To develop and validate decision trees using conditional probabilities to identify the predictors of mortality and morbidity deterioration in trauma patients.
A quasi-experimental longitudinal study conducted at a Level 1 Trauma Center in São Paulo, Brazil.
The study analysed 201 patient records using standardised nursing documentation (NANDA International and Nursing Outcomes Classification). Decision trees were constructed using the chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) algorithm and validated through K-fold cross-validation to ensure model reliability.
Decision trees identified key predictors of survival and mobility deterioration. Patients who did not require (NOC 0414) Cardiopulmonary Status but required (NOC 0210) Transfer Performance had a 97.4% survival rate. Conversely, those requiring (NOC 0414) Cardiopulmonary Status had a 25% risk of worsening mobility, compared to 9% for those who did not. K-fold cross-validation confirmed the model's predictive accuracy, reinforcing the robustness of the decision tree approach (Value).
Decision trees demonstrated strong predictive capabilities for mobility outcomes and mortality risk, offering a structured, data-driven framework for clinical decision-making. These findings underscore the importance of early mobilisation, tailored rehabilitation interventions and assistive devices in improving patient recovery. This study is among the first to apply decision trees in this context, highlighting its novelty and potential to enhance trauma critical care practices.
This study highlights the potential of decision trees, a supervised machine learning method, in nursing practice by providing clear, evidence-based guidance for clinical decision-making. By enabling early identification of high-risk patients, decision trees facilitate timely interventions, reduce complications and support personalised rehabilitation strategies that enhance patient safety and recovery.
This research addresses the challenge of improving outcomes for critically ill and trauma patients with impaired mobility by identifying effective strategies for early mobilisation and rehabilitation. The integration of artificial intelligence-driven decision trees strengthens evidence-based nursing practice, enhances patient education and informs scalable interventions that reduce trauma-related complications. These findings have implications for healthcare providers, rehabilitation specialists and policymakers seeking to optimise trauma care and improve long-term patient outcomes.
Patients provided authorisation for the collection of their clinical data from medical records during hospitalisation.
This review seeks to explore the illness narratives of children and young people focusing on their healthcare trajectories; the right to health; and the kind of stories told about them.
This scoping review adopts a narrative approach to analyse how the illness experience of Spinal Muscular Atrophy is represented in the literature, moving beyond biomedical descriptions to consider sociocultural and historical dimensions. We explore how global and local forces shape everyday life and therapeutic possibilities for people with this condition.
Four online databases were used to identify papers published between 2014 and 2024 in English and Spanish. The analysis process was guided by the PAGER Framework.
Twenty-one articles met the criteria for the review, mainly published in the Global North. Following organisation of Patterns, findings were categorised into three themes: (1) Parents as storytellers of young people's life trajectories; (2) Tropes about everyday life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy; and (3) The right to health as a narrative terrain. Findings show that access to medical treatment, information, and healthcare coverage poses difficulties when navigating the healthcare system with little institutional support.
The voices of individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy are rarely reported, often represented by their parents. There are opportunities to develop strategies that enhance the experiences of children and young people when seeking care, which should have a rights-based, intersectional, and family-centred approach.
This review highlights the need to listen to children and young people's voices, offer support to caregivers, and further explore the right to health in the Global South.
The interpretation of the findings was enriched by the involvement of patients, who participated as advisors for the research team. Their contributions ensured the research remained aligned with concerns and priorities informed by lived experience of the disease.
To assess healthcare professionals' digital health competence and its associated factors.
Cross-sectional study.
The study was conducted from October 2023 to April 2024 among healthcare professionals in Italy, using convenience and snowball sampling. The questionnaire included four sections assessing: (i) socio-demographic and work-related characteristics; (ii) use of digital solutions as part of work and in free time, and communication channels to counsel clients in work; and DigiHealthCom and DigiComInf instruments including measurements of (iii) digital health competence and (iv) managerial, organisational and collegiality factors. K-means cluster analysis was employed to identify clusters of digital health competence; descriptive statistics to summarise characteristics and ANOVA and Chi-square tests to assess cluster differences.
Among 301 healthcare professionals, the majority were nurses (n = 287, 95.3%). Three clusters were identified: cluster 1 showing the lowest, cluster 2 moderate and cluster 3 the highest digital health competence. Most participants (n = 193, 64.1%) belonged to cluster 3. Despite their proficiency, clusters 2 and 3 scored significantly lower on ethical competence. Least digitally competent professionals had significantly higher work experience, while the most competent reported stronger support from management, organisation, and colleagues. Communication channels for counselling clients and digital device use, both at work and during free time, were predominantly traditional technologies.
Educational programmes and organisational policies prioritising digital health competence development are needed to advance digital transition and equity in the healthcare workforce.
Greater emphasis should be placed on the ethical aspects, with interventions tailored to healthcare professionals' digital health competence. Training and policies involving managers and colleagues, such as mentoring and distributed leadership, could help bridge the digital divide. Alongside traditional devices, the adoption of advanced technologies should be promoted.
This study adheres to the STROBE checklist.
None.
This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and the Self-Care Self-Efficacy scale in patients with cancer.
