Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a progressive life-limiting condition that necessitates early implementation of advance care planning (ACP). However, patients and caregivers encounter emotional, informational, and cultural barriers to effective ACP engagement. This meta-synthesis consolidates qualitative evidence to deepen our understanding of ACP practices in CHF care.
This study aimed to explore experiences of CHF patients and their caregivers in ACP, which is defined as a proactive decision-making process to establish future treatment plans based on patients' values. The study also aimed to identify barriers and facilitators influencing ACP decisions and assess the impact of flexible, personalized ACP approaches on care quality.
Using qualitative meta-synthesis, we analyzed 10 qualitative studies on CHF patients' and caregivers' ACP experiences. Data were thematically synthesized to identify emotional, relational, and practical factors that influence engagement in ACP.
Three themes emerged: (1) heart failure patients and caregivers face difficulties in ACP (difficulties from patients, difficulties from the family, and difficulties from the society), (2) multidimensional drivers and impacts of ACP (advance care planning drivers, acceptance and implementation of ACP, emotions and effects of ACP), (3) flexible, personalized ACP delivers tangible benefits (timing and effectiveness of ACP discussions, patients and caregivers have personalized needs for ACP, and patients and caregivers affirm ACP benefits).
ACP plays a critical role in improving end-of-life care quality and reducing emotional and decision-making burdens on caregivers. Flexible and personalized ACP strategies supported by trained healthcare professionals more effectively meet the unique needs of patients and families. To overcome persistent barriers and promote broader ACP adoption, healthcare systems should prioritize provider communication training, ACP education, and support systems tailored to diverse cultural contexts.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential for clinical decision-making, integrating the best available evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder values. In Italy, interest in EBP is growing, and a key step in its promotion is adopting tools to assess nurses' beliefs and behaviors toward EBP. While the EBP Beliefs Scale has been translated and validated in multiple languages, it has yet to be adapted for the Italian context.
This study aims to adapt EBP measurement tools for the Italian context and evaluate their psychometric properties.
This study used an observational cross-sectional design. The process of cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and validation was adopted. A panel of experts culturally adapted the Beliefs Scales (long and short version) through the item and scale content validity (I-CVI, S-CVI). To test the psychometric properties, 409 nurses were asked to complete the two scales. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the factor structure within the Italian context. Convergent validity between the long and short versions of the scale was assessed using the correlation coefficient (r), and the reliability was assessed by computing Cronbach's alpha.
The I-CVI and S-CVI for the long and short version ranged from 0.75 to 1.00. The CFA model performed for the long and short version reported a good fit without the need for further refinements. The Cronbach's alpha was higher than 0.80 for both scales. The correlation of 0.615 (p < 0.01) indicated a moderate to strong positive relationship supporting the convergent validity of the short version in relation to the long version.
In time-constrained settings, the short scale should be utilized for efficient assessments and longitudinal tracking of changes. The long version serves as a complementary tool for in-depth analysis, facilitating a deeper understanding of underlying factors and informing targeted interventions to address specific barriers.
Clinicians face challenges in implementing evidence-based practices due to limited resources and tools that can support their efforts in translating evidence into practice. To address this, JBI developed PACES (Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System), an online tool designed to streamline and support evidence implementation and quality improvement projects.
This paper reports the development of JBI-PACES and presents an evaluation of its usability (usefulness, satisfaction, ease of use) and user recommendations for improvements.
PACES was developed based on the integration of the Donabedian perspective on quality improvement and JBI's process model for evidence implementation, which incorporates context evaluation, facilitation of change, and the evaluation of both process and outcomes. Initially launched in 2004, the system underwent multiple enhancements based on informal user feedback from 2007 to 2017. A significant update, version 0.0.23 Build 1, was re-launched in late 2018. To evaluate its usability, we conducted a cross-sectional study using the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), which also gathered qualitative feedback.
