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In EU pharmacies, pharmacists are the main source of advice on improving public health, preventing disease, monitoring drug safety and the condition of the patient, as well as providing an adequate therapy. In Covid-19 conditions, pharmacists continue to be the most frequently visited and most accessible medical specialists for the population, despite the extraordinary burden of new responsibilities and additional requirements. The availability of diverse and unreliable information is a prerequisite for increased anxiety and the creation of false suggestions in society.The study aims to analyse the opinion of patients about the role of the pharmacist as a source of health information in the conditions of Covid-19. To achieve this goal, a direct anonymous survey was conducted among pharmacy visitors in the country. The study covers the period of the Covid-19 pandemic in the interval from May 2021 to September 2021. A questionnaire structured by the authors was used to assess the patients' point of view regarding the information provided by the pharmacist and the accompanying problems in serving pharmacy visitors during Covid-19 conditions.495 people, visitors to pharmacies, were studied. The study found that under Covid conditions, pharmacists were rated as a reliable source of health information, ranked second only to GPs. The subjects rely on pharmacists mainly as consultants for prescribed therapy and identify them as the most accessible health professionals in primary care. The problems with services in pharmacies during the pandemic are mainly related to limited access and lack of time for consultations due to the imposed anti-epidemic measures and the heavy burden on the health system. The medicine shortage problem that arises due to the overstocking of the population and the large number of infected people is also reflected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic quickly covered the entire world. Over the course of two years, millions of people have been sick and dying as a result of mutated variants of coronavirus infection. Despite the fluctuating rates of hospitalized patients in the country, an alarming fact remains the increasing number of sick medical professionals. Daily faced with the challenge of making adequate and timely care of a high standard, they have to be able to cope with the resulting problems of emotional experiences due to increased mortality. The aim of this study is to identify the main factors determining the effectiveness of care provided, as well as their impact on the psycho-emotional state of health care professionals in pandemic conditions. Material and methods: An anonymous survey of 152 health care professionals was conducted on the territory of Sofia between February and May 2021. The demographic characteristics of the surveyed persons provide information about age, marital status/cohabitation, dependent people, work experience and experience in the treatment of infection. According to 71.71% of specialists, the shortage of nurses is a factor in the effectiveness of care, and fear for health (76.97%) and uncertainty for loved ones (68.42%) are the most reported negative emotions affecting the work process. Conclusion: An early assessment of the mental resilience of pandemic professionals should determine the level of their moral and emotional stability. Timely psychological support can be a major resource for preventing or alleviating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression among healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in December 2019, spanning the world in 2020 and evolving till now, has had a profound impact on all activities, functions and areas of society. In particular, the functioning of both dental practitioners and general practitioners is affected. The pandemic had a strong impact on the work process of physicians, the health status of patients and, accordingly, economic well-being and prospects. The aim of the present study is to establish the extent of the impact of the COVID pandemic on the functioning of dental practices, general practitioners and the health status of patients in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational systems around the world have been and still are, under enormous pressure from the emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Long periods of lockdown have created difficulties and challenges for education across its spectrum, especially for health professions, which require both theoretical and solid practical training. This study aims to find out how students cope with the challenges of distance learning, what difficulties they encounter and what their preferences are. The study was conducted through an instant anonymous survey in the 2020/21 academic year among first, second and third-year students in "Nurse" and "Midwife" majors from the Faculty of Public Health at the Medical University - Plovdiv. The students' attitudes to e-learning and distance learning, during and after the pandemic, to communication in the learning process and etesting were studied. The choice of "full distance learning during the pandemic" was cited by less than a quarter of respondents, 24.88%, which shows that students are critical of the educational gaps that distant training of nurses and midwives can create. The majority of students, 80.38%, identify face-to-face communication regarding the learning process as important. More than half of the respondents, 51.20%, believe that the assessment by a remote examination test is as reliable as a face-to-face exam. Educational materials in video format are preferred by students. The course of study and the self-assessment of computer literacy are factors that determine the students’ opinion. Online learning is more acceptable for second-year and third-year students who have some professional experience. Distance learning in health care is more applicable and more effective when it is not at the beginning of the training, and students with developed professional knowledge and skills are more motivated to learn from a distance. An important prerequisite for motivation for distance learning is good computer literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine, portable sensors, virtual reality - these new technologies will completely change the way patients and healthcare professionals perceive healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic has caused an explosive increase in the need for digital services, including those related to health and medicine. Objective: This review is to explore some of the directions that new digital technologies will change in nursing. Source of information: Searched in the databases of Google, Google Scholar, Medscape, Medline, Linkedin, Twitter by keywords: nursing, telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, COVID 19 Results: The review shows that the COVID 19 epidemic catalyzes the application of modern digital technologies in the work of nurses. Conclusion: The new epidemic situation caused by COVID-19 already further catalyzes the faster application of telemedicine, digital health in most medical fields, specialties and activities. Nurses could benefit greatly from technology, as this can make their tasks less difficult, more creative, and free up some of their time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare job satisfaction and turnover intentions of workers in the Health care sector with those from other sectors of the economy in Bulgaria, during COVID- 19. Cross-sectional study was conducted. The results found that those working in the health sector are significantly more dissatisfied with their current job as well as the payment they receive during this period. However, their turnover intentions do not differ from those working in other sectors of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine, portable sensors, virtual reality - these new technologies will completely change the way patients and healthcare professionals perceive healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic has caused an explosive increase in the need for digital services, including those related to health and medicine. Objective: This review is to explore some of the directions that new digital technologies will change in near futre Source of information: Searched in the databases of Google, Google Scholar, Medscape, Medline, Linkedin, Twitter by keywords: nursing, telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, COVID 19 Results: The review shows that the COVID 19 epidemic catalyzes the application of modern digital technologies in the work of medical professionals. Conclusion: The new epidemic situation caused by COVID-19 already further catalyzes the faster application of telemedicine, digital health in most medical fields, specialties and activities. Many medical professionals and activities could benefit greatly from technology, as this can make their tasks less difficult, more creative, and free up some of their time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]