Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread globally in a few short months. Substantial evidence now supports preliminary conclusions about transmission that can inform rational, evidence-based policies and reduce misinformation on this critical topic. This article presents a comprehensive review of the evidence on transmission of this virus. Although several experimental studies have cultured live virus from aerosols and surfaces hours after inoculation, the real-world studies that detect viral RNA in the environment report very low levels, and few have isolated viable virus. Strong evidence from case and cluster reports indicates that respiratory transmission is dominant, with proximity and ventilation being key determinants of transmission risk. In the few cases where direct contact or fomite transmission is presumed, respiratory transmission has not been completely excluded. Infectiousness peaks around a day before symptom onset and declines within a week of symptom onset, and no late linked transmissions (after a patient has had symptoms for about a week) have been documented. The virus has heterogeneous transmission dynamics: Most persons do not transmit virus, whereas some cause many secondary cases in transmission clusters called "superspreading events." Evidence-based policies and practices should incorporate the accumulating knowledge about transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to help educate the public and slow the spread of this virus.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Review of Viral, Host, and Environmental Factors.

Abstract : A study is reported of the variations in organizational commitment and job satisfaction, as related to subsequent turnover in a sample of recently-employed psychiatric technician trainees. A longitudinal study was made across a 10 1/2 month period, with attitude measures collected at four points in time. For this sample, job satisfaction measures appeared better able to differentiate future stayers from leavers in the earliest phase of the study. With the passage of time, organizational commitment measures proved to be a better predictor of turnover, and job satisfaction failed to predict turnover. The findings are discussed in the light of other related studies, and possible explanations are examined. (Modified author abstract)

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Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Turnover Among Psychiatric Technicians. Technical Report No. 16.

Aim This paper reports a review of the empirical literature on factors that contribute to medication errors.

Background  Medication errors are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. This creates an imperative to reduce medication errors to deliver safe and ethical care to patients.

Method  The databases CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct and Synergy were searched from 1988 to 2007 using the keywords medication errors, medication management, medication reconciliation, medication knowledge and mathematical skills, and reporting medication errors.

Results  Contributory factors to nursing medication errors are manifold, and include both individual and systems issues. These include medication reconciliation, the types of drug distribution system, the quality of prescriptions, and deviation from procedures including distractions during administration, excessive workloads, and nurse’s knowledge of medications.

Implications for nursing management  It is imperative that managers implement strategies to reduce medication errors including the establishment of reporting mechanisms at international and national levels to include the evaluation and audit of practice at a local level. Systematic approaches to medication reconciliation can also reduce medication error significantly. Promoting consistency between health care professionals as to what constitutes medication error will contribute to increased accuracy and compliance in reporting of medication errors, thereby informing health care policies aimed at reducing the occurrence of medication errors. Acquisition and maintenance of mathematical competency for nurses in practice is an important issue in the prevention of medication error. The health care industry can benefit from learning from other high-risk industries such as aviation in the prevention and management of systems errors.

A literature review of the individual and systems factors that contribute to medication errors in nursing practice.

Burnout is a work-related syndrome that may negatively affect more than just the resident physician. On the other hand, engagement has been shown to protect employees; it may also positively affect the patient care that the residents provide. Little is known about the relationship between residents' self-reported errors and burnout and engagement. In our national study that included all residents and physicians in The Netherlands, 2115 questionnaires were returned (response rate 41.1%). The residents reported on burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health and Social Services), engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale) and self-assessed patient care practices (six items, two factors: errors in action/judgment, errors due to lack of time). Ninety-four percent of the residents reported making one or more mistake without negative consequences for the patient during their training. Seventy-one percent reported performing procedures for which they did not feel properly trained. More than half (56%) of the residents stated they had made a mistake with a negative consequence. Seventy-six percent felt they had fallen short in the quality of care they provided on at least one occasion. Men reported more errors in action/judgment than women. Significant effects of specialty and clinical setting were found on both types of errors. Residents with burnout reported significantly more errors (p < 0.001). Highly engaged residents reported fewer errors (p <or= 0.01). Overall residents disclosed that in their perception they regularly make errors throughout their residency. Steps should be taken to help residents minimize the number of perceived errors made. Therefore, it is important to prevent residents from developing burnout and to keep residents engaged in their work.

Burnout, engagement and resident physicians' self-reported errors

nabirye r.c., brown k.c., pryor e.r. & maples e.h. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management19, 760–768
Occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda

Aims  To assess levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda; and how they are influenced by work and personal characteristics.

Background  Occupational stress is reported to affect job satisfaction and job performance among nurses, thus compromising nursing care and placing patients’ lives at risk. Although these factors have been studied extensively in the US and Europe, there was a need to explore them from the Ugandan perspective.

Methods  A correlational study was conducted with 333 nurses from four hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. A questionnaire measuring occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance was used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and anova.

Results  There were significant differences in levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance between public and private not-for-profit hospitals, nursing experience and number of children.

Conclusions  Organizational differences between public and private not-for-profit hospitals influence the study variables.

Implications for Nursing Management  On-the-job training for nurse managers in human resource management to increase understanding and advocacy for organizational support policies was recommended. Research to identify organizational, family or social factors which contribute to reduction of perceived occupational stress and increase job satisfaction and job performance was recommended.

Occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda.

