Nursing & Health Sciences最新文献

The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is superior to traditional methods of measuring arterial stiffness. However, its application in clinical practice has lagged behind the science. This study aimed to (1) examine its test-retest reliability and agreement between repeated measurements, (2) identify the correlation with fatigue and sleep quality, and (3) compare the CAVI values of the bilateral sides of people with stroke, and those of stroke survivors with and without fatigue. Participants (n = 67) were assessed using the CAVI, Fatigue Assessment Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The test-retest reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.86. The Bland-Altman plots showed good agreement between test and retest. The standard error of measurement ranged from 0.59 to 0.66. The minimal detectable change ranged from 1.15 to 1.29. The CAVI values of the bilateral sides correlated with fatigue and those at the paretic side correlated with sleep quality. The CAVI values of the paretic side were higher than those of the non-paretic side in people with stroke. Stroke participants with fatigue had higher CAVI values than those without fatigue. CAVI has good test-retest reliability and agreement between repeated measurements for clinical use.

Work engagement in oncology nurses is crucial for improving nurse practice and healthcare outcomes. The study aimed to define and understand work engagement from the perspective of experienced oncology clinical nurses. This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling to select 15 oncology nurses from a University Oncology Hospital in Türkiye. Participants had at least 3 years of experience and volunteered for the study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a "Nurse Data Form" and a "Semi-structured Interview Form." The analysis identified six themes and 12 sub-themes. These themes include a sense of engagement, personal resources, organizational resources, professional resources, elements specific to the nature of oncology, and areas that need improvement. Sub-themes indicate that facilitators of work engagement included altruism, job satisfaction, teamwork, and nursing competencies. Nurses may require assistance in caring for patients with high psychosocial demands, long-term care or repetitive hospitalizations. In conclusion, nurses emphasized the facilitating and challenging factors in work engagement in the oncology clinics. This study suggests that oncology nurses' work engagement can be enhanced by empowering them professionally, individually, and organizationally.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has significantly contributed to the growth of clinical research activities in the United Kingdom. Central to this expansion is the pivotal role of Clinical Research Practitioners (CRPs) within the healthcare organization. This narrative explores reflective practice as a dynamic tool and essential requirements for their transformation and development into competent CRPs. Additionally, this article adds to the growing literature to highlight the benefits of having a professionally registered CRP for NHS organizations. By weaving together personal insights, professional development, and the integration of acquired knowledge, the narrative illuminates the profound impact of reflective practice on the evolution of a skilled and adept CRP. This review adds to the current literature on the importance of reflective practice in improving professionalism and competency for registered CRPs. The narrative emphasizes lifelong learning and reflective practice integration in clinical research training programs. It suggests further research on workplace reflection for knowledge integration. This resource is valuable for CRPs, organizations, and policymakers, emphasizing professionalism, competency development, and reflective practice in clinical research.

Elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and longer disease duration increase the risk of complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), highlighting the need for continuous management. This study evaluated the 18-month effects of the Automated Personalized Self-Care (APSC) program on self-care self-efficacy, diabetes self-care, and complication risk indices in T2DM patients through a randomized controlled trial. Participants aged 40-69 years were assigned to either an intervention group using the APSC mobile app, which provided personalized goals, automated feedback, and monthly support, or a comparison group. The final analysis included 43 engaged participants from the intervention group and 78 from the comparison group. Data were collected at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months using structured questionnaires and medical record reviews and analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Significant effects were observed for self-care self-efficacy, diabetes self-care activities, vegetable intake, HbA1c, and total cholesterol levels. The APSC program showed potential to improve long-term self-care and reduce complication risk in T2DM patients. Further research with a larger samples and strategies to promote long-term engagement is needed for its integration into routine diabetes care. Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service: KCT0007672.

Health screening is crucial for individuals with disabilities because they are likely to experience preventable health challenges, leading to poor health outcomes. However, there is limited insight into barriers to health screening for them after arriving at a healthcare facility. Thus, this study aimed to explore the association between disability status/type and health screening test completion and the reasons for incomplete tests after arriving at a healthcare facility. We reviewed 767 electronic health records of individuals who underwent health screening in a healthcare facility over one year. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used to explore differences in test completion. Levesque's access to care framework was used to categorize the reasons for incomplete tests into provider- and patient-related domains. The findings showed associations between disability status and health screening completion. Both provider- and patient-related barriers were recorded as the reasons for incomplete tests for cases with disabilities. The associations found suggest potential disparities individuals with disabilities experience upon arrival at healthcare facilities. Further prospective studies are needed to test and validate the healthcare utilization disparities in disability.

