ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the technostress creators and outcomes among University medical and nursing faculties and students as direct effects of the remote working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.BackgroundDue to the current COVID-19 pandemic, shifting to virtual learning that implies utilizing the information and communication technologies (ICTs) is urgent. Technostress is a problem commonly arising in the virtual working environments and it occurs due to misfitting and maladaptation between the individual and the changeable requirements of ICTs.MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in medicine and nursing colleges of 5 Egyptian universities and included both staff members and students. The data were collected through personal interviews, from January to May 2021. All the participants took a four-part questionnaire that asked about personal and demographic data, technostress creators, job or study, and technical characteristics and technostress outcomes (burnout, strain, and work engagement). Furthermore, participants' blood cortisol and co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels were tested in a random sample of the students and medical staff.ResultsA total of 3,582 respondents participated in the study, 1,056 staff members and 2,526 students where 33.3% of the staff members and 7.6% of students reported high technostress. Among staff members, total technostress score significantly predicted Cortisol level (β = 2.98, CI 95%: 0.13-5.83), CoQ10(β = −6.54, CI 95%: [(−8.52)–(−4.56), strain (β = 1.20, CI 95%: 0.93–1.47), burnout (β = 0.73, CI 95%: 0.48–0.97) and engagement (β = −0.44, CI 95%: [(−0.77)–(−0.11)]) whereas among students, total technostress score significantly predicted cortisol level (β = 6.64, CI 95%: 2.78–10.49), strain (β = 1.25, CI 95%: 0.72–1.77), and burnout (β = 0.70, CI 95%: 0.37–1.04). Among staff members and students, technology characteristics were significantly positive predictors to technostress while job characteristics were significantly negative predictors to technostress.ConclusionThe Egyptian medical staff members and students reported moderate-to-high technostress which was associated with high burnout, strain, and cortisol level; moreover, high technostress was associated with low-work engagement and low CoQ10 enzyme. This study highlighted the need to establish psychological support programs for staff members and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have significantly altered many aspects of the health care services. We investigated the impact of the restrictive measures during the pandemic on the volume and spectrum of operated neurosurgical cases at two University hospitals in Egypt. Results The total number of surgeries dropped during the lockdown (second quarter of the year 2020) by 38%, compared with the total number of surgeries in the first quarter of the same year, with an increase in the proportion of urgent surgeries to the total number of surgeries from 46 to 69% (P < 0.001), and a decrease in the proportion of elective surgeries from the total number of neurosurgeries from 54 to 31% (P < 0.001). Similar differences were noted in the volume and spectrum of surgeries in the second quarter of 2020, when compared to the same period of the preceding year (2019). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the nature and volume of neurosurgical practice. The overall number of surgeries showed a marked decline in the lockdown period; however, the numbers of urgent surgeries showed no significant difference under the lockdown.

Background: Worldwide, inappropriate hospital admission and stay is one of the most important challenges facing all health systems. Objectives: The current study aimed to estimate frequency of inappropriate admission and stay, determine risk factors associated with inappropriateness and study the bed utilization patterns in 2016 at Monufia University Hospitals. Methods: A total number of 350 patients (1637 days) admitted to various departments of Monufia University Hospitals were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients were interviewed, their hospitalization days were assessed by Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) and their records were analyzed. Results: Percentages of inappropriate hospital admission and stay were 18.3% and 18.6% respectively. General surgery department had the highest rate of inappropriateness (32.8%). Admission to avoid the waiting time for an outpatient investigation was the most common reason of inappropriate admission (48.4%),while waiting for surgical procedure was the most common reason of inappropriate pre-procedure hospital stay (64.2%) and conservative practice was the most common reason of inappropriate post-procedure hospital stay (58.4%). Overall bed occupancy rate was 76.39% and average hospital stay was 4.12 days. Inappropriate admission was related to rural residency and to patients living >10 km away from the hospital, while inappropriate stay was related to older age >50 y and long hospital stay. Conclusion:The most common reason of inappropriate hospitalization was unorganized hospital schedules of treatment and discharge of patients. Proper monitoring of length of stay (LOS) and bed utilization rates can early detect any hospitalization defect and thus improve hospital efficiency.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted people of all ages, including neonates. However, confirmed data on its vertical transmission is still scarce. As a result, displaying various cases of COVID-19 in neonates may assist in understanding the virus's behavior during pregnancy. This report shows a 32-year-old mother with a 5-day history of acute respiratory disease tested positive for COVID-19 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), presented with labor pain at 34 weeks of gestation, and underwent an emergency cesarean section. She gave birth to a preterm male baby, who tested positive for RT-PCR less than 24 hours after birth and fifth day of life. His outcome was good. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 12(4):160-162. Keywords: