Purpose: In order to provide guidance and prepare ward managers for future crisis situations similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this study was to reflect and learn how person-centred nursing leadership may be strengthened in such situations. Background: The pandemic has forced nurse leaders to face new challenges. Knowledge about their experiences may contribute to advancing leadership practices in times of future crises. Methods: A qualitative directed content analysis was chosen. The theoretical perspective was person-centred leadership. Thirteen ward managers from a Danish university hospital were included and interviewed using telephone interviews three months after the first national COVID-19 case was confirmed. Findings: The main findings of the study revealed that the ward managers often experienced a lack of timely, relevant information, involvement in decision-making and acknowledgement from the head nurse of department and the executive management. This was caused by the existing organizational cultures and the traditional hierarchy of communication. This meant that the ward managers’ sense of own competences and leadership values and beliefs came under high pressure when they had to balance different stakeholders’ needs. Conclusion: When the experience of ward managers results in them being unable to lead authentically and competently in a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of engagement can occur, with serious consequences for patients, staff and the ward managers themselves. Traditional organizational cultures that are hierarchical and controlling needs to be challenged and reoriented towards collaborative, inclusive and participative practices of engagement and involvement. Leadership development must be an established and integrated component of organizations, so that ward managers are able to sustain person-centred ways of being and doing in times of crisis.

Purpose: The aim was to identify the differences in experiences of Danish healthcare leaders in the beginnning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to generate knowledge for future leadership during and post crises. Background: The global spread of COVID-19 has affected healthcare systems worldwide and has forced healthcare leaders to face challenges few were prepared for. It is expected that the pandemic may hit in several waves within the next year and therefore healthcare leaders must be prepared for these waves. Methods: An online survey was developed, and comparative analyses were performed. Results: One hundred and sixty hospital leaders were invited, and 72% completed the questionnaire. Significant differences were found within three selected characteristics: 1) Management level: significantly more heads of departments experienced taking complex decisions (P=0.05), being able to work in a way consistent with their beliefs and values (P=0.05), and they were less likely to experience that collaboration with other leaders was adversely affected by the COVID-19 situation compared to ward managers (P=0.04). On the other hand, ward managers were significantly more often worried about both their own health (P=0.01) and their family’s health (P=0.04). 2) Management education: those with a formal management education more often experienced having the managerial competences to effectively manage the COVID-19 situation (P=0.00), and performing meaningful tasks during the situation (P=0.04). 3) Years of experience: significantly more leaders with more than five years of experience identified having the managerial competences to effectively manage the situation (P=0.01). Conclusion: Leadership support during a healthcare crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic should strategically focus on ward managers, leaders with no formal management education and leaders with less than two years of experience. Hospital leaders may use this knowledge to re-contextualize what is already known about targeted leadership support during healthcare crises and to act accordingly.

Malnutrition is highly prevalent in geriatric patients and is associated with an increased risk of death. In addition, delirium is a common condition of the older hospitalized patients. As brain has a high nutritional requirement, malnutrition may play an important role in cognitive dysfunction including the development of delirium. This study investigated the association between delirium and malnutrition in frail older patients and the effects on adverse outcomes. It was found that 75% of the patients with delirium suffered from malnutrition indicating that malnutrition contributes to the development of delirium in older hospitalized patients. Patients suffering from both malnutrition and delirium had a four times higher mortality in one month follow-up, a seven times increased rate of discharge to nursing homes and three days more in hospital. All older patients should routinely be assessed for malnutrition and delirium at admission to hospital and to prevent the development of delirium a close follow-up must take place to ensure adequate nutrition.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, teleconsultations (TC) have been increasingly used in cancer care as an alternative to outpatient visits. We aimed to examine patient-related and cancer-specific chara...

Objectives: In the current study, we aimed to explore the experiences and attitudes among healthcare professionals as they transitioned from their familiar disciplines to respiratory medicine, intensive care or other departments during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic.Background: In preparation for the increasing number of patients suspected of having or who would be severely ill from COVID‐19, a major reconstruction of the Danish Healthcare System was initiated. The capacity of the healthcare system to respond to the unprecedented situation was dependent on healthcare professionals’ willingness and ability to engage in these new circumstances. For some, this may have resulted in uncertainty, anxiety and fear.Design: The study was a descriptive study using semi‐structured focus group interviews.Healthcare professionals (n = 62) from seven departments were included, and 11 focus group interviews were conducted. The focus group interviews took place during June 2020. Analyses was conducted using thematic analysis. The current study was reported using the consolidated criteria for reporting Qualitative research (COREQ).Results: Healthcare professionals experiences was described by five themes: 1) Voluntary involvement, 2) Changes within the organisation, 3) Risks, 4) Professional identity and 5) Personal investment. Common to all five themes was the feeling of being on a pendulum from a meaningful experience to an experience of mental overload, when situations and decisions no longer seemed to be worthwhile.Conclusions: Healthcare professionals experienced a pendulum between a meaningful experience and one of mental overload during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The swinging was conditioned by the prevailing context and was unavoidable.Relevance to clinical practice. To balance the continuous pendulum swing, leaders must consider involvement, and to be supportive and appreciative in their leader style. This is consistent with a person‐centred leadership that facilitates a well‐adjusted work‐life balance and may help prevent mental overload developing into burnout.