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AnteayerJournal of Clinical Nursing

Nurses' experiences of competence in lifestyle counselling with adult patients in healthcare settings: A qualitative systematic literature review

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

To identify and synthesise nurses' experiences of competence in lifestyle counselling with adult patients in healthcare settings.

Background

Modifiable lifestyle risk behaviours contribute to an increased prevalence of chronic diseases worldwide. Lifestyle counselling is part of nurses' role which enables them to make a significant contribution to patients' long-term health in various healthcare contexts, but requires particular competence.

Design

Qualitative systematic literature review and meta-aggregation.

Method

The review was guided by Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for conducting synthesis of qualitative studies. PRISMA-checklist guided the review process. Relevant original studies were search from databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Medic and Psych Articles, Ebscho Open Dissertations and Web of Science). After researcher consensus was reached and quality of the studies evaluated, 20 studies were subjected to meta-aggregation.

Results

From 20 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, 75 findings were extracted and categorised into 13 groups based on their meaning, resulting in the identification of 5 synthesised findings for competence description: Supporting healthy lifestyle adherence, creating interactive and patient-centred counselling situations, acquiring competence through clinical experience and continuous self-improvement, collaborating with other professionals and patients, planning lifestyle counselling and managing work across various stages of the patient's disease care path.

Conclusion

The review provides an evidence base that can be used to support nurses' competence in lifestyle counselling when working with adult patients in healthcare settings. Lifestyle counselling competence is a complex and rather abstract phenomenon. The review identified, analysed and synthesised the evidence derived from nurses' experience which shows that lifestyle counselling competence is a multidimensional entity which relates to many other competencies within nurses' work.

Implications for the Profession

Recognising the competencies of nurses in lifestyle counselling for adult patients can stimulate nurses' motivation. The acquisition of these competencies can have a positive impact on patients' lives and their health.

Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.

Impact

The research may enhance nurses' competence in lifestyle counselling, leading to improved health outcomes, better adherence to recommendations and overall well-being. It may also drive the development of interventions, improving healthcare delivery in lifestyle counselling.

Reporting Method

The review was undertaken and reported using the PRISMA guidelines.

Protocol Registration

Blinded for the review.

Consensus on the content of an instrument to measure person‐centred teamwork: An e‐Delphi study

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

To establish consensus on items to be included in an instrument to measure person-centred teamwork in a hospital setting. The objective was to identify the items through a methodological literature review. Refine the items and obtain consensus on the items.

Background

A definition and related attributes of person-centred teamwork have been agreed upon. An instrument is needed to measure and monitor person-centred teamwork in hospital settings.

Design

Consensus, electronic Delphi design.

Methods

Items were identified through a methodological literature review. These items were included in three electronic Delphi rounds. Using purposive and snowball sampling, 16 international experts on person-centred care, teamwork and/or instrument development were invited to participate in three electronic Delphi rounds via Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to demonstrate their agreement on the relevance and clarity of each item. Items were included if consensus was 0.75. Content analysis was used to analyse written feedback from experts.

Results

The response rate was 56% (n = 9/16). Nine experts participated over an 8-week period to reach consensus on the items to be included in an instrument to measure person-centred teamwork in hospital settings. The experts' responses and suggestions for rephrasing, removing and adding items were incorporated into each round.

Conclusion

A Delphi consensus exercise was completed, and experts reached agreement on 38 items to be included in an instrument that can be used to evaluate person-centred teamwork in hospital settings.

Relevance to clinical practice

We engaged with nine international experts in the academic and clinical field of person-centeredness, teamwork and/or instrument development. An online platform was used to allow the experts to give input into the study. The experts engaged from their own environment with full autonomy and anonymity. Person-centred teamwork, aimed at improving practice is now measurable. Person-centred teams improve outcomes of patients. Person-centred teamwork was specifically developed to assist low compliance areas in hospitals.