PACES supports evidence implementation by allowing users to conduct audits across multiple sites and over time, enabling data comparisons and insights into clinical practices. Findings from the usability evaluation showed high levels of satisfaction with the system's usefulness and ease of use. However, qualitative data indicated areas where further enhancements could optimize user experience and functionality.
The current study suggests clear benefits of PACES in terms of its utility and value for supporting evidence-based practices. Although the system performs well in usability, ongoing refinements are necessary to optimize user experience and ensure the tool continues to meet the evolving needs of healthcare professionals.
Stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy can adversely affect maternal, fetal, and child health. To alleviate these symptoms, nonpharmacological interventions have been increasingly utilized as supportive approaches.
To compare nonpharmacological interventions and determine their effectiveness in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression levels during pregnancy.
This systematic review adheres to the network meta-analysis extension for the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis 2015 statement for design and reporting. The included studies were comprised of quasi-randomized and randomized controlled trials that aimed to assess the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions on stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Statistical analysis was conducted using the “mvmeta” package in Stata/SE 15. PubMed, APA PsycNET, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched for randomized controlled trials up to December 2021.
This star network meta-analysis included 38 trials with 3555 pregnant women and eight nonpharmacological interventions for stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings indicate that spiritual meditation was the most effective intervention in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy. Mindfulness-based stress reduction was identified as another effective intervention specifically for reducing stress. Furthermore, during pregnancy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was found to be the second most effective intervention in reducing depression.
Our research showed that spiritual meditation might be the most effective intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women. Health professionals could consider recommending spiritual meditation as a complementary therapy to pregnant women to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: CRD42021261089
Prior international collaborative studies indicated that job satisfaction, a factor of nursing work wellbeing (WWB), is closely linked to retention, with notable cross-country differences. However, limited regional comparisons, especially between Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), North America, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), restrict understanding of nurse wellbeing and retention regional impacts, limiting tailored strategy development.
This secondary analysis study compared the effects of region on nursing WWB and job satisfaction factors in CEE, MENA, and North America, aiming to identify those CEE region-specific predictors associated with and effects on job satisfaction and, in turn, WWB.
CEE (n = 1616), MENA (n = 1562), and North America (n = 1386) data were analyzed using descriptive and linear regression analytics (p < 0.001). The CEE sample included nursing staff from Croatian (n = 301), Polish (n = 215), Serbian (n = 489), and Slovenian (n = 611) nurses and nursing assistants. Six job satisfaction factors were examined: coworkers, patient care, participative management, autonomy, professional growth, and organizational rewards.
The CEE region reported statistically significant lower mean scores and negative effects across all six job satisfaction factors compared to MENA and North America. Satisfaction with coworkers had the largest effect within the CEE region when compared to MENA and North America (ϐ = −0.26), while satisfaction with participative management had the smallest regional effect (ϐ = −0.10). Findings informed operational discussions for CEE-targeted retention interventions.
Job satisfaction subscale factors facilitate the identification of empirically- and theoretically-informed operational actions to improve CEE nursing job satisfaction as an important factor of WWB and contribute to nursing retention.
A good adherence to pharmacological treatment in chronic pathologies such as type 2 diabetes and clinical depression is essential to improve illness prognosis.
The main goal of the TELE-DD study was to analyze the effectiveness of a telephone, psychoeducational, and individualized intervention carried out by nurses in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and comorbid clinical depression with prior nonadherence to pharmacological treatment. In this paper, we describe and analyze secondary outcomes of the trial intervention.
A prospective cohort study was used to assess the effectiveness of a telephonic intervention (IG) in n = 191 participants with a similar control group (CG). Adherence to pharmacological treatment was assessed using the patient's self-perceived adherence questionnaire. In addition to clinical (HbAc1, HDL, LDL), physical (body mass index, blood pressure) and psychological measures (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 affective state), and psychosocial distress due to Diabetes Distress Scale Questionnaire at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of follow-up were also analyzed.
