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Childhood obesity is an escalating crisis in the United States. Health policy may impact this epidemic which disproportionally affects underserved populations.
The aim was to use the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to assess health policy impact on preventing or treating school-aged children (5 > 18 years) with obesity in underserved populations.
A scoping review of 842 articles was conducted. Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria and underwent data extraction.
Twelve studies included subgroup analysis, with four suggesting an impact of policy on at-risk groups. None of the 24 studies fully applied the RE-AIM framework. Policies positively impacted childhood obesity in 12 studies across the sample.
Our review revealed inconsistent evidence for the effectiveness of policy on childhood obesity, perhaps due to the lack of focus on the social determinants of health. In addition, many studies did not evaluate the outcomes for underserved populations. Therefore, we propose more attention to social determinants in future legislation and evaluation of policy effectiveness on underserved populations. Findings identify an urgent need for the design, implementation, and evaluation of policies specifically directed to address the inequities of racism, social injustices, and social determinants of health that impact childhood obesity in the United States. Future work needs to identify who was reached by the policy, who benefitted from the policy, and how policies were implemented to address obesity-related health disparities. Nurses should advocate for the evaluation of childhood obesity policies, particularly in underserved populations, to determine effectiveness. Nurses, particularly those trained in population and community health and research, should advocate for policy research that considers inequities rather than controls for these variables. Multi-layered interventions can then be tailored to sub-populations and evaluated more effectively.
Effective health care relies on person-centeredness and teamwork, which are known to improve outcomes. These two concepts have been defined individually, but we could not find a definition of the combined concept. A preliminary definition was developed through a concept analysis; however, consensus on the concept has not been reached.
The aim of this study was to reach consensus on the definition and attributes of person-centered teamwork.
A consensus design allowed experts to collaborate and share their experience and wisdom to refine and reach consensus on the definition and attributes of person-centered teamwork. An e-Delphi was used to engage the experts.
Three rounds of online engagement with 12 experts were needed to reach consensus on the definition and attributes of person-centered teamwork. The attributes reached consensus of 82% after the first round. The definition had 82% consensus after the three rounds. The definition had been adjusted and refined according to the expert input. The newly adjusted definition was established.
We successfully used the e-Delphi method to obtain consensus on the attributes and definition of person-centered teamwork. The definition of person-centered teamwork can be further developed and included in clinical practice to guide improved clinical outcomes. The consensus definition of person-centered teamwork provides a clear understanding of the meaning thereof, which may in turn enrich the usability thereof in clinical practice. Person-centered teams improve outcomes for persons receiving care in hospitals. Building person-centered teams are now better understood and the foundation of building these teams defined. We engaged with 12 experts in the academic and clinical field of person-centeredness and teamwork. The use and value of the Delphi method to obtain consensus is now better understood and can assist future research development.
The increasing pressure of their professional duties has led to a notable concern regarding the mounting anxiety levels among nurses. The ongoing discussion revolves around the efficacy of mindfulness as a means to alleviate anxiety in nurses.
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness in reducing anxiety among nurses.
The evaluation followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. An extensive and comprehensive search was conducted across eight databases to identify studies that utilized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and were published in English between 2011 and 2022. Independently, two reviewers assessed the validity of the randomized controlled trials using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials criteria. Additionally, two authors independently employed the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-2) method to evaluate the potential bias in the RCTs.
Eight randomized controlled trial studies that were deemed eligible were included in the current analysis. Based on the literature review, it was determined that mindfulness-based training can assist nurses in reducing their anxiety levels. Furthermore, the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs in enhancing nurses' mindfulness and self-compassion has been firmly established.
Based on existing literature, mindfulness-based interventions have proven to be effective in reducing anxiety levels among nurses. However, in order to enhance the overall quality of research, it is necessary to implement more rigorous controlled designs that include randomization. Additionally, larger sample sizes with a diverse range of participants are needed to establish and validate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs in alleviating anxiety among nurses.
Implementing mindfulness-based training in healthcare organizations can offer numerous benefits. One such advantage is that it can help nurses in reducing anxiety and enhancing their ability to handle the pressures associated with their profession.