Prevalence and clustering of NANDA‐I nursing diagnoses in the pre‐hospital emergency care setting: A retrospective records review study

Abstract

Aim

To determine the prevalence and clustering of NANDA-International nursing diagnoses in patients assisted by pre-hospital emergency teams.

Design

Retrospective descriptive study of electronic record review.

Methods

Episodes recorded during 2019, including at least a nursing diagnosis, were recovered from the electronic health records of a Spanish public emergency agency (N = 28,847). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and determine prevalence. A two-step cluster analysis was used to group nursing diagnoses. A comparison between clusters in sociodemographic and medical problems was performed. Data were accessed in November 2020.

Results

Risk for falls (00155) (27.3%), Anxiety (00146) (23.2%), Acute pain (00132), Fear (00148) and Ineffective breathing pattern (00032) represented 96.1% of all recorded diagnoses. A six-cluster solution (n = 26.788) was found. Five clusters had a single high-prevalence diagnosis predominance: Risk for falls (00155) in cluster 1, Anxiety (00146) in cluster 2, Fear (00148) in cluster 3, Acute pain (00132) in cluster 4 and Ineffective breathing pattern (00032) in cluster 6. Cluster 5 had several high prevalence diagnoses which co-occurred: Risk for unstable blood glucose level (00179), Ineffective coping (00069), Ineffective health management (00078), Impaired comfort (00214) and Impaired verbal communication (00051).

Conclusion

Five nursing diagnoses accounted for almost the entire prevalence. The identified clusters showed that pre-hospital patients present six patterns of nursing diagnoses. Five clusters were predominated by a predominant nursing diagnosis related to patient safety, coping, comfort, and activity/rest, respectively. The sixth cluster grouped several nursing diagnoses applicable to exacerbations of chronic diseases.

Implications for the profession and/or patient care

Knowing the prevalence and clustering of nursing diagnoses allows a better understanding of the human responses of patients attended by pre-hospital emergency teams and increases the evidence of individualized/standardized care plans in the pre-hospital clinical setting.

Impact

What problem did the study address? There are different models of pre-hospital emergency care services. The use of standardized nursing languages in the pre-hospital setting is not homogeneous. Studies on NANDA-I nursing diagnoses in the pre-hospital context are scarce, and those available are conducted on small samples.

What were the main findings? This paper reports the study with the largest sample among the few published on NANDA-I nursing diagnoses in the pre-hospital care setting. Five nursing diagnoses represented 96.1% of all recorded. These diagnoses were related to patients' safety/protection and coping/stress tolerance. Patients attended by pre-hospital care teams are grouped into six clusters based on the nursing diagnoses, and this classification is independent of the medical conditions the patient suffers.

Where and on whom will the research have an impact?

Knowing the prevalence of nursing diagnoses allows a better understanding of the human responses of patients treated in the pre-hospital setting, increasing the evidence of individualized and standardized care plans for pre-hospital care.

Reporting method

STROBE checklist has been used as a reporting method.

No Patient or Public Contribution

Only patients' records were reviewed without further involvement.

Effects of virtual reality‐based cognitive interventions on cognitive function and activity of daily living among stroke patients: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Aims

To examine the effects of virtual reality-based cognitive interventions on cognitive function and activities of daily living among stroke patients, and to identify the optimal design for such intervention.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources

Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINANL, JBI-EBP and Web of Science from inception to October 2023.

Methods

Methodological quality was assessed by Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analyses were assessed by Review Manager 5.4. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the influence of study design. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was adopted to assess the certainty of evidence.

Results

Twenty-five randomized controlled trials (1178 participants) were included. Virtual reality-based cognitive interventions demonstrated moderate-to-large effects in improving global cognitive function (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI [0.01, 0.85]), executive function (SMD = 0.84; 95% CI [0.25, 1.43]) and memory (SMD = 0.65; 95% CI [0.15, 1.16]) compared to control treatments. No significant effects were found on language, visuospatial ability and activities of daily living. Subgroup analyses indicated one-on-one coaching, individualized design and dynamic difficulty adjustment, and interventions lasting ≥ 6 weeks had particularly enhanced effects, especially for executive function.

