Journal of advanced nursing
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To describe the frequency of four frailty-related risk factors in a cohort of older adults visited by community nurses in Dublin, Ireland. ⋯ This study results suggest that dependency in activities of daily living (an outcome of frailty) is strongly associated with a decreased likelihood of living alone and increased likelihood of referring oneself to community nursing services. Further research is necessary to examine how frailty screening in the referral process may enhance identification of older adults' community nursing needs in Dublin, Ireland.
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To report an analysis of the concept of the unsayable. ⋯ Although literature on the unsayable has been developed primarily outside the discipline of nursing, exploration of the concept within nursing may assist nurses to consider situations and experiences that are challenging, elusive, and perhaps impossible for patients to language while living amid illness.
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To report a correlational study of the relation between team learning activities and implementation-effectiveness of innovations in nursing teams. ⋯ In nursing teams, team learning activities that relate to the production of nursing care affect the implementation of an incremental innovation. The implementation of a radical innovation is effected by team learning activities that relate to the development of the provided nursing care.
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To present a discussion of precepting through the use of symbolic interactionism as exemplified by findings from an ethnographic study. ⋯ Symbolic interactionism can serve as a potential theory that will expand the understanding of and give new perspectives of nursing practice. It would therefore be encouraging to see further testing of suitable theories to interpret empirical findings and create opportunities for practice improvement.
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To synthesize outcomes from research on handoffs to guide future computerization of the process on medical and surgical units. ⋯ Studies about handoff functions and rituals are saturated topics. Verbal handoffs serve important functions beyond information transfer and should be retained. Greater consideration is needed on analysing handoffs from a patient-centred perspective. Handoff methods should be highly tailored to nurses and their contextual needs. The current preference for bedside handoffs is not supported by available evidence. The specific handoff structure for all units may be less important than having a structure for contextually based handoffs. Research on pertinent information content for contextually based handoffs is an urgent need. Without it, handoff computerization is not likely to be successful. Researchers need to use more sophisticated experimental research designs, control for individual and unit differences and improve sampling frames.