Commentary on: Zhao et al. The impact of education/training on nurses caring for patients with stroke: a scoping review. BMC Nurs 23:90
Implications for practice and research Nurses working in clinical stroke care could benefit from leadership and management strategies that encourage empowerment and time and space to reflect on current evidence, training and practice. Comprehensive evaluation strategies are needed to assess the impact and effectiveness of empowerment-based stroke education and training on patient outcomes.
Stroke nursing is widely recognised for its significant role across the whole multidisciplinary stroke care pathway.
Commentary on: Lee IO, Wolstencroft J, Housby H, et al. The inequity of education, health and care plan provision for children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. J Intellect Disabil Res. Published online 22 May 2024.
Implications for practice and research Children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in deprived areas are less likely to receive education, health and care plans in the UK. Future research should aim to identify interventions that have the potential to reduce such inequities for individuals with IDD.
The findings from this study by Lee et al
Commentary on: Heslop, P., Lauer, E. (2024). Strategies to prevent or reduce inequalities in specific avoidable causes of death for adults with intellectual disability: A systematic review. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52(2), pp.312-349.
Implications for practice and research Preventative interventions and reasonable adjustments are required to address health inequalities experienced by adults with intellectual disability. Future research should focus on policy, population and individual interventions that reduce health inequalities and avoidable deaths.
There is well-established research evidence regarding the substantial health inequalities experienced by many adults with intellectual disabilities, with significant implications for their health, well-being and quality of life. Despite this evidence, many continue to die prematurely from conditions amenable to early interventions and preventative strategies. Limited knowledge, skills and confidence regarding the needs of adults with intellectual disabilities by some health professionals is evident. Reasonable adjustments can contribute positively...
Commentary on: Weng, M.-H., Chou, H.-C., & Liaw, J.-J. (2024). The effects of unsupervised home-based exercise training during pregnancy: A systematic review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 00, 1–7.
Implications for practice and research Nurses and midwives working with pregnant women can safely recommend a home exercise plan, preferably a theoretical-based programme of exercise, to improve physical discomfort symptoms during pregnancy; This systematic review suggests that further research is needed to identify and more consistently evidence the benefits of these types of exercise to maternal mental health during pregnancy.
Symptoms of physical discomfort, such as sleep disturbance, prenatal back pain and postnatal urinary stress incontinence, are commonly associated with pregnancy. Strategies to support women be relieved of, minimise or better manage these symptoms are a welcome approach to improving women’s quality of life whilst pregnant. Exercise is one of many lifestyle factors that...
Nursing is a profession that has always worked with diverse people and communities and has taken a social justice approach to care. Nursing has also undertaken research that includes diverse groups and communities. However, nurse researchers working with and undertaking research with diverse groups and communities may encounter problems in executing the research. This may be for reasons such as poor understanding of cultural and racial difference, not having an inclusive research team, for example, LGBTQIA+ researchers to help conduct LGBTQIA+ focused research or using an ableist approach, all of which can lead to exclusion, diminished trust and credibility. In this commentary, we draw on Hollowood’s doctoral journey and Moorley’s research experience, where both work with and research diverse communities’ health. Nurse researchers need to apply methodologies and approaches that are culturally sensitive and inclusive and here we offer essential tips, which have helped us by drawing on culturally specific...
Commentary on: Vanzella LM, Cotie LM, Flores-Hukom M, Marzolini S, Konidis R, Ghisi GLM. Patients' Perceptions of Hybrid and Virtual-Only Care Models During the Cardiac Rehabilitation Patient Journey: A Qualitative Study. J Cardiovasc Nurs. Published online January 5, 2024.
Implications for practice and research The use of theoretical models integrating well-recognised techniques (eg, goal setting, action planning, telemonitoring, individual assessment/tailoring) to guide virtual cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is essential. Apart from teleconferencing, using advanced wearable devices, analytics and artificial intelligence techniques may improve personalised exercise and educational content capacity of future virtual CR studies.
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a recommended treatment for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVDs), given the rising number of cardiac incidents due to ageing population and modern lifestyles.
Commentary on: Women’s caesarean section preferences: a multicounty cross-sectional survey in low- and middle-income countries by Etcheverry et al. 2024;132.
Implications for practice and research Pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries should be counselled about the benefits and risks of both caesarean sections and vaginal deliveries to facilitate informed choices, the most suitable opportunity being antenatal clinic visits. Further studies are needed to explore decision aids in order to help women and doctors make informed shared decisions regarding the mode of delivery.