Conclusions

Virtual reality-based cognitive interventions improve global cognitive function, executive function and memory among stroke patients.

Implications for the Patient Care

This review underscores the broad cognitive advantages offered by virtual technology, suggesting its potential integration into standard stroke rehabilitation protocols for enhanced cognitive recovery.

Impact

The study identifies key factors in virtual technology interventions that effectively improve cognitive function among stroke patients, offering healthcare providers a framework for leveraging such technology to optimize cognitive outcomes in stroke rehabilitation.

Reporting Method

PRISMA 2020 statement.

PROSPERO Registration Number

CRD42022342668.

‘I'm still here, I'm alive and breathing’: The experience of Black Americans with long COVID

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

In this study, we aimed to characterize the impact of long COVID on quality of life and approaches to symptom management among Black American adults.

Background

As a novel condition, qualitative evidence concerning long COVID symptoms and their impact on quality of life can inform the refinement of diagnostic criteria and care plans. However, the underrepresentation of Black Americans in long COVID research is a barrier to achieving equitable care for all long COVID patients.

Design

We employed an interpretive description study design.

Methods

We recruited a convenience sample of 15 Black American adults with long COVID. We analysed the anonymized transcripts from race-concordant, semi-structured interviews using an inductive, thematic analysis approach. We followed the SRQR reporting guidelines.

Results

We identified four themes: (1) The impact of long COVID symptoms on personal identity and pre-existing conditions; (2) Self-management strategies for long COVID symptoms; (3) Social determinants of health and symptom management; and (4) Effects on interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion

Findings demonstrate the comprehensive ramifications of long COVID on the lives of Black American adults. Results also articulate how pre-existing conditions, social risk factors, distrust due to systemic racism, and the nature of interpersonal relationships can complicate symptom management.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Care approaches that support access to and implementation of integrative therapies may be best suited to meet the needs of long COVID patients. Clinicians should also prioritize eliminating patient exposure to discrimination, implicit bias, and microaggressions. This is of particular concern for long COVID patients who have symptoms that are difficult to objectively quantify, such as pain and fatigue.

No Patient or Public Contribution

While patient perspectives and experiences were the focus of this study, patients were not involved with the design or conduct of the study, data analysis or interpretation, or writing the manuscript.

Caregiving in the COVID‐19 pandemic: Family adaptations following an intensive care unit hospitalisation

Abstract

Aim and Objective

To identify how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following a relative's COVID-19-related intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalisation.

Background

Family caregiving is often associated with poor health amongst caregivers which may limit their capacity to effectively support patients. Though severe COVID-19 infection has necessitated increasing numbers of persons who require caregiver support, little is known about these caregivers, the persons they are caring for, or the strategies used to effectively adjust to the caregiving role.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study design was adopted, and findings are reported using COREQ.

Methods

A secondary analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews conducted with recently discharged ICU patients who had COVID-19 (n = 16) and their family caregivers (n = 16) was completed using thematic analysis. MAXQDA 2020 and Miro were used to organise data and complete coding. Analysis involved a structured process of open and closed coding to identify and confirm themes that elucidated adaptation to family caregiving.

Results

Six themes highlight how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following an ICU COVID-19-related hospitalisation including (1) engaging the support of family and friends, (2) increased responsibilities to accommodate caregiving, (3) managing emotions, (4) managing infection control, (5) addressing patient independence and (6) engaging support services. These themes were found to be congruent with the Roy adaptation model.

Conclusions

Family caregiving is a stressful transition following a patient's acute hospitalisation. Effective adaptation requires flexibility and sufficient support, beginning with the care team who can adequately prepare the family for the anticipated challenges of recovery.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Clinical teams may improve post-hospitalisation care outcomes of patients by preparing families to effectively adjust to the caregiver role—particularly in identifying sufficient support resources.

Patient or Public Contribution

Participation of patients/caregivers in this study was limited to the data provided through participant interviews.

