Telemonitoring of Brazilian Nursing homes before Coronavirus and COVID-19 Infections

ABSTRACT Objective: to report the experience of telemonitoring Brazilian nursing homes before coronavirus and COVID-19 infections. Methods: a descriptive experience report that occurred between March 18 and April 25, 2020 through telemonitoring nursing homes in Salvador, Bahia, following a script previously prepared for first contact and follow-up. The telemonitoring was carried out by professors from the School of Nursing of Universidade Federal da Bahia and Graduate Program students for four weeks. Results: thirty-two institutions were followed for four weeks. Some facilities and difficulties appeared during the monitoring. Final consideratios: as nursing homes are collective households, their residents are vulnerable to transmission of infections. In addition, the diversity of structures and economic, social and human resources needs of these locations reveal their fragility and urgency of public policies that address such diversities.