Caesarean section (CS) rates are rising globally from 7% in 1990 to 21% in 2018.
Commentary on: Veresova M, Michail M, Richards H, et al. Emergency department staff experiences of working with people who self-harm: A qualitative examination of barriers to optimal care. Int J Mental Health Nurs. 2024. doi: 10.1111/inm.13353
Implications for practice and research Support from specialist mental health clinicians is a key mechanism for improving self-harm care among emergency department (ED) staff. Findings underpin the need for compassion and empathy when treating people presenting in distress, especially those who present multiple times. Future research should focus on strategies for improving implementation of self-harm clinical guidelines in EDs.
Emergency departments (EDs) have a crucial role in suicide prevention. Around 18% of people who died by suicide presented to ED in the month prior to death, commonly for self-harm.
Commentary on: Van Hecke A, et al. Development of a competency framework for advanced practice nurses: a co-design process. J Adv Nurs 2024; 1-13. doi.org/10.1111/jan.16174
Implications for practice and research A CanMEDS-derived APN (Advanced Practice Nurse) competency framework informs APNs’ personal and professional development and guides APNs’ practices within educational and healthcare settings in Belgium. Further research is required to validate this competency framework and determine its usability in education and practice.
Advanced practice nursing (APN) refers to an expanded scope of practice beyond the generalist level to provide direct healthcare services, including prevention, diagnosis, therapeutics and illness management.
Commentary on: Takashima, M et al. Pediatric Central Venous Access Device Lock Solutions: A Network Meta-analysis.
Chelating and antibiotic locks should be considered for prevention of central venous access device (CVAD)-associated bloodstream infection (BSI) in paediatric patients. Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to gain a more accurate insight into the potential impact of lock solutions on the treatment of CVAD-associated BSI.
Central venous access devices (CVADs) are required by children to allow the safe delivery of intravenous therapies that must be delivered in the large central veins of the body. CVADs are associated with many complications such as infections, thrombosis and occlusions.
Commentary on: Farfán-Zúñiga, X abd Jaman-Mewes, P. Reflections of nursing students on the care of the person’s dignity at the end of life: a qualitative study. Nurse Education Today 2024; 133: 106067.
Implications for practice and research Dignity is one of the main values at the end of life. Reflection of dignity and the meaning of such should be an obligatory part of nursing education, particularly when caring for people at the final stage of life, where vulnerability is more palpable. Research on nursing students’ reflections regarding meeting the dignity needs of dying people is essential to improve the quality of end-of-life care.
Dignity is a cornerstone in healthcare and nursing research, not least it is an important concept when caring for people and their relatives at the end of life. Yet, there is a lack of research about nursing education, reflective...
Commentary on: Lyon, M. E., Fraser, J. L., Thompkins, J. D., et al (2024). Advance Care Planning for Children With Rare Diseases: A Pilot RCT. Pediatrics, 153(6), e2023064557. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-064557.
Implications for research and practice Having access to advance care planning, despite social and financial constraints is imperative. It is evident that in the population included in this study, advance care planning was invaluable for those below the 2021 financial poverty line. Further research is required to determine if the current medical model in the USA is meeting the requirements of caregivers and children with rare diseases.
Rare diseases in babies, children and young people (children) are often life-shortening, and children can require constant caregiving. Bösch et al
Commentary on: Boxall C, Fenlon D, May C, Nuttall J, Hunter MS. Implementing a nurse-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy intervention to reduce the impact of hot flushes/night sweats in women with breast cancer: a qualitative process evaluation of the MENOS4 trial. BMC Nurs. 2023 Sep 15;22(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s12912-023-01441-3.
Implications for practice and research Collaboration between nurses, primary care and healthcare managers, healthcare partners in breast care will facilitate the role of the breast care nurse in patient care. More research is needed on breast cancer survivors with diverse population at multiple sites, thereby improving the quality of research on cognitive–behavioural therapy.
There is a growing body of evidence that 85% of women experience hot flashes and night sweats after breast cancer treatment
Commentary on: Wu CY, Iskander C, Wang C, et al. Association of sulfonylureas with the risk of dementia: A population-based cohort study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023; 71:3059–70.