Experiences of improvement of everyday life following a rehabilitation programme for people with long‐term cognitive effects of COVID‐19: Qualitative study

Abstract

Aim and Objectives

To explore challenges in everyday life for people with long-term cognitive effects of COVID-19 and whether a rehabilitation programme contributed to the remedy thereof.

Background

Healthcare systems around the world need knowledge about acute COVID-19 treatment, long-term effects exerting an impact on peoples' everyday lives, and how to remedy these.

Design

This is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach.

Methods

Twelve people with long-term cognitive effects of COVID-19 participated in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. Individual semi-structured interviews were made. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Three themes and eight sub-themes emerged with respect to everyday life challenges and experiences of the rehabilitation programme. The themes were (1) Personal insight and knowledge, (2) Changed daily routines at home and (3) Coping with working life.

Conclusion

Participants experienced long-term effects of COVID-19 as cognitive challenges, fatigue and headaches, which affected their everyday lives, that is inability to overcome daily tasks at home and at work, maintaining family roles and relations with relatives. The rehabilitation programme contributed to a vocabulary and insights related to the long-term effects of COVID-19 and the experience of being a different person. The programme contributed to changes in daily routines, organising breaks in everyday life and explaining challenges to family/relatives and the way in which they affected daily routines and their role in the family. In addition, the programme supported several of the participants in finding the right workload and working hours.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

We recommend multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes inspired by cognitive remediation of long-term COVID-19 cognitive effects. Municipalities and organisations could collaborate in the development and completion of such programmes, possibly comprising both virtual and physical elements. This could facilitate access and reduce costs.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients contributed to the conduct of the study by participating in the data collection via interviews.

Clinical Trial Registration Number

Data collection and processing of data are approved by the Region of Southern Denmark (journal number: 20/46585).

Factors associated with facial pressure injury in patients receiving non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation mask: A retrospective case–control study

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with facial pressure injury (FPI) in patients receiving non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during hospitalisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) and to identify predictors of FPI.

Background

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation is a method of treating patients with acute and chronic respiratory failure. However, FPI may occur due to unsuitable nasal-oral NIPPV masks and discomfort in contact with the skin surface.

Design

A retrospective case–control study.

Methods

From January 2018 to October 2020, a total of 397 patients admitted to a national hospital in Taiwan were enrolled. Patients received NIPPV and routinely used under-mask prophylactic dressings during hospitalisation. Patients were divided into the non-FPI group (n = 357) and the FPI group (n = 40). Demographic, clinical characteristics, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores, and Braden Scale scores were collected from medical records. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the contribution of each factor to the FPI, and odds ratios were reported. The STROBE checklist was used in this retrospective case–control study.

Results

There were significant differences between the groups in age, serum albumin, C-reactive protein, body mass index (BMI), disease severity, Braden Scale score, length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and use of corticosteroids. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factor for FPI was the Braden Scale score [OR = 1.630 (1.176–2.260)], BMI [OR = 0.396 (0.210–1.784)] and corticosteroids [OR = 0.394 (0.159–1.811)], which were predictors of FPI in patients with NIPPV.

Conclusions

Facial pressure injury may still occur in patients who routinely use prophylactic dressings under NIPPV masks. This study provides information on continuing education training for FPI to more accurately identify high-risk and timely preventive measures to reduce FPI.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Addressing FPI-related factors to prevent facial skin damage and reduce comorbidities in patients using NIPPV masks.

Patient competence in chronic illness: A concept derivation

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

This paper aims to inform nursing and other healthcare disciplines by clearly defining patient competence and the skills required to improve self-care behaviours.

Background

Competence has been defined in education and leadership. However, competence in persons with chronic disease has not been expanded upon since one publication in 1983. Patient competence needs to be developed and defined so that healthcare disciplines can understand the attributes necessary for a patient to be deemed competent to promote self-care behaviours.

Design

A concept derivation.