PROSPERO Protocol registration ID: CRD42023475157.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) establishes standards for nurse residency programs to elevate and optimize the skills, knowledge, and attitudes of new nurses participating in nurse residency programs. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is foundational to providing safe nursing care. One of the National Academy of Medicine's (NAM's) 2020 goals stated that 90% of clinical decisions would be supported by the best available evidence to attain the best patient outcomes. Nurse residency programs can benefit from evidence-based strategies to develop EBP competencies in new nurses.
The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize the literature around strategies for incorporating EBP into nurse residency programs across the United States.
This scoping review was informed by the JBI (formerly known as the Joanna Briggs Institute) methodology for scoping reviews. Searches were conducted by a health science librarian in PubMed and CINAHL with Full Text. Keywords and their synonyms, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH; PubMed), and Subject Headings (CINAHL with Full Text) were used. Covidence, a literature review management program, was used to organize the literature and manage the review. Title, abstract, and full-text reviews were completed within Covidence using three teams of two independent reviewers.
Four hundred and thirty-eight citations were imported into Covidence. Ten articles were retained for the final review. Three strategies for incorporating EBP into nurse residency programs emerged from the literature: (1) exposure of nurse residents to existing organizational resources, (2) completion of online EBP modules, and (3) completion of an EBP project.
The incorporation of EBP competencies in nurse residency programs aligns with NAM's and ANCC's goals, yet a paucity of evidence exists to guide curriculum development in nurse residency programs. This scoping review corroborates the need for further research to inform best practices for implementing EBP into nurse residency programs.
The global burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is growing, and the age of onset is widening, resulting in increasing numbers of young adults and elderly patients with T2D. Age-specific diabetes care needs have yet to be fully explored.
This study examined (1) differences in patient-reported and clinical characteristics by age group and (2) the effect of age on two proxy measures assessing psychological health and self-care adherence after adjusting for potential mediators.
A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were recruited from a university hospital in Korea between 2019 and 2020. Participants were divided into four groups based on years of age (40s and younger group [n = 27]; 50s group [n = 47]; 60s group [n = 54]; and 70s and older group [n = 48]) to compare patient-reported and clinical characteristics. Chi-square tests, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and logistic regression analysis were performed to assess group differences and effect of age on psychological health and self-care adherence.
Of 178 participants, two-thirds were men (n = 114; 64.41%). The mean ages in the 40s and younger, 50s, 60s, and 70s and older groups were 39.4, 54.7, 63.9, and 76.0 years, respectively. There were significant differences in patient-reported and clinical characteristics by age group. The youngest group reported the poorest psychological health and self-care behaviors. Although the oldest group showed the poorest physical functioning, this group also showed the highest self-care adherence and the best psychological health. Regarding clinical characteristics, traditional diabetes-related blood test results showed no significant group differences.
Age-specific diabetes care needs were identified in adults with T2D. Interventions to improve psychological health and priming effects of behavioral adherence need to be developed. Furthermore, meticulous investigation to detect potential complications early is essential in adults with T2D.
Nursing well-being has become a heightened focus since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses are leaving the profession early in their careers or retiring sooner than expected. Those who remain in the workforce report higher levels of burnout, anxiety, depression, and exhaustion. There is concern that there may be a shortage of at least half a million nurses by 2030.
This systematic review aimed to investigate the evidence of using a mental health promotion mHealth app to improve the mental health of hospital nurses.
A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE with Full Text, Professional Development Collection, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Sociological Collection, PsycInfo, Embase, and PubMed with search dates of January 2012–November 15, 2022. The mHealth intervention needed to be asynchronously delivered through a smartphone with hospital nurse participants to be included in this review.
Of the 157 articles screened for this review, six were included. Primary outcome variables were anxiety, burnout, coping, depression, self-efficacy, stress, well-being, and work engagement. Intervention types included mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), stress inoculation therapy (SIT), psychoeducation, and stress management. Anxiety, depression, well-being, and burnout improved with MBIs; depression improved with CBT; and anxiety and active coping improved with SIT.
This review demonstrated promising findings in using mHealth apps to improve the mental health of hospital nurses. However, more randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes may reveal which type of mHealth app and how much exposure to the intervention is more effective in improving specific mental health symptoms. Longitudinal follow-up is also recommended to study sustainability of the mental health improvements.
Nurses play a critical role in providing evidence-based, high-quality care to optimize patient outcomes. Models from implementation science suggest social networks may influence the adoption of evidence-based practices (EBPs). However, few studies have examined this relationship among hospital nurses. Social network analysis (SNA) mathematically evaluates patterns of communication, a critical step in implementation. Exploring hospital nurses' communication networks may provide insight into influences on the adoption of EBPs.
