This study aimed to examine the level of vicarious posttraumatic growth among intensive care unit nurses in China and explore the mediating role of death coping ability in the relationship between moral resilience and vicarious posttraumatic growth.
A multicentre, cross-sectional study was conducted in accordance with the STROBE guidelines.
Between January and March 2025, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 666 intensive care unit nurses from nine tertiary Grade A hospitals across five provinces in China. Participants completed three standardised instruments: the Rushton Moral Resilience Scale, the Coping with Death Scale–Short Version, and the Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. We used IBM SPSS 27.0 for descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and correlation analyses, and employed AMOS 27.0 to perform structural equation modelling for testing mediation effects.
Intensive care unit nurses demonstrated a moderate level of vicarious posttraumatic growth. Moral resilience was positively associated with both death coping ability and vicarious posttraumatic growth. Death coping ability was found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between moral resilience and vicarious posttraumatic growth.
Moral resilience and death coping ability are key factors associated with vicarious posttraumatic growth among intensive care unit nurses. Nurses with stronger moral resilience are more likely to cope constructively with death-related stress, which may support psychological growth in trauma-intensive environments.
This study highlights the need to enhance intensive care unit nurses' moral and emotional capacities through ethics education, emotional coping training, and institutional support strategies. Strengthening these competencies may foster professional development and mental wellbeing in critical care settings.
by Bijuan Chen, Zhouwei Zhan, Sisi Yu, Jiali Huang, Chuying Chen, Jie Wang, Jianji Pan, Shaojun Lin, Yun Xu
BackgroundLaryngeal cancer attributable to occupational asbestos exposure remains a significant public health concern, particularly in industrialized regions. This study analyzes the burden, trends, and contributing factors of laryngeal cancer due to asbestos exposure in China from 1990 to 2021.
MethodsData were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (1990–2021). We analyzed age-standardized death rates, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs). Temporal trends were assessed using joinpoint and decomposition analyses, and an age-period-cohort (APC) model was applied to examine mortality and DALY trends across different cohorts.
ResultsIn 2021, there were 234 deaths and 4,430 DALYs due to laryngeal cancer attributable to occupational asbestos exposure, predominantly affecting males. Mortality rates declined from 1990 to 2008, followed by a rise until 2012, and a subsequent decline. YLDs showed a consistent increase over time. APC analysis revealed higher mortality and DALY rates in older age groups and earlier birth cohorts. Decomposition analysis indicated that epidemiological changes were the largest driver of increased deaths in men, followed by population growth and aging. For DALYs, aging and population growth were key drivers, while epidemiological changes mitigated the burden.
ConclusionsThe burden of laryngeal cancer attributable to asbestos exposure has declined overall, but disability rates continue to rise, particularly among males. Effective strategies targeting prevention, early detection, and management of asbestos exposure are needed to reduce the disease burden in China.
The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) predicts adverse outcomes in chronic diseases, but its prognostic value for major adverse limb events (MALE) in elderly patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains unverified; thus, this study aimed to establish the association between GNRI and MALE.
A multicenter, prospective study.
From January 2021 to August 2022, 1200 patients with PAD aged ≥ 60 years were enrolled. Patients were stratified by GNRI value (At-risk group: ≤ 98 vs. No-risk group: > 98). Data were analysed through Kaplan–Meier curves, multivariable Cox regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) modelling, and subgroup analyses.
Among 1036 completers (13.7% attrition rate), 275 (26.5%) developed MALE during a mean follow-up of 18.9 ± 8.0 months. Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated significantly higher MALE incidence in patients in the At-risk group (log-rank p < 0.001). Adjusted Cox models revealed a 45% increased MALE risk in patients in the At-risk group (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12–1.86, p = 0.005). RCS identified a non-linear L-shaped relationship (p = 0.006) with inflection at GNRI = 95: Below 95, each 1-unit GNRI increase reduced MALE risk by 9% (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.88–0.95, p < 0.001), while no significant association existed above 95. Subgroup analyses confirmed consistency across subgroups (all p-interaction > 0.05).