Methods

Walker and Avant's approach to concept derivation was used to identify a base concept (competence) that is well-defined in another field, define the concepts associated with the parent field, and transpose that definition to a new field to formulate a redefined concept. PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and Medline were searched, and 21 articles were included.

Results

Patient competence is defined as the ability of a person with a chronic illness to reach skill mastery, achieve knowledge, maintain a positive attitude and develop trust in themselves and in healthcare providers that will facilitate active engagement to improve self-care behaviours.

Conclusions

Defining patient competence is important in assisting nurses and other healthcare providers in understanding the attributes needed to deem a patient competent, especially those living with chronic illnesses requiring lifelong self-care behaviours. More research is needed to aid in the designing of a precise instrument for measuring this phenomenon.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Concept derivation of patient competence provides a framework for nurses and other members of the healthcare profession to understand the attributes needed to determine patient competence.

Definition and clinical management of haemodialysis central venous catheter local infections (exit site and tunnel infection): An international consensus assessment

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the relevance of signs and symptoms for the clinical identification of ESI and TI in HD-CVC, by means of international expert consensus, and to reach a consensus on a definition and clinical management (CM) for these infections.

Background

A recent systematic review showed a high heterogeneity in the signs/symptoms used for determining exit site infection (ESI) and tunnel infection (TI) of haemodialysis central venous catheter (HD-CVC).

Design

A modified Delphi ranking process was carried out between November 2020 and March 2021, consisting of four rounds using an online questionnaire with a panel of 26 experts from 12 countries.

Methods

Experts responded on the level of relevance for the identification of ESI and TI, based on a list of 22 signs/symptoms obtained from a previous systematic review, using a 4-point Likert-type scale. After reaching consensus on the signs/symptoms, they followed the same method to reach consensus on the CM. The STROBE Checklist was used to report this study.

Results

A high degree of consensus was reached to identify the presence of ESI based on nine signs/symptoms: presence of pain at the exit site (ES) during interdialysis period, with fever ≥38°C do not suspect other cause, local signs at the ES (inflammation, induration, swelling, hyperemia/erythema ≥2 cm from ES) and obvious abscess or purulent exudate at ES; and of TI. Likewise, 5 cm were agreed upon.

Conclusion

This Delphi study provides international expert consensus definitions of ESI and TI in HD-CVC, laying the groundwork for the validation of an HD-CVC ES clinical assessment scale for early identification of ESI.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

In addition, this study provides a series of attitudes to consensual clinics regarding signs/symptoms of local infections in HD-CVC, which may be useful as expert opinion in clinical practice guidelines, when there is insufficient scientific evidence.

The long‐term impact of COVID‐19

Journal of Clinical Nursing, Volume 33, Issue 1, Page 3-5, January 2024.

A cancer personalised activity and lifestyle tool (CAN‐PAL): A codesign study with patients and healthcare professionals

Abstract

Aims

To codesign a cancer personalised activity and lifestyle tool (CAN-PAL) based on an existing tool. To help cancer care workers support people affected by cancer to plan and integrate physical activity into lifestyles.

Design

Mixed-methods codesign study.

Methods

Phase 1: Focus groups with people affected by cancer (n = 10) or interviews (n = 2) to discuss suitable physical activities and adaptation of the existing tool. Data were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Themes informed the design of the prototype CAN-PAL and user guide. Phase 2: Healthcare professionals considered the potential use of the CAN-PAL prototype and completed an online survey including the system usability scale and free text responses.

Results

Phase 1: Identified suitable physical activities and four themes were identified including: Capability, benefits, barriers and resources which informed the prototype CAN-PAL and user guide. Phase 2: The user survey was completed by 12 healthcare professionals. Median (range) system usability scale was 80 (50–95) (best score 100), scores >68 indicate good or better usability. Themes from the free text comments included strengths, amendments, considerations and limitations. Results were used to finalise CAN-PAL and the user guide.

Conclusion

The codesigned CAN-PAL tool had good usability. Further work is needed to evaluate the impact of CAN-PAL on activity levels and behaviour in people affected by cancer.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

People affected by cancer need support to undertake physical activity. The purpose of CAN-PAL is to assist cancer care workers to support people affected by cancer to plan and integrate physical activity into lifestyles.

