To assess the impact of a nurse-led remote secondary cardiovascular prevention programme versus usual follow-up in patients who have suffered an acute coronary syndrome in terms of major adverse clinical events (MACE), diet, physical exercise, smoking, emotional state, adherence to medical treatment, cardiometabolic profile and anthropometric parameters within one year of discharge.
Prospective, randomised, open-label, evaluator-blinded, multicentre trial.
Between October 17, 2017, and February 5, 2023, patients were randomly assigned to either a usual follow-up of two cardiology visits over 12 months or the nurse-led remote secondary cardiovascular prevention programme, which also included 5 nursing visits (one face-to-face and four remote).
At 12 months, the nurse-led remote prevention programme group (interventional group) had lower smoking rates, greater adherence to medication, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, more physical activity, and better perceived health status compared to the usual follow-up group. The interventional group demonstrated a reduction in major adverse clinical events (20.7%) compared to the usual follow-up group (12.4%). This reduction was observed particularly in Acute Coronary Syndrome recurrence, all-cause hospitalisation, and hospitalisation for cardiovascular causes.
Patients randomised to the nurse-led remote prevention programme showed a significant reduction of the MACE, improved lifestyle, and medication adherence at 12 months compared to the usual follow-up group.
This study illustrates the feasibility and efficacy of a remote secondary cardiovascular prevention programme led by advanced practice nurses in patients who have suffered an Acute Coronary Syndrome.
CONSORT.
None.
The study was prospectively registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03234023
To verify the efficacy of virtual reality compared to tablet games for pain and anxiety management in children undergoing percutaneous bone pin and/or suture removal procedures.
Randomised clinical trial using two parallel groups: (1) virtual reality or (2) tablet game.
Three-center, randomised pragmatic clinical trial, using a parallel design with two groups (experimental group: immersive virtual reality; active comparator: tablet games). Children aged 6–17 requiring percutaneous pins and/or sutures were recruited between 2020 and 2022 from three outpatient orthopaedic clinics in paediatric hospitals. Pain was measured with the Numerical Rating Scale and anxiety with the Child Fear Scale before and immediately after the procedure.
A total of 188 participants were assigned to either the virtual reality group (96 participants) or the tablet group (92 participants). At the first assessment, there was no noticeable difference between the two groups in terms of pain or anxiety levels. However, further analysis revealed that participants aged 13 and older in the virtual reality group experienced significantly lower anxiety.
Virtual reality was not more efficacious than games on a tablet for pain and anxiety of children undergoing removal of bone pins or sutures. However, virtual reality demonstrated a benefit in reducing anxiety for teenagers, particularly those aged 13-older.
Virtual reality games provide an immersive, non-pharmacological alternative of for anxiety management of teenagers during pins and/or sutures removal.
This study showed that a virtual reality game may help reduce anxiety during pins and/or sutures removal procedures in patients aged 13 years and older.
We adhered to the CONSORT checklist for reporting results.
A patient partner reviewed the study design, methods and final manuscript.
NCT03680625
The Munich Security Conference 2024 highlighted the complex connections between climate change and global security risks. Engaging students in fighting climate change is a stepping stone to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
To investigate the effect of a video-based climate change program on revitalising eco-cognizance, emotional response, and self-efficacy among nursing students in rural communities.
A randomised controlled trial research design was adopted.
A total of 140 nursing students completed a survey related to the Climate Change Perceptions, the Climate Change Anxiety Scale, and the Environmental Self-Efficacy Scale. The study group engaged in the video-based climate change program, while the comparison group received flyers related to climate change across the globe.
The intervention group significantly improved climate change perception and environmental self-efficacy compared to the control group, with large effect sizes. On the other hand, significantly lower levels of cognitive impairment due to climate change anxiety were recorded among the intervention group compared to the control group.
Our intervention improved nursing students' climate change literacy, pro-environmental attitudes, environmental self-efficacy, and anxiety. Future research may target a variety of university majors and use RCTs nested in a mixed-method design to capture the student experience with climate change before and after the RCT.
This study demonstrated that a comprehensive educational program significantly improved climate literacy, pro-environmental attitudes, and environmental self-efficacy among undergraduate nursing students while reducing climate anxiety. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for enhancing student nurses' ability to translate their scientific understanding into informed decision-making regarding issues like climate change.
Drastic natural disasters, including extreme temperatures, flooding, wildfires and snow and sandstorms, significantly affect populations, including nursing students. Early screening and management of climate change anxiety among university students is recommended as a buffer against upcoming mental health issues. Student counselling services are urged to consider the effect of climate change as a mental health parameter that significantly affects students' psychological and, consequently, academic life and progress. A video-based climate change program (VBCCP) is beneficial for equipping students with climate change literacy. The revitalization of the participant's overall eco-emotional response, pro-environmental behaviour and cognizance signalled the potential of VBCCP as a simulation teaching tool that might be integrated into nursing curriculums. Additionally, VBCCP is a cost-effective strategy that complies with International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) requirements. The VBCCP can be delivered in the conventional classroom environment or through the digital platform without incurring additional costs and in alignment with the definition of simulation provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
No public or patient contributions.
RCT registration: NCT06223412, on 23rd January 2024
To develop the Preschool Children eHealth Cardiac Rehabilitation programme based on the Interaction Model of Client Health Behaviour, and to evaluate its effects on children after congenital heart surgery.
A parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial was conducted.
A total of 84 participants were recruited from July 2022 to June 2023 and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 40) or control group (n = 44). The intervention group participated in a 3-month eHealth Cardiac Rehabilitation programme, while the control group received routine care. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 3 months post baseline (intervention endpoint), and 6 months post baseline. Eighty participants completed the study.
Compared to the intervention group, the control group demonstrated significantly worse outcomes at both 3 and 6 months, including a higher risk of heart failure, lower left ventricular ejection fraction scores, and shorter 6-min walk distance tests. The intervention group engaged in significantly more vigorous physical activity. Significant between group differences were also observed in parental knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and trust levels. Additionally, the proportion of parents experiencing anxiety decreased significantly more in the intervention group by 6 months post baseline.
This pioneering eHealth programme transforms home-based rehabilitation for preschool children with congenital heart disease, addressing a critical gap in accessible and long-term paediatric cardiac rehabilitation care.
The use of eHealth programmes is valuable for improving paediatric cardiac rehabilitation by empowering parents, enhancing care continuity, and reducing barriers to accessing specialised services in paediatric care, especially in areas with limited medical resources.
This study establishes the first validated eHealth framework for family-centred cardiac rehabilitation in preschool children following congenital heart surgery, addressing the critically low uptake of previously home-based rehabilitation. It also provides clinicians with a scalable solution for delivering care in underserved regions lacking access to specialised cardiac services.
This study adhered to the CONSORT checklist guidelines for reporting randomised controlled trials.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
This study was a randomised controlled clinical trial. The research protocol was registered with the China Clinical Trial Registration Center (registration number: ChiCTR2200062022; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=174261).