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Background Nursing requires a high load of emotional labour. The link between nursing, emotional labour and the female sex, complicates the figure of the male nurse, because masculinity is associated with physical or technical (rather than emotional) and moreover is defined in contrast to femininity. Our objective was to understand how emotion management is described by male nurses who work in the paediatrics department of a Spanish tertiary hospital. Methods Qualitative descriptive study. The participants were selected through intentional sampling in the paediatrics department of a Spanish tertiary hospital. We conducted semi-structured interviews until reaching data saturation. We carried out a content analysis, using Lincoln and Guba’s definition of scientific rigour. Results We identified two key themes in the data: 1) Stereotypes related to the emotional aspects of care: Participants took for granted some gender stereotypes while questioning others and defended alternative ways of managing emotions related to care. 2) Emotion management strategies: Participants described keeping an emotional distance, setting boundaries, relativising problems and using distraction and humour. Discussion Nursing care is conditioned by gender roles and stereotypes that present men as less capable than women of feeling and managing emotions. However, emotion management is necessary in nursing care—especially in paediatrics—and our participants reported using strategies for it. Although participants continued to interpret care in terms of traditional roles, they contradicted them in adapting to the emotional labour that their job requires. Conclusions New behaviours are emerging among male nurses, in which care and emotion management are not exclusively the purview of women. Our participants reproduced some gender stereotypes while disrupting others, and they tended to cling to the stereotypes that were favourable to them as male nurses. As we work towards a gender-neutral profession, these results represent a first step: male participants reported that they provide care and manage their emotions as well as (or better than) women. However, because they substantiated their claims by drawing on negative stereotypes of women, further progress must be made.

Introduction The aim is to describe the health and psychosocial risk factors of Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study by means of an online questionnaire (April–May 2020). The data comes from the database resulting from the COTS project “Working conditions, insecurity, and health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The sample consisted of 1,989 health care workers. Results: Women, young people (doctors and nurses) and the middle-aged (assistants) had poorer health and greater exposure to psychosocial risks. Geriatric assistants were the most-affected occupational group. Conclusions: gender, occupation, and age are focuses of inequality in the exposure of health care workers to psychosocial risks.

Aims and Objectives To identify how pregnant women perceive pertussis and influenza and the factors that influence their decision to be vaccinated. Background Suffering from influenza during pregnancy increases complications in the pregnant woman, foetus and newborn. Pertussis in children under six months of age causes severe complications. Maternal vaccination against influenza and pertussis is effective and safe. However, vaccination rates are insufficient. Design We conducted a qualitative descriptive study, using semi‐structured interviews. This research adheres to the COREQ guidelines and checklist. Methods We carried out 18 semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews with pregnant women, using intentional sampling and thematic analysis. Results We identified an overarching theme, ‘factors that influenced participants’ decision to be vaccinated or not’, which was composed of four subthemes that were in turn made up of 12 categories. The factors that influenced participants’ decision to be vaccinated against influenza and pertussis were related to their knowledge of and their perception of risk for these diseases. Participants perceived the risk of pertussis to be greater, and they focused their concern on the newborn. The recommendations and convictions of nurse‐midwives were the most important factors encouraging vaccination. Participants trusted their nurse‐midwives and most reported that they would have been vaccinated if their midwife had recommended it. Other factors were linked to lack of information, fear and concerns about economic interests. Conclusions The convictions and actions of the nurse‐midwife in recommending vaccination to pregnant women are decisive. Strategies to improve vaccination rates should be directed to helping health professionals understand how their practice affects the final decision of pregnant women. Relevance to clinical practice Understanding the factors that limit vaccination rates among pregnant women provides valuable information to nurse‐midwives that can help to improve vaccination strategies and practices. Increased maternal vaccination rates would reduce morbidity and mortality among pregnant women and newborns.

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Spanish epidemiological surveillance system of pertussis should be improved with complementary active systems to ascertain the real incidence. Paediatricians and general practitioners should be sensibilized to the importance of notification because this would be essential for adapting the prevention and control measures of this disease.

The purpose was to determine the coverage of maternal vaccination against influenza and pertussis, and the characteristics associated with being vaccinated, in a health area of Catalonia, Spain. Some 36,032 anonymized and computerized clinical records registries of pregnant women from Primary Care Centres (e-CAP database) were analysed, from between 2015 and 2018. Vaccination coverage and the association with sociodemographic variables and clinical conditions were estimated using a Poisson regression model. Maternal vaccination coverage against influenza ranged between 11.9% in 2015 and 6.8% in 2018, following a decreasing trend (p < 0.001). Coverage with the tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine varied between 49.8% in 2016 and 79.4% in 2018, following an increasing trend (p < 0.001). Having living children and suffering from obesity were factors associated with not being vaccinated against both infections. The predictive variables of vaccination against influenza were diabetes (IRR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.42–3.30) and asthma (IRR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.76–2.38); and for pertussis, it was asthma (IRR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.17). Different socio-demographic factors and chronic conditions in pregnant women were associated with maternal vaccination, and which will have to be taken into account in clinical practice when implementing strategies to improve the coverage of the programme.

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