International journal of nursing practice
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Humour is an integral part of everyday life and therefore a component of the care and treatment of elderly patients in the modern health care. This article deals with the role of humour in aged nursing from the perspective of the nursing home residents. It also describes some preliminary results of our study on the meaning of humour to professional nurses. ⋯ The assumption is supported by earlier research results which indicated that humour is an individual and personal matter and, in aged nursing care it is also very much a context-bound phenomenon. Humour makes it easier for some of the elderly patients to experience a positive, human relationship with the nurse. According to the results it seems to us that research should be continued and intensified into the role and use of humour in elderly people's everyday life and particularly in gerontological nursing care.
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The aim of the study was to examine changes in patient behavior that occurred as a consequence of looking in a mirror. How do dementia patients relate to their image in the mirror? Is the use of the mirror effective in raising levels of self-awareness, calmness and satisfaction? The survey was carried out on 100 patients suffering from dementia: 67 women and 33 men aged between 67 and 85. The findings showed that most responses to looking in the mirror were positive and raised the patients' awareness regarding self-care. ⋯ Findings indicated that the use of mirrors enabled nurses and caregivers to communicate better with patients. Most patients appeared to benefit in various ways from looking into the mirrors. The staff felt that use of mirrors was an inexpensive and efficient therapeutic tool for improving care of demented aged patients.
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This study explores the professional and educational development of emergency nurses and their beliefs regarding the appropriate content for a triage educational programme. A descriptive survey was conducted of emergency nurses employed by randomly selected teaching and non-teaching hospitals. ⋯ The survey found that the best method to prepare the novice emergency nurse for the triage role was to use a combination of a triage educational programme and clinical experience. Respondents indicated great interest in enrolling in an educational programme and, as a result of this survey, a comprehensive triage educational programme has been developed.