Patient or Public Contribution

Public partners considered the findings from Phase 1 and 2 and informed the design of the prototype, final CAN-PAL and user guide and coauthored the paper.

Reporting Method

The study adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines; the study was reported according to the COREQ checklist.

Leadership practices that enable healthful cultures in clinical practice: A realist evaluation

Abstract

Aim

To generate, test and refine programme theories that emerged from a rapid realist review investigating practising UK Nurses' and Midwives' experiences of effective leadership strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

The realist review of literature generated six tentative theories of healthful leadership practices reflecting, working with people's beliefs and values; being facilitative; multiple means of communication and; practical support. The review yielded little insight into the actual impact of the leadership approaches advocated.

Methods

A realist study, informed by person-centredness using mixed-methods. Online survey (n = 328) and semi-structured interviews (n = 14) of nurses and midwives across the UK in different career positions/specialities. Quantitative data analysed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. Framework analysis for qualitative data using context (C), mechanism (M), outcome (O) configurations of the tentative theories.

Results

Three refined theories were identified concerning: Visibility and availability; embodying values and; knowing self. Healthful leadership practices are only achievable within organisational cultures that privilege well-being.

Conclusions

Leaders should intentionally adopt practices that promote well-being. ‘Knowing self’ as a leader, coaching and mentoring practice development is important for leadership development.

Implications for Clinical Practice

Nurses who feel valued, heard, cared for and safe are more likely to remain in clinical practice. Job satisfaction and being motivated to practice with confidence and competence will impact positively on patient outcomes.

Impact

The study addresses the role of leadership in developing healthful workplace cultures. The main findings were six leadership practices that promote healthful cultures. The research will have an impact on strategic and clinical leaders, nurses and midwives.

Reporting Method

This study used EQUATOR checklist, RAMASES II as reporting standards for realist evaluations.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.

Attitude of Indian nurses towards importance of families in nursing care: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aims and Objective

To evaluate the attitudes of Indian nurses towards the importance of family involvement in nursing care and the association between nurse attitudes and sociodemographic characteristics.

Background

Involving the family in the care process is crucial for delivering family- and patient-centred care and ensuring the best possible patient outcomes. Nevertheless, published literature revealed that the nurses may lack clarity regarding the role of family members in the patient's care, which in turn hinders families' participation in care.

Design

Cross-sectional descriptive study. The STROBE checklist was used to report the present study.

Methods

A total of 203 Nurses participated in a prospective cross-sectional study between May 2022 and August 2022. They were recruited through convenience sampling from two tertiary care centres in India. A two-part questionnaire was used to gather the data; the first section contained questions for gathering sociodemographic information, and the second part contained the standardized FINC-NA scale.

Results

The mean age of the nurses was (28.08 ± 4.722) years, and their median professional experience was 2.5 (1–5.5) years. Nurses' attitude regarding family's importance in patient care was found to be significantly associated (p ≤ .05) with education level, marital status, religion and hometown region.

Conclusion

In several items Indian nurses have positive attitudes towards family involvement in care but some of the lower scoring items can present opportunities for focused improvement. Continuing development programmes about family-centered care can constitute important strategies to improve the positive attitudes of nurses towards families in practice.

Patient and public contribution

No patient or public contribution.

Redefining sexual health after gynaecological cancer: Lived experiences from Gynea, a digital rehabilitation programme

Abstract

Background

Gynaecological cancer illness and treatment have a significant impact on women's sexual health and concerns regarding sexual health are known to be an unmet need in survivors. The digital support programme Gynea was designed to enhance women's health, including sexual health, after gynaecological cancer treatment. This study aimed to explore how cancer survivors experienced participation in Gynea.

Methodology

This is a phenomenological hermeneutic study. Individual, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore lived experiences. Twenty women were interviewed after completing the Gynea programme. The transcripts were analysed using Lindseth and Norberg's phenomenological hermeneutic method.