GNRI exhibits a non-linear L-shaped association with MALE risk in elderly patients with PAD, demonstrating critical prognostic utility below the 95 inflection point. Routine GNRI monitoring should be prioritised for patients with GNRI < 95 to guide preventive interventions.
GNRI should be incorporated as a routine risk assessment tool for elderly patients with PAD, with particular vigilance required for those with GNRI < 95. Prioritising nutritional screening and intervention in patients with GNRI < 95 may potentially improve clinical outcomes.
Patients contributed to this study by completing follow-up assessments.
This study followed the STROBE guidelines.
This study aims to investigate the levels of emotional intelligence, nurses' perceived professional benefits, and spiritual care competency among ICU nurses, explore the correlations among these three variables, and further analyse the mediating role of perceived professional benefits between emotional intelligence and spiritual care competency.
A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted following the STROBE guidelines.
From January to March 2024, 568 ICU nurses from seven tertiary hospitals in China completed an online questionnaire including demographic items, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Nurses' Perceived Professional Benefits Questionnaire, and the Spiritual Care Competency Scale. Data were analysed using SPSS 27.0 and Amos 27.0. Pearson correlation, structural equation modelling (SEM), and bootstrap analysis (5000 samples) were used to test associations and mediation effects.
ICU nurses reported above-average scores in EI, NPPB, and SCC. EI was positively associated with both NPPB and SCC, and NPPB partially mediated the relationship between EI and SCC.
EI significantly contributes to ICU nurses' SCC both directly and indirectly through NPPB. These findings highlight the psychological mechanisms that support competency in spiritual care.
Nursing managers are encouraged to implement structured training programmes focusing on emotional regulation and professional value reinforcement, which may effectively enhance SCC and improve holistic care quality in ICU settings.
Not applicable.
To identify whether cognitive appraisal and coping style have moderating and mediating effects on the relationship between family resilience and quality of life (QoL) in patients with acute leukaemia (AL).
AL is a clonal and aggressive haematological malignancy that requires long-term and continuous therapy, which may negatively influence QoL. Family resilience can be used as a psychosocial resource that may enhance patients' coping processes and QoL.
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among hospitalised patients with AL from June 2022 to June 2023.
A cross-sectional study was performed following the STROBE Statement. Convenience sampling was used in the present study, and 286 patients were recruited from five tertiary Grade A hospitals in Xi'an, China. The questionnaires included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu), the Cognitive Appraisal of Health Scale (CAHS), the Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ) and the Family Hardiness Index (FHI). We used SPSS 26.0 and Hayes' PROCESS macro for data analyses and path coefficients.
The QoL of patients with AL was significantly positively correlated with family resilience and positive coping, and negatively correlated with cognitive appraisal. Cognitive appraisal partially mediated the relationship between family resilience and QoL. Positive coping moderated the relationships between family resilience and cognitive appraisal, and between cognitive appraisal and QoL.
The results revealed that the association between family resilience and QoL was partially mediated by cognitive appraisal and that positive coping moderated this relationship. These findings are meaningful for early interventions that reduce the risk of psychosocial distress and improve QoL in this population.
Nurses should focus on the cognitive appraisal and coping style of AL patients and provide family support and respect to improve their QoL.
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients with AL undergoing clinical chemotherapy in Chinese medical facilities.
To explore the effectiveness of dyadic intervention on the psychological distress of cancer patients and their partners.
Cancer patients and their partners demonstrated high levels of psychological distress. However, the effects of dyadic intervention on psychological distress were unclear.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement.
A systematic search on couple-based dyadic intervention for cancer patients and their partners was carried out across eight databases. Our review adhered to the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool as its foundational framework, and data extraction and analysis followed standardised checklists for quantitative research studies.
