Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic threatened to oversaturate hospitals worldwide, necessitating rapid patient discharge to preserve capacity for the most severe cases. This need, as well as the high risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, led many hospitals to implement remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in an effort to provide care that was safe and preserve scarce resources. Objective The aim of this study is to provide an integrative review of peer-reviewed literature on different RPM programs that were implemented for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients including their strengths and challenges. Methods A search was conducted for peer reviewed literature using PubMed, CINAHL, OVID, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed studies written in English or Spanish and published between 2019 and 2021 on RPM of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were considered. Information was extracted according to a qualitative content analysis method, informed by the Comparison of Mobile Patient Monitoring Systems Framework. Results Of 57 retrieved articles, 10 publications were included. The sample sizes ranged from 75 to 48,290 and the monitoring length ranged from 7 to 30 days. Information regarding the comparison framework was summarized. Main strengths of using RPM for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients was participant acceptance, feasibility, safety, and resource conservation. Main limitations were the lack of information on patient data security measures, robust outcomes testing, and identification of the most effective biomarkers to track SARS-CoV-2 decompensation. Conclusion Different RPM programs for SARS-CoV-2 were implemented, from sending home participants with a pulse oximeter and collecting readings via call to modifying existing mobile applications and sending holistic health questionnaires to participants. This review determined that RPM is beneficial to SARS-CoV-2 positive patients; however, its effectiveness can be improved by further research. Mainly, identifying what patient data are most effective at tracking SARS-CoV-2 decompensation by utilizing advanced technology already in the market.

A volunteer during the pandemic gains insight into her role as an NP.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has strained the mental and physical well-being of healthcare workers (HCW). Increased work-related stress and limited resources have increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this population. Stress-related disorders have been strongly associated with long-term consequences, including cardiometabolic disorders, endocrine disorders and premature mortality. This scoping review aims to explore available literature on burnout, PTSD, and other mental health-associated symptoms in HCW to synthesise relationships with physiological and biological biomarkers that may be associated with increased risk of disease, creating an opportunity to summarise current biomarker knowledge and identify gaps in this literature.Methods and analysisThis scoping review uses the Arksey and O’Malley six-step scoping review methodology framework. The research team will select appropriate primary sources using a search strategy developed in collaboration with a health sciences librarian. Three reviewers will initially screen the title and abstracts obtained from the literature searches, and two reviewers will conduct independent reviews of full-text studies for inclusion. The research team will be reviewing literature focusing on which burnout and/or PTSD-associated physiological and biological biomarkers have been studied, the methodologies used to study them and the correlations between the biomarkers and HCW experiencing burnout/PTSD. Data extraction forms will be completed by two reviewers for included studies and will guide literature synthesis and analysis to determine common themes.Ethics and disseminationThis review does not require ethical approval. We expect results from this scoping review to identify gaps in the literature and encourage future research regarding improving biological and physiological biomarker research in HCW. Preliminary results and general themes will be communicated back to stakeholders. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs and conferences as well as presented to stakeholders to an effort to invest in HCW mental and physical health.

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Implementation and outcomes of a severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) monoclonal antibody treatment program at an academic medical center serving a high-risk patient population.