Conectar
To identify and synthesise existing evidence on family-centred care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and other diverse identities (LGBTQ+) people in acute hospital settings, including hospital-based palliative care, oncology, general in-patient and intensive care.
A scoping review guided by the JBI methodology.
Nine databases and grey literature sources were searched. Inclusion criteria focused on LGBTQ+ adults and family-related care experiences in hospital-based acute settings. After screening, qualitative, quantitative, and narrative data were extracted. Thematic analysis synthesised findings, with quantitative data narratively integrated.
Searches were conducted across nine databases and grey literature up to April 2025.
Five studies met inclusion criteria: three qualitative, one quantitative, and one reflective narrative. Four themes emerged: (1) invisibility and disclosure dilemmas, (2) exclusion of chosen families from visiting and decision-making, (3) barriers to inclusive communication and provider competence, and (4) enabling conditions for affirming care. Challenges occurred at interpersonal (e.g., provider assumptions, discomfort) and structural (e.g., lack of inclusive protocols, failure to recognise legal surrogates) levels. In the two studies reporting gender identity, transgender participants described heightened misrecognition and exclusion.
LGBTQ+ individuals and their chosen families face relational and structural barriers in acute hospital care. Inclusive interventions, protocols, and training are urgently needed to ensure affirming care.
Acute and intensive care providers should promote inclusive family engagement by using patient-preferred terminology, recognising chosen families, and advocating for inclusive policies and staff training.
This scoping review adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
No Patient or Public Contribution.
Registered with the Open Science Framework: 10.17605/OSF.IO/FSU8D (23/02/2025)
To assess the prevalence of malnutrition risk, especially of undernutrition, among patients admitted to the Internal Medicine and Orthopaedics wards at Michele and Pietro Ferrero Hospital, Italy, using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) tool, administered by trained nursing staff, and to evaluate the adherence to related care interventions.
Cross-sectional study.
We included 248 adult patients, screened by trained nurses for nutritional risk within 48 h of admission using the NRS-2002 tool, which takes into account patients' Body Mass Index, recent weight loss, reduced dietary intake, and disease severity. Information on nursing interventions was also collected.
We identified 36 subjects at risk of malnutrition with NRS ≥ 3. Prevalence was higher in Internal Medicine, reflecting differences in patient characteristics and clinical complexity. Patients at risk were older, had longer hospital stays, and higher risks of falls and pressure sores. Nursing interventions such as proper meal selection, administration of hypercaloric-hyperproteic supplements, and completion of food diary were implemented in most cases, although adherence was not complete. Post-training questionnaire showed that, overall, nurses integrated nutritional screening into practice, but areas for improvement were identified.
Results confirmed the high prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalised patients, especially in Internal Medicine. Proper training and empowerment can enable nurses to effectively identify and manage patients at intermediate risk of malnutrition.
Nurses can play key roles in hospital nutritional care by facilitating early identification and appropriate management of patients at malnutrition risk.
Malnutrition is very common among inpatients. Trained and empowered nurses can perform nutritional screening at admission to identify and early manage patients at risk, thereby helping to prevent increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.
STROBE guidelines.
None.
To explore patients' experiences of participation in surgical wound care and provide an in-depth understanding of their experiences with post-operative wound care during and post-hospitalisation.
A descriptive qualitative study.
Adult participants who had undergone surgery within 30 days were purposively selected from two surgical wards at Gold Coast University Hospital. Seventeen semi-structured phone interviews were conducted using a specifically developed and piloted interview guide. Textual data were analysed using inductive content analysis.
Three main categories were identified. The first category, ‘I didn't expect how distressing post-operative wound care would be; it's tougher than I thought,’ highlights the significant and unexpected physical and emotional challenges participants faced, which initially hindered their engagement. The second category highlights the impact of healthcare professional interactions on patient participation, ‘I want to be involved, but conflicting advice and dismissive behaviour discourage me.’ The third category, ‘With my family's help, wound care got easier as I tried, learned, and recovered,’ illustrates how family support facilitated participants' independence and engagement over time.
The spectrum of patient participation in surgical wound care is dynamic and impacted by environmental, physical and psychological factors. This research deepens understanding of patient participation by highlighting the importance of family support and a temporal perspective in patients' wound care journeys.
Findings showed participants were unprepared for surgical wound care, greatly influenced by healthcare provider communication and family support, and evolved in participation as time passed and their wounds healed. Additionally, participants valued intent just as significantly as their behaviours and regarded even minor involvement as totally participative. These insights can inform strategies to improve patient participation in surgical settings.
SRQR (Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research).
No patient was involved in this study.
The study aims to explore the experiences of Black Canadian parents following a preterm birth and their perspectives of being in the NICU.
A qualitative design guided by principles of community engagement was used to explore the experiences of Black Canadian parents.
Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 Black parents of preterm infants. A thematic analysis approach was used to organize the data into meaningful themes.
Five major themes were identified through the data analysis: encountering racism and discrimination in the NICU, bearing the emotional weight of staying in the NICU, enduring the feeling of bodily betrayal and guilt, grappling with the turmoil of uncertainty and seeking peer and mental health support programs.
This study provides in-depth understanding of the unique experiences of Black Canadian parents after a preterm birth and the challenges they face navigating the NICU.
Developing a targeted training program for health care providers is critical to address racism and discriminatory practices and enhance parents' sense of belonging in the NICU. Creating Black-focused peer support and accessible mental health care during and after the NICU is critical to address the gaps in programs and services and to promote effective coping.
Addressing racism and discriminatory practice requires urgent attention to promote equity within the NICU environment. Scaling up access to Black peer support and mental health programs will contribute to improving parental wellbeing in Canada and beyond.
This study was in partnership with the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, our community collaborator.
FreshRSS 