This study aimed to describe complete communication networks of hospital nurses for practice changes on inpatient units, including upper level nursing administrators.
This descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study used SNA on two inpatient units from one hospital. A sociometric survey was completed by nurses (unit to executive level) regarding communication frequency about practice changes. Network-level density, diameter, average path length, centralization, and arc reciprocity were measured. Attribute data were used to explore subnetworks.
Surveys from 148 nurses on two inpatient adult intensive care units (response rates 90% and 98%) revealed high communication frequency. Network measures were similar across the two units and among subnetworks. Analysis identified central (charge nurses and nurse leaders) and peripheral members of the network (new-to-practice nurses). Subnetworks aligned with the weekend and shift worked.
Established communication channels, including subnetworks and opinion leaders, should be used to maximize and optimize implementation strategies and facilitate the uptake of EBPs. Future work should employ SNA to measure the impact of communication networks on promoting the uptake of EBP and to improve patient outcomes.
The intent of the PICOT (i.e., Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) method is to formulate focused clinical questions to facilitate the discovery of relevant evidence through systematic searching, with the components of the question serving as the foundation for the search. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates use evidence-based practices to institute changes in their organizations' systems and policies, thereby yielding positive effects on both patient and system outcomes. Given that the clinical question is the foundation of the evidence-based practice process, DNP graduates' competence in the PICOT method needs to be better understood.
This analysis aimed to describe how DNP students used the PICOT method to ask clinical questions in their DNP projects.
Project questions were retrieved from a subset (n = 129, 60.56%) of an existing national random sample of publicly available DNP projects spanning the years 2010 to 2021 from Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education-accredited schools (n = 213). Project questions using the PICOT method were further evaluated with a scoring system of 0 = no and 1 = yes for missing elements, formatting, directional outcome, and project purpose. Possible scores ranged from 0 to 8, with higher scores indicating more errors. Discussion among five researchers, until agreement was achieved, yielded consensus.
Although the PICOT method was project author-identified in 66 (31.0%) projects, only four (6%) followed the PICOT method. All 66 (100%) were intervention questions. There were 2.74 (SD 1.55) mean errors, ranging from 0 to 6. No questions were missing P or O. Specific errors included missing I 3 (4.5%) or missing C 37 (56%), poor formatting 34 (51.5%), directional outcome 44 (66.7%), and project purpose 38 (57.6%). Thirty-three (50%) of the questions were missing T; however, T is not used for searching, so researchers recalculated the mean error without T (M = 2.24, SD = 1.28, range 0–5).
Gaps in the accurate use of the PICOT method to construct clinical questions can lead to biased searches, inaccurate clinical problem identification, and, when used as the project purpose, jumping to non-evidence-based solutions. Academic faculty and clinical educators can mitigate these skewed outcomes and enhance their impact on quality outcomes by helping DNP-prepared nurses shore up this foundational skill.
Nurse job satisfaction is a critical area of study with far-reaching implications for healthcare organizations, patient care, and the retention of nursing staff.
This study aimed to investigate the association of gratitude with job satisfaction among Chinese nurses and examine the potential mediating roles of resilience and stress in this relationship.
Two separate studies were conducted to examine our research hypotheses. In Study 1, a total of 460 nurses completed the questionnaire related to gratitude, resilience, stress, and job satisfaction. A validation study was conducted in Study 2, which consisted of 709 nurses who also completed the same measures of gratitude, resilience, and stress to ensure the repeatability of the Study 1 results. Furthermore, a different scale was used to measure nurses' job satisfaction.
The two studies consistently found that both resilience and stress mediated gratitude–job satisfaction independently among Chinese nurses. Furthermore, resilience was found to be a significantly stronger mediator than stress in the association of gratitude with job satisfaction. Finally, we found that gratitude predicted nurses' job satisfaction via the serial mediating effects of resilience and stress.
These findings highlight the complex interplay between gratitude, resilience, stress, and job satisfaction by demonstrating that resilience and stress act as parallel and sequential mediators between nurses' gratitude and job satisfaction. The healthcare sector can improve nurses' job satisfaction by increasing gratitude, building resilience, and reducing feelings of stress.
