Holistic Nursing Practice最新文献

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common chronic disease, and fatigue significantly affects the quality of life of patients. This study examined the effects of a virtual group discussion-based self-management program on fatigue and quality of life in patients with MS. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 60 patients from the MS Association of Urmia in 2021, divided into control (30) and intervention (30) groups. The intervention group participated in 6 virtual discussions over a month, while the control group received no training. Fatigue and quality of life were evaluated before and after the intervention using standardized questionnaires. The intervention group demonstrated a significant reduction in fatigue and improvement in quality of life compared to the control group (P = .001). The virtual group discussion-based self-management program substantially enhances fatigue and quality of life in patients with MS, indicating its potential as an effective intervention.

This study was carried out to develop a spiritual care model for clinical nurses. This study has used a 3-step strategy proposed by L. O. Walker and K. C. Avant (2019) for theory synthesis. In the second phase of this study, an integrative review was conducted to retrieve and select relevant articles. A total of 227 documents were included for theory construction. After identifying and defining the basic assumptions of the model, the concept of spiritual care was defined as a paradigmatic concept with a holistic approach. Then the metaparadigmatic concepts (ie, human being, environment, nursing, and health) were defined according to the holistic approach. After defining the model care goals, clinical strategies and interventions were defined according to the goals and the concept of health as an outcome of spiritual care. Nurses' clinical roles were conceptualized within the conceptual framework that includes 3 main steps of nursing process: (1) assessment and identification of the client to explore the spiritual perspective; (2) planning and implementing spiritual care; (3) documenting and evaluating spiritual care. This model can tell clinicians what to do in caring for patients, especially chronic and end-stage patients. Therefore, this model could help provide better care for all clients.

During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes physiological and metabolic changes to nourish the developing fetus. Every woman experiences pregnancy-related stress differently, with symptoms and difficulties ranging from mild to severe. However, various therapies are available to help reduce stress levels. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of integrated yoga, which includes asanas and pranayama, on stress levels and physiological markers in pregnant women. The study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind trial with 2 parallel groups. The intervention group was provided with integrated yoga therapy, while the control group was given routine standard care from 18 to 22 weeks to 33-35 weeks of gestation. To measure the stress level, a standardized perceived stress scale was used, which has 10 items with stress scores ranging from 0 to 4, with a maximum score of 40. The average stress score was significantly lower in the intervention group ( P < .001) as well as normal physiological parameters when compared to the control group. Findings suggest that practicing yoga during pregnancy is safe and effective in reducing stress and preventing complications. Women who began yoga therapy during their second trimester reported a significant decrease in physiological parameters from baseline to post-intervention. However, further randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine the validity and usefulness of yoga therapy during pregnancy.

Although there is limited information on efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), they are increasingly used by patients with cancer. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of CAM use among a sample of Iranian cancer patients. In this cross-sectional study, conducted in an outpatient cancer clinic, patients with solid tumors or hematologic malignancies in different stages were asked to complete a questionnaire to measure CAM usage. A total of 131 patients with a median age of 58 years (18-86 years) participated in this study. CAM use was reported by 51.9% (n = 68) of the patients. Female gender and higher education level were significantly associated with the use of CAM (OR = 2.47, P value = .01 and OR = 2.55, P value = .02, respectively). Vitamins and minerals were the most frequently used CAM (n = 37, 54.4%). The main reasons for CAM use were to improve immune system and fight cancer (n = 48, 70.6%) followed by relieve side-effects from conventional cancer treatments (n = 26, 38.2%). Although three (4.4%) patients reported side-effects, most patients (n = 53, 77.9%) were satisfied with their CAM use. Among CAM users, 55 (80.9%) patients had reported their CAM use to physician. The CAM use is highly prevalent among adult cancer patients. Health care providers need to raise their awareness on probable disadvantages or benefits of CAMs and discuss these issues with patients.

End-of life-experiences, including profoundly meaningful dreams, visions, and sensations, may be experienced by caregivers at the time of a patient's death, yet few caregivers feel comfortable discussing these experiences with colleagues or other members of the care unit. This article presents findings from a descriptive qualitative study of end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and frames these experiences within Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring, which is a holistic approach to health care that emphasizes the transpersonal caring relationship. Watson's Theory is particularly useful for framing end-of-life experiences in a caregiving context as it avoids debates about the nature of these experiences and emphasizes their therapeutic value in human caring. This article also argues that it is time for open discussions about end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and what they might teach us about death and dying.

A primary challenge impeding optimal health outcomes in patients with disabilities is the lack of rehabilitation adherence. Immersive virtual reality emerges as a promising intervention with the potential to significantly enhance this key health outcome. This paper presents a situation-specific theory that outlines the mechanisms through which immersive virtual reality can promote rehabilitation adherence. Outcomes of immersive virtual reality encompass psychological (ie, motivation, self-efficacy, mood state) as well as physical responses (ie, pain management, muscle strength). Mechanisms by which immersive virtual reality influences outcomes are explained by proximal and distal mediators (attention, sense of presence, enjoyment). Possible moderators of these mechanisms (ie, age, gender, social support, trust in technology, cognitive status) are also described.