BACKGROUND: Recent evidence shows that COVID-19 infection does not have a worse prognosis in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID), although they develop a worse response to vaccination.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of COVID-19 and clinical features in patients with IMID between the first and sixth waves.
METHODS: Prospective observational study of two cohorts of IMID patients diagnosed with COVID-19. First cohort March to May 2020, and second cohort December/2021 to February/2022. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected and, in the second cohort, COVID-19 vaccination status. Statistical analysis established differences in characteristics and clinical course between the two cohorts.
RESULTS: In total, 1627 patients were followed up, of whom 77 (4.60%) contracted COVID-19 during the first wave and 184 in the sixth wave (11.3%). In the sixth wave, there were fewer hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions, and deaths than in the first wave (p=.000) and 180 patients (97.8%) had at least one dose of vaccine.
CONCLUSIONS: Early detection and vaccination have prevented the occurrence of serious complications.

To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).
Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio-county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD = 1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD = 2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD = 1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD = 1.46) (p = .001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p = .005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p = .036), postoperative sepsis (p = .022), zero bacteraemia verification (p = .045) and mortality from heart failure (p = .004).
The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).
METHODS: Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio- county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD=1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD=2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD=1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD=1.46) (p=.001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p=.005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p=.036), postoperative sepsis (p=.022), zero bacteraemia verification (p=.045) and mortality from heart failure (p=.004).
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

BACKGROUND: The competences of intensive care (ICU) nurses in their healthcare environment, have increased with the acquisition of new responsibilities associated with new care and devices for critical patients. Many studies suggest the need for specific training of nurses that work in these units. Based on this evidence, the European Federation of Critical Care Nurses Associations, recommends unifying the training of intensive care nurses. Therefore we set ourselves the following objective: to assess the training needs detected by ICU nurses through their experience and practical knowledge.
METHODS: Descriptive qualitative study, with a phenomenological approach, through semi-structured interview where the four areas (clinical practice, professional, management and educational) covered by the European Federation of Critical Care Nurses Associations were studied. Fifteen nurses from an adult polyvalent ICU were interviewed.
RESULTS: The interviewees acknowledged that the previous training was deficient for the care and support measures that they had to face. They considered that subsequent training and experience were decisive in order to carry out their work effectively. They also stated that support measures and care are topics to be developed continuously through targeted training.
CONCLUSIONS: The nurses in this research study acknowledged that training is needed to achieve the competences required in ICU, and these are affected by the type of unit and patients.

BACKGROUND: The latest recommendations from the American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council invite allowance for the presence of relatives (PR) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as an extra measure of family care.
OBJECTIVE: To discover the opinion of health professionals on the PR during CPR.
METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study through an online survey in Spain, based on a non-probability sample (n=315).
RESULTS: 45% consider that the PR during CPR is not demanded by users. 64% value the implementation of this practice in a negative or a very negative way. 45% believe that the practice would avoid the feeling of abandonment that is instilled in the relatives, this being the most widely perceived potential benefit. 30% do not believe that it can help reduce the anxiety of relatives. The majority remarked that PR would cause situations of violence, psychological harm in witnesses, and more mistakes during care. 48% feel prepared to perform the role of companion.
CONCLUSIONS: Most professionals perceive more risks than benefits, and are not in favour of allowing PR due to a paternalistic attitude, and fear of the reactions that could be presented to the team. Extra-hospital emergency personnel seems to be the group most open to allowing this practice. Most professionals do not feel fully prepared to perform the role of companion.