No statistically significant effects were reported on patients' anxiety, depressive symptoms, or cancer-related distress. However, subgroup analysis revealed that interventions lasting 6 or 12 weeks had positive effects on patients' cancer-related distress. Significant reductions in cancer-related distress scores were only observed when interventions included communication and support (CS) and skill building (SB) components, however. Additionally, patients experienced higher distress levels with less than six interventions or session durations shorter than 6 h. For partners, couple-based dyadic interventions significantly reduced their anxiety and depressive symptom levels.
Couple-based dyadic interventions, with either 6- or 12-week durations, or encompassing both CS and SB components, demonstrated significantly positive effectiveness on patients' psychological distress. Couple-based dyadic interventions also exhibited a propensity for alleviating psychological distress in both cancer patients and their partners, with a more pronounced impact observed among partners.
This meta-analysis highlights the effectiveness of dyadic interventions in reducing psychological distress in cancer patients and their partners. Healthcare professionals should incorporate these interventions into their care practices.
Direct contributions from patients or the public were not included in this review.
PROSPERO number: CRD42023418978; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=418978
Pressure ulcers are a common complication of prone orthopaedic surgery, causing pain and inconvenience to patients. This study aimed to evaluate a comprehensive nursing intervention for pressure ulcer formation in these patients. A total of 120 patients undergoing prone orthopaedic surgery were randomly divided into two groups. The study group (60 patients) received a comprehensive nursing intervention, whereas the control group (60 patients) received a routine nursing intervention. After 2 weeks, the comprehensive nursing intervention significantly reduced the incidence and degree of pressure sores and led to a shorter recovery time than the routine nursing intervention (p < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative wound complications was decreased, and patient satisfaction was significantly improved (p < 0.05). The Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale and visual analogue scale scores of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group, and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire scores were higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). A comprehensive nursing intervention can significantly reduce the incidence and degree of pressure ulcers, accelerate recovery time, reduce postoperative wound complications and improve the quality of life and satisfaction of patients undergoing prone orthopaedic surgery.
Wound complications after surgery for ankle fractures can lead to catastrophic consequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fracture and to determine their effects on prognosis. 200 patients with ankle fracture treated in our hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were analysed retrospectively. The total incidence of postoperative wound complications was 19% (38/200). Type of complications: wound edge necrosis 15 cases (39.47%), dehiscence (reopening of wound) 13 cases (34.21%), delayed healing (>30 days) 10 cases (26.32%); Univariate analysis showed that patients' age, body mass index (BMI), current smoking, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, injury mechanism, open fracture, wound classification, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and operation time were all associated with postoperative wound complications. Multivariate Logistic regression model shows: age ≥60 years old OR3.671 (1.875–5.937), BMI OR1.198 (1.143–1.324), current smoking OR2.727 (1.251–5.602), alcoholism OR1.143 (1.034–1.267), complicated with diabetes OR2.763 (1.236–4.852), injury mechanism (high vs. low and medium energy) OR2.437 (1.238–4.786), open fracture OR1.943 (1.8262.139), wound classification (II vs. I) OR4.423 (1.73511.674), ASA score (III–IV vs. I–II) OR1.307 (1.113–2.194) was an independent risk factor for postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fracture. Further, ROC curves showed that these nine independent influences had high accuracy and validity in predicting postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fractures. In conclusion, independent risk factors for postoperative complications of ankle fracture were age >60 years, BMI, injury mechanism, open fracture, wound classification (II vs. I), ASA score, current smoking, and alcoholism. The wound classification (II vs. I) has the highest diagnostic value.
Pilonidal sinus disease (PSD), a chronic inflammatory disease, affects the sacrococcygeal soft tissue, especially in young adults. The ideal treatment for PSD remains divergence. This study evaluated the application of a simplified modified Limberg flap combined with vacuum-assisted closure for treating PSD.
This prospective study was conducted from 1 June 2017 to 31 March 2022 in Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. The study included 88 male patients (91.7%) and 8 female patients (8.3%). The 96 patients ranged in age from 15 to 34 years (mean ± SD, 23 ± 4.4). Under general anaesthesia, all patients underwent simplified modified Limberg flap reconstruction with vacuum-assisted closure. The patient's weight, surgical time, extubation time, hospital stay, time to return to normal life or work, wound infection, wound dehiscence and recurrence rate were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and the Vancouver scar score were used to score patients' pain and scars in the surgical area.