Nurse managers have the potential to enhance job satisfaction among nurses by implementing measures that increase gratitude, build resilience, and reduce stress levels.
Basing practice on evidence is a widely acknowledged requirement for nursing, but shortcomings still exist. An increased understanding of the actualization of evidence-based nursing (EBN) across different nursing contexts is needed to develop better support for EBN and promote uniform high-quality nursing.
The aim of this study was to compare the actualization of EBN in different organizational contexts in Finland.
Data for this survey were collected in 2021. The actualization of EBN in primary, specialized, and social care organizations was evaluated with the Actualization of Evidence-Based Nursing instrument, nurses' version, which focuses on individual and organizational-level EBN support structures. Differences between (1) specialized and primary healthcare, and (2) different nursing practice settings were tested with Welch's two sample t-test, the Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Based on nurse (n = 1020) evaluations, those working in specialized healthcare hold more positive attitudes toward EBN (p = .021) and evaluated their organization's methods for monitoring and evaluating nursing practices (p = .004) more positively than those working in primary healthcare. Regarding different nursing practice settings (n = 1241), the most positive results were observed within preventive healthcare where nurses evaluated their attitudes toward EBN, EBN competence, and personal evidence-based practices more positively compared to other nursing practice settings. The results were parallel regarding several organizational structures for EBN. Positive results were also observed within somatic units at university hospitals, and most negative results were within institutional care settings, health centers, and home care settings.
There is a need for targeted support to strengthen EBN across different organizational contexts, with special attention to those contexts where nursing professionals with lower education levels work. Future research needs to focus on further analyzing the organizational differences and what can be learned, especially from preventive healthcare but also somatic units at university hospitals.
Many adverse events are identified as nursing-sensitive indicators (NSIs) and have evidence-based care bundles known to reduce risk of occurrence. Kamishibai cards are a tool from the manufacturing industry used for practice auditing and improvements. Use of Kamishibai cards is believed to be common in the healthcare setting, but true evidence-based guidelines do not yet exist to guide their implementation.
The aim of this integrative review was to identify best practices around the implementation of Kamishibai cards in the healthcare setting for improvement in NSI-associated outcomes.
Eleven nurses at three facilities worked through the evidence using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model.
Ten articles were included for this review. Broad themes included direct observation with non-punitive and timely feedback, clearly visualized results, use of evidence-based care bundles, pre-implementation education, and both leadership and frontline-staff involvement. All facilities showed improvement in NSI-associated outcomes after the implementation of K-cards.
In health care, K-cards can be implemented and designed with additional focus on the bundles of care they are intended to audit and staff support, but further evidence would better define guidelines around implementation.
Menopausal women often complain of a range of physical and psychological symptoms known as menopausal syndrome. These symptoms are associated with fluctuating hormone levels, sleep disturbances, and mood swings.
This study aimed to examine the efficacy of a program-based cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBT) for insomnia and depression among women experiencing menopause.
A randomized controlled trial of 88 women experiencing menopause was conducted in Egypt from June to September 2022 in outpatient clinics at Mansoura University Hospitals in Egypt. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (45 women) and an intervention group (43 women). The intervention group received 7 weeks of CBT sessions. Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Beck Depression Inventory 2nd Edition (BDI-II) were administered before and after the intervention.
In the intervention group, there was a significant difference in scores of the subdomains of PSQI, including sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction, subjective sleep quality, and sleep disturbance (t = 8.911, 11.77, 7.638, and 11.054, respectively), while no significant difference in domains of using sleep medication, sleep duration, and sleep latency. Significant improvements were observed between pre-and-post-intervention in the intervention group for the total scores of PSQI, ISI, and BDII-II (t = 12.711, 16.272, and 12.384, respectively), indicating a large effect size for the three studied variables (r = .81, .87, .8, respectively).
This study demonstrated the efficacy of group CBT for lowering insomnia and depression in women experiencing menopause. Thus, results indicated the need of considering prompt and appropriate interventions such as CBT as a safe treatment option to prevent the aggravation of sleep and emotional problems for menopausal women.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05920460.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious chronic disease worldwide, with significant negative impacts on the quality of life, family economic burden, and social healthcare burden of patients.
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of virtual reality technology on exercise function and lung function in COPD patients.
