Existing literature suggests that transgender women (TW) may be at high risk for adverse mental health due to stress attributed to combined experiences of stigma and complex social and structural vulnerabilities. Little research has examined how these co-occurring experiences relate to mental health. We aimed to test a theoretically driven conceptual model of relationships between stigma, social and structural vulnerabilities, and mental health to inform future intervention tailoring.
Partial least square path modeling followed by response-based unit segmentation was used to identify homogenous clusters in a diverse community sample of United States (US)-based TW (N = 1418; 46.2% White non-Hispanic). This approach examined associations between latent constructs of stigma (polyvictimization and discrimination), social and structural vulnerabilities (housing and food insecurity, unemployment, sex work, social support, and substance use), and mental health (post-traumatic stress and psychological distress).
The final conceptual model defined the structural relationship between the variables of interest within stigma, vulnerability, and mental health. Six clusters were identified within this structural framework which suggests that racism, ethnicism, and geography may be related to mental health inequities among TW.
Our findings around the impact of racism, ethnicism, and geography reflect the existing literature, which unfortunately shows us that little change has occurred in the last decade for TW of color in the Southern US; however, the strength of our evidence (related to sampling structure and sample size) and type of analyses (accounting for co-occurring predictors of health, i.e., stigma and complex vulnerabilities, reflecting that of real-world patients) is a novel and necessary addition to the literature. Findings suggest that health interventions designed to offset the negative effects of stigma must include anti-racist approaches with components to reduce or eliminate barriers to resources that contribute to social and structural vulnerabilities among TW. Herein we provide detailed recommendations to guide primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts.
This study demonstrated the importance of considering stigma and complex social and structural vulnerabilities during clinical care and design of mental health interventions for transgender women who are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and psychological distress. Specifically, interventions should take an anti-racist approach and would benefit from incorporating social support-building activities.
Supporting care receivers in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), irrespective of diagnosis, setting, or cultural background, lies at the heart of fundamental nursing care. The pursuit of quality ADL care becomes increasingly challenging with the changing complexity of care needs. ADL care delivery is often undervalued and is considered a low-status task despite its crucial importance to care receivers. This study aims to synthesize challenges in ADL care irrespective of the care setting.
In the mixed qualitative methods study, we used expert panel consultations, world café sessions, and a rapid literature review. For data analysis, we simultaneously analyzed the three data sets using inductive and deductive inquiry.
We identified four challenges and their corresponding subthemes. They are (1) Undervalued common-sense work versus complex, high-skilled care provision; (2) Limitations in professional reflective clinical decision-making; (3) Missed opportunities for shared ADL decisions; and (4) Meeting ADL care needs in a high-throughput system.
These challenges reveal the complexity of ADL care and how its paradoxical narrative relates to the conditions in which nursing professionals struggle to create opportunities, for reflective clinical reasoning and shared ADL decisions, by facing organizational and environmental barriers.
This study is relevant to nursing professionals, care organizations, policymakers, and researchers aiming to improve ADL care and provide insights into challenges in ADL care. This study forms the starting point for a changing narrative on ADL nursing care and subsequent quality improvements in the form of, for example, guidelines for nursing professionals.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with multiple adverse health consequences. Nurses (including midwives) are well positioned to identify patients subjected to IPV, and provide care, support, and referrals. However, studies about nursing response to IPV are limited especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to examine nurses' perceived preparedness and opinions toward IPV and to identify barriers and facilitators in responding to IPV.
An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted by collecting quantitative data first and explaining the quantitative findings with qualitative data.
The study was conducted in two tertiary general hospitals in northeastern (Shenyang city) and southwestern (Chengdu city) China with 1500 and 1800 beds, respectively. A total of 1071 survey respondents (1039 female [97.0%]) and 43 interview participants (34 female [79.1%]) were included in the study. An online survey was administered from September 3 to 23, 2020, using two validated scales from the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted from September 15 to December 23, 2020, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
The survey respondents largely agreed with feeling prepared to manage IPV, e.g., respond to discourses (544 [50.8%] of 1071) and report to police (704 [65.7%] of 1071). The findings of surveyed opinions (i.e., Response competencies; Routine practice; Actual activities; Professionals; Victims; Alcohol/drugs) were mixed and intertwined with social desirability bias. The quantitative and qualitative data were consistent, contradicted, and supplemented. Key qualitative findings were revealed that may explain the quantitative results, including lack of actual preparedness, absence of IPV-related education, training, or practice, and socially desirable responses (especially those pertaining to China's Anti-domestic Violence Law). Commonly reported barriers (e.g., patients' reluctance to disclose; time constraints) and facilitators (e.g., patients' strong need for help; female nurses' gender advantage), as well as previously unreported barriers (e.g., IPV may become a workplace taboo if there are healthcare professionals known as victims/perpetrators of IPV) and facilitators (e.g., nurses' responses can largely meet the first-line support requirements even without formal education or training on IPV) were identified.
Nurses may play a unique and important role in responding to IPV in LMICs where recognition is limited, education and training are absent, policies are lacking, and resources are scarce. Our findings support World Health Organization recommendations for selective screening.
