International journal of nursing studies
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The purpose of this study was to test a theoretical model to understand the influences of six predicting variables in post-surgical cognitive disturbance in older Taiwanese patients after elective surgery. The data were collected in a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan. Ninety-three patients were included in the final analysis. ⋯ It is necessary to monitor and correct these variables at admission or before surgery to prevent or reduce the impact of post-operative delirium. It is also necessary to monitor these variables during the hospital stay to help nurses to distinguish the etiology of delirium. In each case, knowing when confusion is more likely to occur can assist in focusing more appropriate and effective efforts at detection, thereby reducing the consequences associated with confusion.
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This article describes a methodological study concerning the development of a test instrument that can be used for measuring the effects of a course in palliative care on registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. This test instrument is comprised of two parts: an expertise and insight test and a self-efficacy instrument and is tested in three panels. The expertise and insight test appears to be usable for measuring the effects of a course in palliative care. ⋯ Moreover, the scores of the various categories of respondents discriminate less than expected on the basis of their previous education and the test results. Many respondents, regardless of their background, believed themselves to have a high level of competency. The self-efficacy instrument must therefore be used cautiously.
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Despite numerous advances in the recognition, assessment, and management of pain in neonates over the past two decades, there has been limited improvement in the knowledge base regarding parental responses to their infant's pain. This study examined parents' views of their experiences observing and coping with their infant's pain in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). ⋯ Thematic content analysis was used to develop conceptual categories. Two broad themes were identified: (a) infant pain as a source of parental distress and (b) relief of parental distress due to infant's pain.
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The frightening experience in critical care units, whether it be associated with the disease process or related to the critical care environment, has an important impact on clients' recovery and rehabilitation. A comparative descriptive study was conducted in the critical units of two major hospitals in Hong Kong to assess the perception of stressors by patients and nurses. ⋯ Significant similarities and differences were noted between patients and nurses on their perceptions of stressors in the critical care environment. Critical care nurses, apart from maintaining their efforts to minimize the negative effects of the stressful critical care environment, needed to equally focus on the patients' psychological needs through measures in re-establishing patients' self-control and minimizing the emotional stress.
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This explorative study was designed to identify the usage of body mechanics in clinical settings and the occurrence of low back pain in nurses. The sample was composed of 56 nurses who work on the medical, surgical, emergency and intensive care units of a state hospital in Bolu, Turkey. Data collected through observation and interviews were evaluated using percentages, Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. ⋯ According to the observations, the majority of the nurses used body mechanics correctly while sitting (53.6%), standing (58.7%), carrying (64.3%), pulling or pushing (79.4%), moving the patient to the side of the bed without an assistant (53.4%), moving the patient to a sitting position in bed (71.4%) and assisting the patient to a standing position (66.6%). However 57.1% of the nurses lifted and 82% extended incorrectly. The conclusion from this research was that some of the nurses do not use body mechanics correctly and the majority have low back pain.