Experiencing side effects when wearing N95/P2 masks has negative impacts on health workers and increases exposure to pathogens. While side effects of wearing P2/N95 masks have been reported previously, these masks have never been used as widely as during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines Australian hospital nurses' experiences and perceptions of P2/N95 mask usage and its impacts on patient care at a time when P2/N95 masks were widely used. A qualitative exploratory-descriptive design involving semistructured interviews and focus groups was conducted with 12 nurses employed at a public health service in Melbourne, Australia. The data were thematically analyzed. Participants shared experiences resulted in four themes derived from the data: "adverse health impacts," "occupational challenges caused by scarcity of P2/N95 masks," "impact of wearing P2/N95 masks on patient care and work practices," and "adaptive strategies to improve patient care." Nurses experienced notable adverse effects from P2/N95 masks, affecting patient care quality. This study's findings underscore the importance of enhancing training, education, and policies regarding mask usage to uphold high standards of patient care and reduce exposure to pathogens.

The study aimed to investigate nutrition-related health behaviors among nursing and medical students compared to healthcare workers (HCWs), including nurses and physicians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and November 2022, using the I-MEDAS and lifestyle-related behavior questionnaires. The participants included nursing and medical students, nurses, and physicians, with a total of 384 participants: 16.9% physicians, 23.17% nurses, and 59.9% students, 93% of whom were nursing students. The average I-MEDAS score (out of 17) was 7 for physicians, 8 for nurses, and 8 for students, with no significant differences in lifestyle behavior scores between the groups (p = 0.11), although nurses tended to score lower. Nurses also had a significantly higher BMI compared to physicians and students (p < 0.001). Physicians and nurses reported lower engagement in leisure activities and household chores, fewer sleep hours, and poorer sleep quality. The findings highlight a decline in healthy lifestyle behaviors and poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet among HCWs and students, particularly nurses, emphasizing the need for interventions to promote healthier habits in these groups.

Understanding the relationships between comorbidity, disability, and home health-care services aids in user-centered care design. This study identifies patterns of these factors among older adults with physical disability living at home and explores their associations. This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling older adults assessed for Long-term Care Insurance from September 1 to December 31, 2018, in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China. We analyzed deidentified data on sociodemographics, physical disability, chronic conditions, and care plans for 1882 participants using latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression. Five comorbidity patterns (other sporadic diseases, cancer comorbidity, other sporadic comorbidities, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, and fracture) and four home health-care service patterns (assistance & facilitation of elimination, bedridden assistance & stoma care, bedside assistance & stoma care, and assistance & tube feeding) were identified. Four disability patterns emerged (bedridden without incontinence, bedridden & with upper limb mobility, off-bed & ADLs limited, and bedridden with incontinence). Complex associations between these patterns were observed. The study highlights the heterogeneity and complexity of the above patterns, emphasizing the importance of person-centered home health-care services and technology-supported care strategies.

Anxiety and depression are the most common psychological issues experienced by students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness has been suggested as a potential solution to these issues; however, limited studies have evaluated its effectiveness. This study aimed to synthesize experimental studies that measure the effectiveness of mindfulness in reducing student anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive systematic search across 11 databases was conducted from inception to September 9, 2024. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. A random-effects model with a standardized mean difference (SMD) was employed to determine the effect sizes. Thirty-one experimental studies reported on anxiety, and 24 reported on depression. The overall effect size was moderately significant for reducing anxiety (SMD = -0.71, 95% CI = -1.02 to -0.39, p < 0.0001) and depression (SMD = -0.53, 95% CI = -0.81 to -0.25, p = 0.0002). These findings can inform policies regarding the application of mindfulness for students facing psychological challenges due to educational-related crises. Further high-quality studies are essential to determine the true impact of mindfulness.