A multisite cross-sectional validation study was conducted.
Between November 2022 and July 2023, a convenience sample of 318 patients with cancer were enrolled in five Italian inpatient and outpatient facilities. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the three scales of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and the Self-Care Self-Efficacy scale. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach's alpha for unidimensional scales and McDonald's Omega for multidimensional scales. Construct validity was assessed with the global health status by Pearson's correlation. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments reporting guidelines were followed for the reporting process.
Three hundred fourteen patients were included (median age: 55.5 years; male: 53.82%). Confirmatory factor analysis showed supportive fit indices for the three Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory scales (CFI: 0.977–1.000; SRMR: 0.004–0.78) and the Self-Care Self-Efficacy scale (CFI: 1.000; SRMR: 0.014). All scales demonstrated adequate internal consistency (0.89–0.99) and test–retest reliability (0.85–0.95). Construct validity was confirmed through correlations between Self-Care Self-Efficacy, each Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory scale, and global health status.
The Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and Self-Care Self-Efficacy scales demonstrated excellent psychometric qualities and construct validity when administered to patients with cancer. Future research should explore self-care behaviours across different diseases and cultural contexts.
These tools can help develop targeted educational programs, improving patient outcomes.
Currently, there is a lack of knowledge regarding self-care behaviours in patients with cancer. These tools enable healthcare professionals to identify patient needs, design personalised interventions, and monitor their effectiveness over time.
No patient or public contribution.
To explore how older adult-family caregiver dyads jointly manage multiple chronic conditions. Specifically, it investigates how dyads (i) prioritise chronic diseases, (ii) make and negotiate decisions related to self-care and (iii) define and distribute self-care tasks and caregiver contributions.
A qualitative descriptive study using dyadic data collection and analysis.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted separately with chronically ill older adults and their family caregivers between July and December 2024. A hybrid inductive-deductive content analysis was applied. Dyadic analysis compared intra-dyad perspectives to identify patterns of agreement and disagreement.
Thirty-four dyads (n = 68 participants) were interviewed. Older adults had a mean age of 80.09 years (SD = 6.95) and were affected by a median of four chronic conditions. Family caregivers had a mean age of 51.71 years (SD = 14.59), with most being the older adults' children (66.67%) and women (82.35%). Five categories, comprising 25 subcategories, were derived from the data. Disease prioritisation varied within dyads: older adults often focused on conditions with the most disabling symptoms, while caregivers emphasised those with higher risks of complication. Decision-making roles ranged from older adult-led to caregiver-led to shared. Care organisation followed three models: collaborative, older adult-directed, or caregiver-directed. Challenges in managing diseases included treatment adherence, care coordination, emotional burden and addressing multiple symptoms simultaneously. Role distribution in disease management and decision-making was complex and occasionally misaligned, sometimes resulting in conflict. Collaborative dyads reported greater adaptability and balance, while incongruent dyads experienced relational and organisational strain.
Managing multiple chronic conditions in older adults is a relational process shaped by interpersonal dynamics and shared responsibilities with family caregivers. Recognising dyadic relational patterns is essential for designing targeted educational interventions. Nurses should incorporate dyadic assessments into routine care to improve outcomes for older adults and reduce caregiver burden.
This study highlights the importance of viewing chronic disease management as a dyadic process, rather than an individual task, involving both the older adult and the family caregiver. Tailored strategies that account for the relational dynamics within dyads, such as decision-making roles and care task distribution, are essential for effective chronic disease management.
Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ).
None.
This study aimed to explore the direct and indirect effects of secondary traumatic stress (STS) on nurses' perceived work ability and the effect of these two variables on job satisfaction, organisational turnover intention and intention to leave the nursing profession.
A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to November 2023.
Data were collected by sending an online survey to a convenience sample of nurses. Instruments for data collection included a 37-item questionnaire divided into three sections: (i) socio-demographics, job satisfaction, organisational turnover intention, and intention to leave the profession; (ii) perceived work ability assessed through the Work Ability Index (WAI); (iii) STS measured with the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale.
Two hundred seventy-one nurses completed the questionnaire. STS negatively and statistically impacted on WAI, and it was a direct determinant of intention to leave the nursing profession. WAI showed a direct, positive and significant impact on job satisfaction and it was a significant partial mediator in the relationship between STS and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction mediated between WAI, the intention to leave the nursing profession, and the organisational turnover intention.
STS negatively impacted nurses' work ability, influencing their job satisfaction through the mediation of WAI, whereas job satisfaction independently affected nurses' organisational turnover intention. Moreover, STS was a positive and direct determinant of the intention to leave the nursing profession.
Nurses, as helping professionals, are exposed to extreme stressful events resulting from the traumatic experiences of patients. STS in nurses can lead to emotional exhaustion, turnover intention, job dissatisfaction and reduced work ability. The findings from this study offer insights that can help shape organisational health policies aimed at reducing STS, preserving nurses' work ability, enhancing job satisfaction and mitigating turnover intentions within and outside the nursing profession.
This study followed the STROBE checklist guidelines for cross-sectional studies.
No Patient or Public Contribution.