The proportion of “Total Adherents” in the IG was higher throughout the study. This was particularly true at month 18 of the intervention. Self-perceived adherence rates increased by 27.1% in the IG and by 1.1% in the CG. Results of clinical and physical measures were higher in the IG than in the CG at month 18 of the intervention.
The interview based on positive reinforcement as well as individualized attention and flexibility in making telephone calls and dissemination of the intervention in the media closest to the patients were key to achieving good participation and collaboration as well as continuity in adherence to treatment and self-care.
Many mothers experience poor psychological outcomes during their perinatal period. The presence of depression and anxiety has a significant adverse impact on the mother's health and the infant's development.
This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of peer support interventions in improving depression, anxiety, and perceived social support among mothers during the perinatal period.
This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The reporting of this review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020. Cochrane's Risk of Bias Tool for randomized controlled trials was used to examine the methodological quality of the included studies. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. A comprehensive search was conducted from inception till May 2024 across seven databases: Pubmed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, ProQuest, PsycINFO, and Embase.
The results of the meta-analysis of the 12 included studies showed that peer support interventions could reduce depression and anxiety levels but not perceived social support levels. Sub-group analyses based on the mode of intervention delivery showed significant reductions on depression levels in online and face-to-face groups but not telephone call groups. Follow-up data analyses showed that peer support interventions could improve depression, anxiety, and perceived social support across a duration of 1–6 months post-intervention.
This review provides a deeper understanding of the effect of peer support interventions on mothers in the perinatal period. This can have a positive impact on current knowledge aimed at improving the well-being of mothers and thus, their infants, partners, and entire family unit. Findings showed that peer support interventions can positively improve psychological well-being of mothers in the perinatal period in the short and long term. Peer support can ultimately be considered as a standardized part of perinatal care. Future recommendations include implementing a combination of face-to-face and online approaches to peer support interventions delivered with both individual and group components.
Delirium is a common complication among adults. It is essential to improve the outcomes of delirium.
To systematically synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of the nurse-led non-pharmacological interventions on outcomes of delirium in adults.
Electronic databases including CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Clinical Trial Registration were searched comprehensively by the authors. The authors reviewed the full text and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan and Stata software. The forest plots showed the overall effect of the included study and the I 2 test was used to assess the degree of heterogeneity between studies. Random effects models were used to analyze studies with significant heterogeneity.
A total of 32 studies (10,122 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. Nurse-led non-pharmacological interventions resulted in a significantly lower incidence of delirium compared with the usual care/control group (risk ratio = 0.74, p < .001) and reduced mortality in the hospital compared with usual care (risk ratio = 0.81, p = .04). However, the implementation of nurse-led, non-pharmacological interventions had no significant effect on the duration, severity of delirium, or length of hospital stay.
Our findings suggest that the nurse-led, non-pharmacological strategy was effective in reducing the incidence of delirium and mortality in the hospital. Multicomponent interventions were the most effective strategy for reducing the incidence of delirium in adults.
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.
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.
Missed nursing care is defined as care that is delayed, partially completed, or not completed at all. The scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced multifactorial determinants related to the care environment, nursing processes, internal processes, and decision-making processes, increasing missed nursing care.
This scoping review aimed to establish the quantity and type of research undertaken on missed nursing care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, two national and regional databases, two dissertations and theses databases, a gray literature database, two study registers, and a search engine from November 1, 2019, to March 23, 2023. We included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies carried out in all healthcare settings that examined missed nursing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Language restrictions were not applied. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection and data extraction. Disagreements between the reviewers were resolved through discussion or with an additional reviewer.
We included 25 studies with different designs, the most common being acute care cross-sectional survey designs. Studies focused on determining the frequency and reasons for missed nursing care and its influence on nurses and organizational outcomes.
Missed nursing care studies during the COVID-19 pandemic were essentially nurses-based prevalence surveys. There is an urgent need to advance the design and development of longitudinal and intervention studies, as well as to broaden the focus of research beyond acute care. Further research is needed to determine the impact of missed nursing care on nursing-sensitive outcomes and from the patient's perspective.