Aim The aim of the study was to describe Jordanian nurses’ perceptions about various issues related to medication errors.

Background  This is the first nursing study about medication errors in Jordan.

Methods  This was a descriptive study. A convenient sample of 799 nurses from 24 hospitals was obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

Results  Over the course of their nursing career, the average number of recalled committed medication errors per nurse was 2.2. Using incident reports, the rate of medication errors reported to nurse managers was 42.1%.

Medication errors occurred mainly when medication labels/packaging were of poor quality or damaged. Nurses failed to report medication errors because they were afraid that they might be subjected to disciplinary actions or even lose their jobs. In the stepwise regression model, gender was the only predictor of medication errors in Jordan.

Conclusions  Strategies to reduce or eliminate medication errors are required.

https://eis.hu.edu.jo/deanshipfiles/pub1032641.pdf

Rate, causes and reporting of medication errors in Jordan: nurses’ perspectives

Background and aims  Few studies focused on nurses’ career commitment and nurses’ job performance. This research aimed at studying variables of nurses’ career commitment and job performance, and assessing the relationship between the two concepts as well as their predictors.



Methods  A survey was used to collect data from a convenient sample of 640 Registered Nurses employed in 24 hospitals.



Results  Nurses ‘agreed’ to be committed to their careers and they were performing their jobs ‘well’. As a part of career commitment, nurses were willing to be involved, in their own time, in projects that would benefit patient care. The highest and lowest means of nurses’ job performance were reported for the following aspects: leadership, critical care, teaching/collaboration, planning/evaluation, interpersonal relations/communications and professional development. Correlating of total scores of nurses’ career commitment and job performance revealed the presence of a significant and positive relationship between the two concepts. Stepwise regression models revealed that the explained variance in nurses’ career commitment was 23.9% and that in nurses’ job performance was 29.9%.



Implications for nursing management  Nurse managers should promote nursing as a career and they should develop and implement various strategies to increase nurses’ career commitment and nurses’ job performance. These strategies should focus on nurse retention, staff development and quality of care.



Conclusions  Nurses’ career commitment and job performance are inter-related complex concepts that require further studies to understand, promote and maintain these positive factors in work environments.

Predictors of career commitment and job performance of Jordanian nurses

In March 2020, a wedding in Jordan led to a large outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We collected data on 350 wedding attendees, 76 who of whom developed COVID-19. Our study shows high communicability of COVID-19 and the enormous risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 virus transmission during mass gatherings.

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Large Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease among Wedding Attendees, Jordan.

PROBLEM

Emotional intelligence (EI) is an ability to recognize our and others' emotions, and manage emotions in ourselves and in relationships with other people. A large body of research evidence outside nursing shows that measured (EI) abilities correlated with employee performance, motivation, and job satisfaction; and preliminary nursing research evidence shows the correlation between EI ability and nurses' clinical performance. There is less research on the EI ability of Jordanian nurses, and the present study was undertaken to address this gap.



METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlation comparative design (nonexperimental) was employed. Six Jordanian hospitals were included in the study. Two hundred fifty questionnaires were distributed to prospective participants. One hundred ninety-four questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 78%. EI was measured using the Genos Instrument. Clinical performance was measured using a self-report measure.



FINDINGS

Findings demonstrated significant positive relationships between all subscales of EI and job performance, ranging from r = .250, p = .000 to r = .193, p = .007. Regression analysis indicated working in medical–surgical wards, recognizing and expressing emotions scores (β = 0.186, p = .048), and controlling emotions (β = 0.255, p = .027) explained 19.1% of variance in nurses’ job performance.



CONCLUSIONS

The study findings confirm the correlation between nurse EI ability and clinical performance.

Correlating Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance Among Jordanian Hospitals’ Registered Nurses

BACKGROUND. Career commitment and job performance are complex phenomena that have received little attention in nursing research.



DESIGN AND SAMPLE. A survey was used to assess nurses’ career commitment and job performance, and the relationship between the two concepts. Predictors of nurses’ career commitment and job performance were also studied. A convenience sample of 640 Jordanian registered nurses was recruited from 24 teaching, governmental, and private hospitals.



RESULTS. Nurses “agreed” on the majority of statements about career commitment, and they reported performing “well” their jobs. Using total scores, nurses were equal in their career commitment but they were different in their job performance; the highest mean was scored for nurses in private hospitals. Using the individual items of subscales, nurses were willing to be involved, on their own time, in projects that would benefit patient care. The correlation of the total scores of nurses’ career commitment and job performance revealed the presence of a significant and positive relationship (r = .457). Nurses’ job performance, gender, and marital status were the best predictors of nurses’ career commitment: they explained 21.8% of variance of nurses’ career commitment. Nurses’ career commitment, time commitment, marital status, and years of experience in nursing were the best predictors of nurses’ job performance: they explained 25.6% of variance of nurses’ job performance.



CONCLUSIONS. The lowest reported means of nurses’ job performance require managerial interventions.

https://www.eis.hu.edu.jo/deanshipfiles/pub1032644.pdf

Ibrahim Al-Faouri

Papers

Rate, causes and reporting of medication errors in Jordan: nurses’ perspectives

Predictors of career commitment and job performance of Jordanian nurses

Large Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease among Wedding Attendees, Jordan.

Correlating Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance Among Jordanian Hospitals’ Registered Nurses

Career commitment and job performance of Jordanian nurses.