Findings

Three main themes (with subthemes) emerged from the analysis: (1) A silent existential trauma; (2) Redefining sexual health; (3) Communicating with a partner about sexuality. The women redefined sexual health rather than just being sexual intercourse, being a rediscovery of the body. The women's increased awareness and understanding of their own sexual health empowered their communication about their sexuality with their partners. This was important for regaining sexual health and intimacy in their relationships.

Conclusion

Participation in Gynea helped to strengthen the women's sexual integrity. Knowledge and support empowered them to take care of their sexual needs and communicate these with their partners.

Implications for Patient Care

Healthcare services and nurses need to be aware that sexual health is an existential state of being, in which good sexual health does not necessarily equate to sexual function, but rather to sexual empowerment. Digital support with nurse guidance can support women in caring for their sexual health after cancer illness by thematizing sexual health with a holistic approach and should be part of the medical treatment.

Patient or Public Contribution

Twenty gynaecological cancer survivors contributed by sharing their experiences from the sexual health module in Gynea.

Sleep deprivation and medication administration errors in registered nurses—A scoping review

Abstract

Aim

To explore whether sleep deprivation contributes to medication errors in registered nurses (RNs).

Background

Sleep deprivation is a potential issue for RNs, particularly those who work shifts. Sleep deprivation has been found to have a negative impact on numerous cognitive processes. Nurses administer several medications to patients a day, potentially while sleep deprived—anecdotal reports suggest that this could result in an increased risk of error occurring.

Design

A scoping review was conducted using the Prisma-ScR extension framework to explore what is known about the effect of RNs' sleep deprivation on medication administration errors.

Methods

A search of databases generated 171 results. When inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 18 empirical studies were analysed. Studies included retrospective analysis of errors, surveys of perceptions of causes and observational studies.

Results

Data indicated that RNs consider fatigue, which may be caused by sleep deprivation, to be a contributing factor to medication errors. The search only identified three observer studies, which provided conflicting results as to whether lack of sleep contributes to the error rate. Of the numerous tools used to measure sleep, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was the most frequently used.

Conclusion

Although RNs anecdotally consider a lack of sleep potentially contributes to medication errors, there is insufficient research to provide robust evidence to confirm this assumption.

No Patient or Public Contributions

Patient or public contributions were not required for this scoping review.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Sleep deprivation is a potential issue for nurses, especially those who work shifts. Poor sleep impacts cognitive processes that potentially could increase errors. Nurses should be aware of the impact sleep may have on patient safety.

Decision‐making in nursing research and practice—Application of the Cognitive Continuum Theory: A meta‐aggregative systematic review

Abstract

Aim

To explore how the Cognitive Continuum Theory has been used in qualitative nursing research and to what extent it has been integrated in the research process using the Qualitative Network for Theory Use and Methodology (QUANTUM).

Background

Theory, research and nursing are intrinsically linked, as are decision-making and nursing practice. With increasing pressure on nurses to improve patient outcomes, systematic knowledge regarding decision-making is critical and urgent.

Design

A meta-aggregative systematic review.

Methods

Databases

CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Embase and PubMed were searched from inception until May 2022 for peer-reviewed research published in English.

Seven studies were included and assessed for methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for qualitative research. A meta-aggregative synthesis was conducted using Joanna Briggs methodology. The QUANTUM typology was used to evaluate the visibility of the Cognitive Continuum Theory in the research process.

Results

The review identified five synthesised findings, namely: 1. the decision-making capacity of the individual nurse, 2. nurses’ level of experience, 3. availability of decision support tools, 4. the availability of resources and 5. access to senior staff and peers. Only two of seven studies rigorously applied the theory. The included studies were mainly descriptive-exploratory in nature.

Conclusion

The transferability of the Cognitive Continuum Theory was demonstrated; however, evolution or critique was absent. A gap in the provision of a patient-centric approach to decision-making was identified. Education, support and research is needed to assist decision-making.

