International journal of nursing studies
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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.
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This paper reports on the findings of a pilot study that collated and categorised a range of Welsh-medium chronic pain descriptors and their conceptually equivalent English translations in order to provide a preliminary basis for chronic pain assessment amongst patients in the bilingual community of North West Wales. The results demonstrate the unique and complex nature of individual pain experiences and the challenges of meaningful interpretation, particularly when patient and practitioner do not share a common preferred language. Detailed analysis of the descriptors provided valuable insight into the patient's world, revealing cultural patterns of beliefs and behaviours as well as the suffering associated with chronic pain. Implications for improving chronic pain assessment amongst bilingual speakers are explored.