The volume of resected diseased tissue was 13.5–120 (mean ± SD, 34.993 ± 24.406) cm2. The average surgical time during the treatment period was 97.68 ± 18.72 min, and the average extubation time was (6.36 ± 1.55) days, the mean hospital stay was 19.4 days; no patients were lost to follow-up. None of the patients experienced post-operative recurrence, wound infection, seroma or hematoma. Six patients (6.3%) experienced wound dehiscence at the flap tip around the natal cleft. The mean time to the resumption of daily activities was 26.3 days. The average VAS pain score was (6.00 ± 1.53) points, and the average Vancouver scar score was (5.96 ± 1.51) points, 12 patients (12.5%) were dissatisfied with their aesthetic results, and the average beauty satisfaction score is (6.64 ± 1.28) points.
Simplified modified Limberg flap reconstruction with vacuum-assisted closure surgery is an effective and innovative method for the treatment of PSD, with a low recurrence rate and rapid recovery.
This study aimed to explore the association between metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and ulcer recurrence risk in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) through an ambispective longitudinal cohort. From December 2013 to December 2022, a total of 482 inpatients with DFUs (PEDIS grade 3 and above with a severe infection) were eligible for inclusion in this study. This was an ambispective longitudinal cohort study. All participants were followed up every 6 months for 9 years with a median of 36 months. According to whether having MAFLD or not, all subjects were placed into two groups: non-MAFLD (n = 351) and MAFLD (n = 131). The association between MAFLD and ulcer recurrence in patients with DFUs was then evaluated through multivariate Cox regression analysis, stratified analyses and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Throughout the follow-up period, out of 482 subjects with DFUs, 68 had ulcer recurrence (14.1%). Three Cox regression models were established for data analyses. In the model I (unadjusted), MAFLD was significantly associated with the ulcer recurrence rate in patients with DFUs (HR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.097–2.92; p = 0.02). Model II (adjusted model I with gender and age) (HR = 1.781; 95% CI = 1.09–2.912; p = 0.021) and model III (adjusted model II with CVD, duration of diabetes and Cr.) (HR = 1.743; 95% CI = 1.065–2.855; p = 0.027) also showed that MAFLD was significantly related to the ulcer recurrence risk in patients with DFUs, respectively. Stratified analysis indicated that subjects aged ≥60 had a greater risk of ulcer recurrence in MAFLD than in non-MAFLD (HR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.268–4.206; p = 0.006). Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis showed that ulcer recurrence rate had a significant association with MAFLD (log-rank, p = 0.018). This study indicated a close association between ulcer recurrence risk and MAFLD in patients with DFUs, especially in the elderly (aged ≥60). Therefore, special attention should be paid to the elderly with both DFUs and MAFLD because they have a higher ulcer recurrence rate than other general populations in routine clinical practice.
Operative site wound infection is one of the most frequent infections in surgery. A variety of studies have shown that the results of laparoscopy might be superior to those of an open procedure. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of clarity as to whether there is a difference between open and laparoscopy with respect to the occurrence of wound infections in different paediatric operations. In this review, we looked at randomized, controlled studies that directly measured the rate of wound infection following an appendectomy with a laparoscope. We looked up four main databases for randomized, controlled studies that compare the treatment of paediatric appendicitis with laparoscopy. The surgeries included appendectomy. Through our search, we have determined 323 related papers and selected five qualified ones to be analysed according to the eligibility criteria. Five trials were also assessed for the quality of the documents. In the 5 trials, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of post-operative wound infection among the paediatric appendectomy and the open-access group (odds ratio [OR], 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34–1.15, p = 0.13). The four trials did not show any statistically significant difference in abdominal abscesses among the laparoscopic and open-access treatment groups (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.90–3.01, p = 0.11). The four trials did not reveal any statistically significant difference in operating time (mean difference, −4.36; 95% CI, −17.31 to 8.59, p = 0.51). In light of these findings, the use of laparoscopy as compared with the open-approach approach in paediatric appendectomies is not associated with a reduction in the risk of wound infection.