A new Person-Centred Nursing Model of the Cognitive Continuum Theory has been proposed to guide future research in clinical decision-making.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Nurses make numerous decisions every day that directly impact patient care, therefore development and testing of new theories, modification and revision of older theories to reflect advances in knowledge and technology in contemporary health care are essential.

Needs, barriers and facilitators for a healthier lifestyle in haemodialysis patients: The GoodRENal project

Abstract

Background

Malnutrition, sedentary lifestyle, cognitive dysfunction and poor psychological well-being are often reported in patients on haemodialysis (HD).

Aims

We aimed to explore needs, barriers and facilitators—as perceived by patients, their carers, and healthcare professionals (HCPs) for increasing the adherence to the diet, to physical activity and cognition and psychological well-being.

Methods

This is an observational cross-sectional study following the STROBE statement. This study is part of an ERASMUS+ project, GoodRENal—aiming to develop digital tools as an educational approach to patients on HD. For that, the GoodRENal comprises HD centers located in four Belgium, Greece, Spain and Sweden. Exploratory questionnaires were developed regarding the perceived needs, barriers and facilitators regarding the diet, physical activity, cognition and psychological well-being from the perspective of patients, their carers and HCPs.

Results

In total, 38 patients, 34 carers and 38 HCPs were included. Nutrition: For patients and carers, the main needs to adhere to the diet included learning more about nutrients and minerals. For patients, the main barrier was not being able to eat what they like. Physical activity: As needs it was reported information about type of appropriate physical activity, while fatigue was listed as the main barrier. For Cognitive and emotional state, it was perceived as positive for patients and carers perception but not for HCPs. The HCPs identified as needs working as a team, having access to specialised HCP and being able to talk to patients in private.

Conclusions

Patients and their carers listed as needs guidance regarding nutrition and physical activity but were positive with their cognitive and emotional state. The HCPs corroborated these needs and emphasised the importance of teamwork and expert support.

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses: A systematic review and meta‐analyses

Abstract

Background

Several studies have reported the prevalence of overweight and obesity in various countries but the global prevalence of nurses with overweight and obesity remains unclear. A consolidation of figures globally can help stakeholders worldwide improve workforce development and healthcare service delivery.

Objective

To investigate the global prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses.

Design

Systematic review with meta-analysis.

Setting

29 different countries across the WHO-classified geographical region.

Participants

Nurses.

Methods

Eight electronic databases were searched for articles published from inception to January 2023. Two independent reviewers performed the article screening, methodological appraisal and data extraction. Methodological appraisal was conducted using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Inter-rater agreement was measured using Cohen's Kappa. Meta-analyses were conducted to pool the effect sizes on overweight, obesity and waist circumference using random effects model and adjusted using generalised linear mixed models and Hartung–Knapp method. Logit transformation was employed to stabilise the prevalence variance. Subgroup analyses were performed based on methodological quality and geographical regions. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic.

Results

Among 10,587 studies, 83 studies representing 158,775 nurses across 29 countries were included. Based on BMI, the global prevalence of overweight and obesity were 31.2% (n = 55, 95% CI: 29%–33.5%; p < .01) and 16.3% (n = 76, 95% CI: 13.7%–19.3%, p < .01), respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated that the highest prevalence of overweight was in Eastern Mediterranean (n = 9, 37.2%, 95% CI: 33.1%–41.4%) and that of obesity was in South-East Asia (n = 5, 26.4%, 95% CI: 5.3%–69.9%). NOS classification, NOS scores, sample size and the year of data collected were not significant moderators.

Conclusions

This review indicated the global prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses along with the differences between regions. Healthcare organisations and policymakers should appreciate this increased risk and improve working conditions and environments for nurses to better maintain their metabolic health.

Patient or Public Contribution

Not applicable as this is a systematic review.

Registration

PROSPERO (ref: CRD42023403785) https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=403785.

Tweetable Abstract

High prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses worldwide.

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