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was utilized. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Weipu Database (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) were systematically searched. We included randomized controlled trials published from the establishment of the database to August 10, 2022, on virtual reality technology in COPD patients. Literature retrieval and screening was carried out independently by two reviewers to obtain literature that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and to extract relevant data. Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias in the included literature. A meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.4 Software.
A total of 10 randomized controlled trials with 539 participants were included. The results showed that virtual reality technology significantly improved the lung function of COPD patients, such as forced expiratory volume (FEV1; MD = 7.29, 95% CI [4.34, 10.24], p < .01) and forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC; MD = 6.71, 95% CI [4.72, 8.71], p < .01). The combined intervention with different virtual reality technology had different effects on motor function. Compared with endurance training (ET) alone, virtual reality technology combined with ET had no significant effect on the 6-minute walk test (6WMT) in COPD patients (p > .05). Compared with pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) alone, virtual reality technology combined with PR was more effective in increasing 6WMT in COPD patients (MD = 30.80, 95% CI [10.85, 50.74], p < .01).
Virtual reality technology can help to improve lung function in COPD patients, and virtual reality combined with PR can improve exercise tolerance in COPD patients. However, due to the limited number of included studies, large-sample, multicenter, high-quality randomized controlled trial studies are needed to provide clear evidence.
The cumulative stress toll on nurses increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. An evidence-based practice (EBP) project was conducted to understand what is known about the impacts of cumulative stress within nursing and if there are ways to mitigate stress during a nurse's shift.
A project team from three clinical units completed an extensive literature review and identified the need to promote detachment while supporting parasympathetic recovery. Based on this review, leaders from three pediatric clinical units (neonatal intensive care unit, cardiovascular intensive care unit, and acute pulmonary floor) implemented respite rooms.
Follow-up outcomes showed a statistically significant stress reduction. For all shifts combined, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test revealed that perceived stress scores from an 11-point Likert scale (0 = no stress and 10 = maximum perceived stress) were significantly lower in the post-respite room (Md = 3, n = 68) compared to in the pre-respite room (Md = 6, n = 68), Z = −7.059, p < .001, with a large effect size, r = .605. Nurses and other staff frequently utilized respite rooms during shifts.
Clinical inquiry and evidence-based practice processes can mitigate cumulative stress and support staff wellbeing. Respite rooms within the hospital can promote a healthy work environment among nurses and promote a self-care culture change. Evidence-based strategies to mitigate cumulative stress using respite rooms are a best practice to promote nurse wellbeing and mitigate cumulative stress.
Delirium is described as acute brain dysfunction that often fluctuates throughout the day and is highly prevalent in hospitalized adults. Delirium negatively affects patient outcomes with consequences including decreased cognitive functioning and increased mortality and healthcare costs. Furthermore, neurological patients are at increased risk for developing delirium due to their underlying diagnoses.
The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to evaluate the long-term impact of nursing education and use of trained volunteers to prevent the development of delirium in an inpatient neuroscience unit.
This was a pre–post designed evidence-based practice project to educate and prioritize nursing care interventions for delirium prevention compared to a delirium management framework. The interventions included delirium education for nurses and nursing assistants along with the development of a specialized volunteer program to implement non-pharmacological, multi-component delirium prevention interventions. Long-term sustainment and enculturation occurred over the subsequent year.
The baseline data collection period included 2520 patients. The intervention period included 4515 patients, with both groups being similar in age, race, gender, and length of stay. The total number of patients with a discharge diagnosis of delirium decreased from 29.2% to 19.8% (p < .001). Fewer patients in the intervention group were discharged to a skilled nursing facility (p < .001) and other post-acute facility (p = .008), along with more patients being discharged to home care (p < .001).
This evidence-based practice project demonstrates long-term sustained reduction of delirium in the neuroscience population. Despite the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, delirium prevention strategies were found to be effective in decreasing the rate at which patients develop delirium.
Stress and conflict in emergency departments are inevitable but can be managed. A supportive work environment is key to helping emergency care providers, especially nurses, constructively manage work-related stress and conflict.
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of supportive work environments on work-related stress and conflict management style among emergency care nurses.
A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. Data were collected from 221 staff nurses recruited from two university hospital emergency departments in Alexandria, Egypt. Three instruments were used: (1) perceived organizational support scale, (2) nurses' occupational stressors scale, and (3) conflict management style inventory.