Ultrasound (US) has traditionally been recognised for its imaging capabilities, but its emerging role as a therapeutic modality in postoperative wound management, especially in paediatric care, has garnered significant attention. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the influence of US on postoperative wound healing and infection rates in paediatric patients. From an initial pool of 1236 articles, seven were deemed suitable for inclusion. Postoperative wound healing was assessed using the Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, and Approximation (REEDA) scale. Notably, there was a significant difference in wound healing patterns between the US-treated and control groups (I 2 = 94%, standardized mean difference [SMD]: −4.60, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: −6.32 to −2.88, p < 0.01), as illustrated in Figure 4. Additionally, a marked difference in wound infection rates was observed between the groups (I 2 = 93%, SMD: −5.86, 95% CIs: −9.04 to −2.68, p < 0.01), as portrayed in Figure 5. The findings underscore the potential benefits of US in enhancing postoperative wound healing and reducing infection rates in paediatric surgical settings. However, the application of US should be judicious, considering the nuances of individual patient needs and clinical contexts.
This meta-analysis evaluated the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nursing on the incidence surgical site wound infection in older adults with hip fractures. The PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and VIP databases were searched from inception up to March 2023 for articles on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of ERAS nursing on surgical site wound infection in older adults with hip fractures. Patients in the experimental group received ERAS nursing, and patients in the control group received conventional postoperative nursing. Two researchers independently completed literature screening and data extraction. The included articles were evaluated according to Cochrane quality assessment standards and the meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 17.0 software to calculate the effect sizes and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Twelve RCTs were included with 1117 patients, including 559 in the experimental group and 558 in the control group. In older adults with hip fractures, ERAS nursing reduced the risk of surgical site wound infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.11–0.58, p = 0.001) and postoperative complications (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.14–0.33, p < 0.001), and reduced the length of hospital stay (mean difference: −4.04 days, 95% CI: −4.33 to −3.76 days, p < 0.001). In older adults with hip fractures, ERAS nursing reduces the incidence of surgical site infection and complications and shortens the length of hospital stay.
Widespread and sustained adoption of telemedicine in long-term residential care is emerging. Nursing home (NH) nurses play a key role in collaborating with remote physicians to manage residents' medical conditions through videoconferencing. Therefore, understanding of interprofessional collaboration and effective communication between nurses and physicians is critical to ensure quality of care and safety during teleconsultations.
To explore NH nurses' and physicians' experiences of interprofessional collaboration and communication during teleconsultations.
A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Purposive sampling was conducted to recruit 22 physicians and nurses involved in NH teleconsultations. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted, and data were thematically analyzed.
Three themes were identified: (1) Manner of communication in telemedicine, (2) sociocultural influences in collaborative practice, and (3) role expectations in telemedicine. Both nurses and physicians recognized the importance of building and maintaining trust as physicians heavily depended on nurses for provision of objective information for clinical decision-making. However, practice differences were observed between nurses and physicians during teleconsultations. Sociocultural influences such as power relations and language barriers also affected the nurse–physician relationship and interpersonal communication. Additionally, different performance expectations were identified between nurses and physicians.
Interprofessional collaboration in teleconsultations is challenging because of lack of in-person assessment and dependence on nurses for clinical information. In addition, expectations and communication styles differ among healthcare professionals. This study called for interprofessional telemedicine training with incorporation of shared mental models to improve role clarity and communication. Given the international-dominated healthcare workforce in long-term care, the development of cultural competency could also be considered in telemedicine training to enhance nurse–physician collaborative practice.
Telemedicine is increasingly adopted in long-term care settings, where multidisciplinary healthcare professionals from different health institutions are involved in resident care. Interprofessional collaboration should be incorporated into telehealth education for enhanced clinical practice in this care delivery model.