AimPain represents the most frequent cause for patient admission to emergency departments (EDs). Oligoanalgesia is a common problem in this field. The aims of this study were to assess prevalence and intensity of pain in patients who visited a second-level urban ED and to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological treatment administered subsequent to variations in pain intensity.MethodsA 4-week prospective observational study was carried out on 2,838 patients who visited a second-level urban ED. Pain intensity was evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale at the moment of triage. The efficacy of prescribed analgesic therapy was evaluated at 30 and 60 minutes, and at discharge. Data concerning pain intensity were classified as absent, slight, mild, or severe. Pain was evaluated in relation to the prescribed therapy.ResultsPain prevalence was 70.7%. Traumatic events were the primary cause in most cases (40.44%), followed by pain linked to urologic problems (13.52%), abdominal pain (13.39%), and nontraumatic musculoskeletal pain (7.10%). Only 32.46% of patients were given pharmacological therapy. Of these, 76% reported severe pain, 19% moderate, and 5% slight, and 66% received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or paracetamol, 4% opioids, and 30% other therapies. A difference of at least 2 points on the Numerical Rating Scale was observed in 84% of patients on reevaluation following initial analgesic therapy.ConclusionPain represents one of the primary reasons for visits to EDs. Although a notable reduction in pain intensity has been highlighted in patients who received painkillers, results show that inadequate treatment of pain in ED continues to be a problem.

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are among the professionals at serious risk for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health. In this sense, the next public health challenge globally will be to preserving healthy HCWs during this pandemic. Aim: The present study has the aim of investigating the relationship among concerns, perceived impact, preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic and the mental health of Italian physicians. Methods: From March 29th to April 15th 2020, we conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques through Limesurvey platform. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple binary logistic regressions. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for perceived job stress were concerns about catching COVID-19 (OR = 3.18 [95% CI = 2.00-5.05] P < .001), perceived impact on job demands (OR = 1.63 [95% CI = 1.05-2.52] P < .05), perceived impact on job role (OR = 2.50 [95% CI = 1.60-3.90] P < .001), and non-working concerns (OR = 1.86 [95% CI = 1.15-3.03] P < .05). With respect to the risk factors for rumination about the pandemic emerged concerns about catching COVID-19 (OR 1.74, [95% CI = 1.12-2.71] P < .05), perceived impact on job role (OR = 1.68 [95% CI = 1.12-2.52] P < .05), and impact on personal life (OR = 2.04 [95% CI = 1.08-3.86] P < .05). Finally, the risk factors for crying at work were perceived impact on job role (OR = 2.47, [95% CI = 1.20-5.09] P < .05), rumination about the pandemic (OR = 3.027 [95% CI = 1.27-7.19] P < .01), watching colleagues crying at work (OR = 3.82 [95% CI = 1.88-7.77] P < .01), and perceived job stress (OR = 3.53 [95% CI = 1.24-10.07] P < .05). Conclusion: In general, our results highlighted that being concerned about being infected/infecting other people, carrying out new and unusual tasks, and witnessing colleagues crying at work were important risk factors for physicians’ well-being. Additional data are necessary to advance understanding of these risk factors in a long-term perspective.

Background: In times of global public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses stand at the front line, working in close contact with infected individuals. Being actively engaged in fighting against COVID-19 exposes nurses to a high risk of being infected but can also have a serious impact on their mental health, as they are faced with excessive workload and emotional burden in many front-line operating contexts.Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyze how risk factors such as perceived impact, preparedness to the pandemic, and worries were associated with mental health outcomes (crying, rumination and stress) in nurses.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was performed via an online questionnaire survey. Participants included 894 registered nurses from Italy. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Multiple binary logistic regression was carried out to analyze the relationship between risk factors and health outcomes.Results: Increased job stress was related to higher levels of rumination about the pandemic (OR = 4.04, p &lt; 0.001), job demand (OR = 2.00, p &lt; 0.001), impact on job role (OR = 2.56, p &lt; 0.001), watching coworkers crying at work (OR = 1.50, p &lt; 0.05), non-work-related concerns (OR = 2.28, p &lt; 0.001), and fear of getting infected (OR = 2.05, p &lt; 0.001). Job stress (OR = 2.52, p &lt; 0.01), rumination (OR = 2.28, p &lt; 0.001), and watching colleagues crying (OR = 7.92, p &lt; 0.001) were associated with crying at work. Rumination was associated with caring for patients who died of COVID-19 (OR = 1.54, p &lt; 0.05), job demand (OR = 1.70, p &lt; 0.01), watching colleagues crying (OR = 1.81, p &lt; 0.001), non-work-related worries (OR = 1.57, p &lt; 0.05), and fear of getting infected (OR = 2.02, p &lt; 0.001).Conclusions: The psychological impact that this pandemic may cause in the medium/long term could be greater than the economical one. This is the main challenge that health organizations will have to face in the future. This study highlights that the perceived impact and worries about the pandemic affect nurses' mental health and can impact on their overall effectiveness during the pandemic. Measures to enhance nurses' protection and to lessen the risk of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress should be planned promptly.