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Background: General practitioners (GPs) have played an integral role in Australia's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic response. However, little is known about how GPs themselves have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to increase our understanding of the experiences of GPs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Using purposive sampling, 15 GPs from South-Eastern Australia were asked to reflect on their experiences during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interview transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Results: Five main themes were identified: fear of infection; uncertainty and information overload; impacts on the government–GP relationship; impacts on the patient–doctor relationship; and teamwork within practices and among GPs. Conclusions: The 15 GPs interviewed in this study provided valuable insights into their experiences working during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. From these insights, four recommendations propose what could be done to help support GPs to respond to a pandemic while continuing to deliver primary health care. Although general practitioners (GPs) have played a crucial role in Australia's COVID-19 pandemic response, few studies have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on GPs themselves. In this qualitative study, 15 GPs from South-Eastern Australia were asked to reflect on their experiences working during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in semi-structured interviews. Their reflections enhance our understanding of the experience of GPs working during the COVID-19 pandemic and may help guide future research and work to support GPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the clinical outcomes for patients supported by the program, how it's implemented and the impacts and challenges of volunteer care for family carers and clinical staff. It highlights that the aim of the Volunteer Dementia and Delirium Care Program (VDDCP) is to provide person-centred emotional support and practical assistance to patients with dementia and delirium to reduce their risk of adverse outcomes.

Objective: To explore the perceived barriers and enablers to the implementation of the Volunteer Dementia and Delirium© program from the perspective of key stakeholders in a metropolitan hospital network. Methods: Focus groups and interviews with hospital staff, volunteers, patients and caregivers. Deductive analysis was conducted for the Behaviour Change Wheel (COM‐B) domains, and inductive thematic analysis for emerging themes. Results: Utilising the skills and knowledge of volunteers, making the program available to all patients, and recognising that volunteers will improve the care experience for patients were identified as enablers. Threats to volunteer safety, difficulty in defining roles and responsibilities of volunteers, volunteer attrition and availability and supervision of volunteers were perceived as barriers to implementation. Conclusion: To enhance the implementation of the program into a metropolitan setting, strategies addressing the identified barriers and enablers need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the perceived acceptability of the Volunteer Dementia and Delirium Care (VDDC)© program components from the perspective of key stakeholders in a metropolitan health network. Methods: A mixed‐methods design was used. Surveys (nurses) and focus groups and interviews (hospital staff, volunteers, patients and caregivers) were conducted simultaneously. Descriptive statistics were used to profile the survey responses. The framework method was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results: The majority of nurses identified that it is acceptable for volunteers to read to, and converse and play games with patients. Hospital staff perceived risk in volunteers assisting with feeding and mobilisation. Overall participants believed the VDDC was acceptable and would be of benefit to the patients. Conclusion: Key stakeholders have a favourable view of the VDDC© program. Strategies can be developed to address the identified issues, and components of the program may be amended to ensure that implementation is acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: 1Explore the ability of trained volunteers to provide person‐centred care focusing on nutrition/hydration support, hearing/visual aids and activities in rural hospitals for older patients with dementia and/or delirium. 2Explore the impacts and challenges of volunteer care for family carers and hospital staff. Methods: Staff were surveyed about their confidence, stress and satisfaction at 6 months post‐implementation. Focus groups with staff and interviews with families explored program successes, challenges and enabling factors. Results: Volunteers integrated themselves into the care team, providing person‐centred care, increased safety and quality of care for patients and a reduced burden for staff and families. Key enablers were clear processes for screening, training and supporting volunteers. Key challenges included initial role delineation, staff/volunteer trust and sustainability. Conclusion: The program is reported by families and staff as being effective in addressing the main barriers to providing person‐centred care for older adults with cognitive impairment in rural acute hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent global increases in medical student numbers and shifts in medical education from teaching hospitals to community settings call for effective strategies to meet the demand for general practice teaching placements. It has been proposed that "multi-level learning" (MLL), in which learning and teaching are shared across different levels of learners, may provide teaching efficiencies and valuable experiences for learners and teachers. Aims: To identify, evaluate and synthesize the evidence related to the types, benefits, challenges, and facilitators of MLL in community-based general practice, and the underlying mechanisms and associated contexts to explain the reported outcomes. Method: A realist synthesis approach guided the systematic review. Results: Fifteen papers were identified, providing primary evaluation data predominantly from interviews with or surveys of key stakeholders. Generally, all levels of learners reported overall satisfaction with their MLL experiences. Medical students appreciated learning from prevocational doctors and registrars due to social and cognitive congruence. Mechanisms and contexts that supported our hypotheses regarding successful MLL outcomes were identified, with "a strong teaching culture" being a major mechanism. Conclusions: The findings can help inform practices considering the implementation or enhancement of MLL initiatives in general practice. Further research should include measuring defined learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The quality of staff care has pervasive effects on resident quality of life • Increasing relevance and applicability of staff training and qualifications is key • Staff upskilling is required in empathic care, communication and restraint reduction • Mealtime assistance and increased recreational activities improve QOL • Experienced nurse managers and rotating staff shifts improve QOC : Despite the integral role residential care staff play in the lives of residents with dementia, the mechanisms for supporting staff to bring about good quality of care (QOC) and quality of life (QOL) are poorly understood. This study focused on establishing the key mechanisms to improve QOC and in turn QOL of residents with dementia. : Over a 10-month period we followed: 247 older adults with dementia from 12 not-for-profit residential care facilities, their families/care partners (n=225), managers (n=12) and staff (n=232). Facilities ranged in size from 10 to 137 beds, located across remote, rural and metropolitan areas of NSW/ACT. Measures included: staff surveys, family member and resident interviews, resident file audits, live resident and staff observations and organisational audits. Multilevel Modelling or Generalised Estimating Equations analyses were conducted for each of the 12 QOC variables, with 22 staff and control variables as the predictors, and for each of the 11 QOL variables, with 20 QOC and control variables as predictors. : Analyses established significant associations between a large number of staff and QOC variables and between QOC and QOL variables. : The quality of the care provided to residents has strong, widespread influences on the QOL of residents. The most promising areas for intervening with staff were: increasing the relevance and applicability of staff training and qualifications, upskilling staff in empathic care provision, communication, and restraint reduction, using a mixture of permanent and rotating shifts, prioritising recreational activity provision by all staff and increasing assistance with meals. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]