There was a highly significant correlation between supportive work environments and work-related stress (p = .000) and a significant correlation between supportive work environments and conflict management style (p = .026). Supportive work environments had a significant inverse negative relationship with work-related stress experienced by nurses (p = .001) and accounted for 51% of variance in work-related stress. Meanwhile, supportive work environments had a significant positive relationship with conflict management styles of nurses (p = .026). Work-related stress had a significant relationship with nurses' conflict management style (p = .000) and accounted for 45% of the variance in conflict management style.
The style of conflict management modeled by staff within emergency departments can positively or negatively influence the work environment and level of work-related stress. There is a necessity to cultivate a supportive culture for nurses in emergency departments to develop skills for constructive conflict management styles to reduce work-related stress.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes airflow blockage and breathing-related issues. This chronic disease impacts people worldwide. Substantial evidence supports the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help patients with chronic illnesses cope with worrisome and painful symptoms. However, the impact of CBT on COPD outcomes is less understood.
In this study, we systematically summarized the effects of CBT on lung function, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and quality of life of patients with COPD.
Six English-language and four Chinese-language databases were systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials published through April 15, 2023. Studies in which CBT was the only difference in treatment administered to experimental and control groups were included in the review. The studies' risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Criteria.
Sixteen studies (1887 participants) were included. The meta-analysis showed that CBT improved the percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, maximal voluntary ventilation, peak expiratory flow, treatment compliance, and World Health Organization abbreviated quality of life, Self-rating Anxiety and Depression Scale, and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores compared with the control (all p < .05).
This review demonstrated that CBT improves the lung function, anxiety and depressive symptoms, treatment compliance, and quality of life of patients with COPD and can be used widely in the clinical treatment of this disease.
Outcomes associated with rapid response teams (RRTs) are inconsistent. This may be due to underlying facilitators and barriers to RRT activation that are affected by team leaders and health systems.
The aim of this study was to synthesize the published research about facilitators and barriers to nurse-led RRT activation in the United States (U.S.).
A systematic review was conducted. Four databases were searched from January 2000 to June 2023 for peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies reporting facilitators and barriers to RRT activation. Studies conducted outside the U.S. or with physician-led teams were excluded.
Twenty-five studies met criteria representing 240,140 participants that included clinicians and hospitalized adults. Three domains of facilitators and barriers to RRT activation were identified: (1) hospital infrastructure, (2) clinician culture, and (3) nurses' beliefs, attributes, and knowledge. Categories were identified within each domain. The categories of perceived benefits and positive beliefs about RRTs, knowing when to activate the RRT, and hospital-wide policies and practices most facilitated activation, whereas the categories of negative perceptions and concerns about RRTs and uncertainties surrounding RRT activation were the dominant barriers.
Facilitators and barriers to RRT activation were interrelated. Some facilitators like hospital leader and physician support of RRTs became barriers when absent. Intradisciplinary communication and collaboration between nurses can positively and negatively impact RRT activation. The expertise of RRT nurses should be further studied.
Post-stroke depression is the most common neuropsychiatric consequence and reduces rehabilitation effectiveness. However, the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) on mental health treatment for patients after a stroke is uncertain.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of VR as a co-adjuvant form of treatment to reduce depression in stroke patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units.
We systematically searched medical databases including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to November 16, 2023. Clinical trials comparing the use of VR as an adjuvant form of treatment in stroke patients' rehabilitation with the usual treatment were included. Pooled standardized mean differences were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed according to type of stroke, VR characteristics, and the scale used to measure depression. Meta-regression analysis was performed for intervention duration and to determine the mean age of the participants.
Eight studies and 388 stroke patients were included. The VR interventions were associated with a lower risk of depression in patients (ES = −0.69; 95% CI [−1.05, −0.33]; I 2 = 57.6%; p ≤ .02). The estimates were not affected by the type of stroke, the type of VR used, the blinding process, the type of scale used to detect depression, the duration of the intervention (weeks and minutes), and the total number of sessions. Meta-regression shows that younger samples (p = .00; 95% CI [0.01, 0.08) and longer interventions (p = < .05; 95% CI [−0.00, −0.00) lead to a greater reduction in depression.
This review provides an important basis for treating depression in patients after a stroke. Professionals working in stroke neurorehabilitation units should consider VR as a form of co-adjuvant treatment for depression in patients.
CRD42022303968.
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