Background: Appropriate allocation of nursing staff is key to ensuring efficient nursing in hospitals, and is significantly correlated with patient safety, nursing quality, and nurse job satisfaction. However, there are few studies on nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals globally. This study aims to better understand the nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals in China, and provide a theoretical basis for efficiently deploying first-line nurses in China and across the world in the future. Methods: An online survey was conducted among the head nurses (n = 229) and nurses (n = 1378) in the isolation wards of 117 hospitals (selected by stratified sampling), using a self-reported human resource allocation questionnaire. Results: The average bed-to-nurse ratios of different isolation wards were different (Z = 36.742, P = 0.000). The bed-to-nurse ratios of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, were 1:1.88, 1:0.56, and 1:0.45, respectively. The nurse work hours per shift in different isolation wards were also different (Z = 8.468, P = 0.014), with the specific values of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, being 5, 6, and 6 h, respectively. A correlation analysis showed that the average work hours per shift was proportional to the overtime work of nurses (r_s = 0.146), the proportion of nurse practitioners was proportional to the overall utilization rate of nursing human resources in the wards (r_s = 0.136), and the proportion of nurses with college degrees was proportional to teamwork (r_s = 0.142). The proportion of nurses above grade 10 was inversely proportional to teamwork and psychological problems (r_s = 0.135, r_s = 0.203). The results of multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that the work hours of nurses per shift was the main factor affecting nurse satisfaction and that the proportion of nurses and the work hours of nurses per shift were both independent factors affecting the length of stay (LOS) of patients. Conclusion: Hospitals in China have made good nursing workforce allocations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are certain shortcomings. Therefore, scientific and efficient nursing workforce allocation practice plans should be established to improve the ability of hospitals to deal with public health emergencies and are urgent problems that need to be addressed soon.

Aim: To explore the nursing workforce allocation in intensive care units (ICUs) of COVID‐19‐designated hospitals during the epidemic peak in China.Design: A nationwide cross‐sectional online survey.Methods: A total of 37 head nurses and 262 frontline nurses in 37 ICUs of COVID‐19‐designated tertiary hospitals located in 22 cities of China were surveyed. The self‐reported human resource allocation questionnaire was used to assess the nursing workforce allocation.Results: The average patient‐to‐nurse ratio was 1.89 ± 1.14, and the median working hours per shift was 5 h. The top four majors of front‐line nurses in ICUs were respiratory (31.30%), lemology (27.86%), intensive care (21.76%) and emergency (17.18%). We also found that a smaller average patient‐to‐nurse ratio (odds ratio [OR]: 0.328, 95% CI: 0.108, 1.000), longer average weekly rest time per person (OR: 0.193, 95% CI: 0.051, 0.729) and larger proportion of 6–9 working years (OR: 0.002, 95% CI: 0.001, 1.121) decreased the occurrence of nursing adverse events.

Aim. To compare the impact and cost effects of medical long fiber polyester drapes and cotton fabric drapes on operative sterile operation interfaces. Background. The comparison of the properties of the commonly used surgical drapes materials in terms of leakage, device slip, and prevention of intraoperative adverse events is not clear. Method. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in the operating room of a tertiary hospital in Chengdu, China. A total of 400 patients who underwent urology surgery were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups by computer, the study group (200 cases) selected the new long-fiber polyester cloth, while the control group (200 cases) selected conventional cotton fabric surgical drapes during the operation to maintain a sterile operating interface. The impermeability and water absorption of surgical drapes, the rate of device slip and skin scald in surgical patients, and the cost effect of the two kinds of surgical drapes were compared. Results. The long fiber polyester surgical drapes were superior to conventional cotton cloth in water absorption (g/m²) (835 ± 15.8 VS 225 ± 21.0, t = 328.261, ), preventing surgical site infections (2.5% VS 8.0%, χ² = 6.081, ), device slip (7.5% VS 17.0%, χ² = 8.396, ), patients from burning (0 VS 1, Fisher ), and total cost per use ($) (0.83 VS 0.96–1.09). Conclusion. Long fiber polyester fabric has a stronger antipenetration ability of fluid and microorganisms thus forming an effective protective barrier. It also has strong hygroscopicity, and its special design can prevent the occurrence of sliding of surface instruments and skin scald in patients. In addition, its cost effect is superior. Implications for Nursing Management. Operating room nursing managers can introduce long fiber polyester drapes into the selection of medical textiles to construct aseptic surgical barriers and prevent surgical site infection.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are prevalent among teenagers, yet understanding of them is limited. This study aimed to evaluate adolescents’ awareness of FGIDs, identify factors influencing this awareness, and assess adolescents’ health education needs, thereby providing evidence for targeted health education strategies. A nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted from June to August 2024 assessed 1,612 adolescents aged 10–19 years. Despite the survey's broad scope, only 4.7% exhibited a systematic understanding of FGIDs, and merely 3.7% reported high familiarity, underscoring a pronounced knowledge deficit in this population. The majority of respondents (39.8%) were only familiar with it, while 25% had not heard of it. Marked disparities in awareness were identified based on growth environment, level of education, boarding status, caregiver type, personality traits, participation in social activities, and the experience of FGIDs by respondents or their contacts ( P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that teenagers typically possess limited awareness of FGIDs. It is advisable to formulate tailored health education tactics based on age, educational attainment, and living conditions to enhance knowledge dissemination, deepen comprehension, and elevate adolescents’ disease awareness and self-management skills.