Unless contraindicated, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) should be used as first-line choice in older adults with type 2 diabetes in preference to sulfonylurea due to increased risk of dementia. Prospective studies are needed to ascertain if the use of sulfonylurea by older adult patients causes higher risk of developing dementia.
Diabetes is already known as a risk factor for developing dementia. Multiple factors contribute to this association: presence of microvascular and macrovascular complications, chronic inflammation, hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemia and hyperinsulinemia.
Older adult patients often present with multimorbidities, polypharmacy, malnutrition, sarcopenia, longer duration of diabetes and renal and hepatic dysfunction. Furthermore, low education level, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, obstructive...
Commentary on: Toledo-Chavarri A, Delgado J, Rodriguez-Martin B. Perspectives of women living with type one diabetes regarding preconception and antenatal care: A qualitative evidence synthesis. Health Expectations. 2023;27:e13876.
Enhanced peer support and coordinated care between health professionals are needed to address concerns of women with type 1 diabetes in pregnancy. The experiences and perceptions of diverse groups of women with type 1 diabetes need further exploration in order to ensure equitable care.
While guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for women with type 1 diabetes in pregnancy, women’s perceptions of these recommendations are not well-known. Toledo-Chavarri and colleagues explore these perceptions and found that continuity of care, coordination between health professionals and services, and a more holistic approach are key aspects that are needed for more acceptable, feasible and equitable peripartum care.
Toledo-Chavarri and colleagues...
Commentary on: Jabbie L, Walshe C, Ahmed F (2023). The views and perceptions of training in physical health care amongst mental health nurses, managers of mental health nurses and trainers: A systematically constructed narrative synthesis. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/inm.13253.
The authors of this narrative review conclude that mental health nurses’ preparation for delivering physical healthcare interventions is suboptimal and requires regular supplementation. There is a need to establish what level of proficiency in physical healthcare skills mental health nurses require.
People with severe mental illness, notably those with psychosis, live 10 years less than the general population. Most premature death is from natural causes, chiefly cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Commentary on: Rooney, C, Pyer, M, & Campbell, J. Leaving it at the gate: A phenomenological exploration of resilience in mental health nursing staff in a high-secure personality disorder unit. J Adv Nurs, 00, 1–13. (2023) https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15947
Implications for practice and research Organisational structures and systems of support such as clinical supervision can support resilience in mental health nursing staff who work in high-secure forensic settings. Future studies in different high-secure forensic settings and different countries are required to enhance the generalisability of the findings.
High-secure mental health hospitals, also known as high-secure forensic hospitals, are a specialism within mental healthcare.
Commentary on: Yoshimoto, H., Kawaida, K., Dobashi, S. et al. Effect of provision of non-alcoholic beverages on alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled study. BMC Med 2023; 21, 379. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03085-1
Implications for practice and research There is scope for public health to consider non-alcoholic beverages as a potential strategy to reduce alcohol consumption in adults who drink excessively. Future research should explore whether non-alcoholic beverages can reduce alcohol consumption in a wider range of countries and in different population groups, such as individuals with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence.
Alcohol is a risk factor in over 200 health conditions, and 2016 data shows it accounts for 5.3% of overall deaths worldwide.
Artificial intelligence (AI), defined as the simulation of human intelligence in machines designed to replicate human cognitive processes, is becoming increasingly prevalent in nursing practice and research. Recent reviews have examined the application of AI across various nursing domains, highlighting its role in clinical decision support, administrative efficiency and educational advancements.
AI techniques, including machine learning and natural language processing, are being employed to address a range of clinical, managerial and educational challenges in nursing.
Machine learning, a core component of AI, is instrumental in various nursing applications. It enables pattern recognition and predictive analysis through the examination of...
Commentary on: Mehrtash H, Stein K, Barreix M, Bonet M, Bohren MA, Tuncalp Ö. Measuring women’s experiences during antenatal care (ANC): scoping review of measurement tools. Reprod. Health 2023; 20(1):150.
Outcome measures of maternity care are limited in scope to evaluating experiences of intrapartum care, and therefore may not capture women’s experiences of care during the entire antenatal period. Research that explores aspects of antenatal care that are important to maternity service users themselves would be beneficial to inform the development of instruments and measures to capture a broader range of antenatal care experiences.
Antenatal care (ANC) is the care given to women by healthcare professionals throughout pregnancy to childbirth, which should commence in early pregnancy. This is the first opportunity for most mothers to encounter their healthcare,