Instead, financial concerns and reporting poor communication with supervisors were most strongly associated with burnout, depression, and anxiety. Conclusion: Half of healthcare workers self-reported that limited family visitation contributed to their burnout, and most felt that it negatively impacted patient care. However, family visitation preferences were not associated with healthcare worker distress in the multivariable regressions. More physicians than nurses indicated a preference for more liberal visitation policies.