The study highlights the great potential of nurses for IPV prevention and intervention especially in LMICs. The identified barriers and facilitators are important evidence for developing multifaceted interventions to address IPV in the health sector.
To explore the effects of power dynamics and hospital organizational structure upon neonatal intensive care nurses' experiences caring for infants and families from a substance-exposed pregnancy (SEP).
This secondary data analysis further investigated the results of a primary study after the original analysis suggested differences in work environments may impact relationship-building opportunities between nurses and mothers/families. Critical discourse analysis served as both the theoretical lens and analytic technique.
Nine (9) nurses from the southeast region of the United States (U.S.) were interviewed in 2019. Fifty-one (51) stories of caregiving experiences were analysed with a focus on narratives related to organizational structure and care delivery.
Study findings revealed nurses experienced challenges providing high-quality, family-centered care for patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) affected by substances during pregnancy. Nurses described the central challenge of workload, exacerbated by power imbalances and structural constraints within the hospital's organizational structure. Findings suggest workload issues may endorse stigma by inhibiting opportunities to build relationships. Nurses report manageable workloads can support healthcare teams and recipients of care.
The study suggests power imbalances between nurses, families and adjacent healthcare professionals can inhibit the delivery of high-quality care. Supporting healthcare teams and recipients of care while centering the role of organizational structure is critical. Questions emerged about workload demands impacting the potential production of stigma in clinical environments.
This study examines the intersection of nurses' care experiences and hospital organizational structure. It identifies how the unique needs of caring for infants and families from a SEP increase the complexity of power imbalances and organizational constraints to further increase workload demands. Findings have implications for global healthcare organization leaders who build and maintain the structural integrity of clinical environments and nurse leaders who advocate and guide clinical teams to provide high-quality care in stressful healthcare environments.
EQUATOR guidelines were followed, using the COREQ checklist.
NICU nurses were interviewed about their care-provision experiences. Interviews were analysed in the primary study and the current analysis of secondary data.
Finding out whether there are differences in the levels of stress and burnout between workers providing care to dependent adults and those caring for independent older adults would provide comparative information about two different models of care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, workers caring for older adults were subjected to maladaptive situations that produced stress and burnout.
A cross-sectional survey design using the STROBE checklist.
A total of 900 nursing home and égidas workers were assessed for stress and burnout. Data were collected online from October 2020 to February 2021, when Puerto Rico was experiencing the peak of the third wave of COVID-19. MANOVAs were performed to study the interactions between the workplace and having had COVID, the workplace and the size of institution and the workplace and position held.
October 2020 to February 2021.
All interactions were significant. Nursing homes showed higher levels of stress and burnout when workers had undergone COVID, when the size of the institution was larger and for technical staff other services; in égidas, having undergone COVID did not influence stress or burnout, which increased when the institution was smaller and for executive staff.
This study showed that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affected nursing home workers more significantly than those working in other types of residential models with independent older adults.
Applying preventive interventions aimed at reducing stress and burnout would facilitate the adaptation of workers caring for older adults and help to improve the quality of care.
This study analysed the impact of COVID-19 on the stress and burnout of workers providing services to older adults. Nursing home workers who have had COVID-19 have higher stress and burnout. The size of the institution has a different effect depending on whether older adults are dependent or independent. Workers in institutions dedicated to the care of the older adults.
This study has adhered to the relevant EQUATOR guidelines: STROBE.
During the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult to establish direct contact with workers providing care to older adults; this reason made it necessary to apply online systems to obtain information. The workers appreciated the fact that the implications for stress and burnout of the situation experienced during this difficult process were investigated.
To explore collaborative practice and perceptions and attitudes of key stakeholders on collaboration in type 2 diabetes management in a tertiary care setting.
Understanding collaborative practice in diabetes care in developing countries helps to design and provide patient-centred and cost-effective care.
An exploratory qualitative study.
Interviews were undertaken with 30 patients and 18 health professionals and policymakers. Thematic data analysis was undertaken to explore collaborative practice and examine participant perspectives on collaboration in diabetes management. We compared the findings with D'Amour's Collaboration Framework to determine the level of collaboration.
Most participants reported a lack of collaborative practice in diabetes management, while they appreciated its importance in improving care. Perceptions varied with respect to what constituted collaborative practice. Three themes were identified: (1) perspectives of key stakeholders on current practice of collaboration; (2) impediments to collaborative practice; (3) strategies to improve collaborative practice. Analyses of the themes using D'Amour's Collaboration Framework indicated a low level of collaboration among physicians, nurses, pharmacists and policymakers, which was attributed to workload and time pressures on health professionals, power dynamics and lack of role clarity of all actors in collaborative action. Participants commented on the need to improve collaboration by establishing strong leadership and governance at different healthcare structure levels, which is committed to coordinating collaboration and developing collaborative frameworks and policies that guide collaborative undertaking.
Perceived shortcomings of collaboration were attributed to inadequate resources, power dynamics, a lack of strong team functioning and policies. Participants' positive perceptions provide an opportunity to improve collaborative practice through incorporation of collaborative frameworks and policies.
The findings in this study inform development of tailored and patient-centred diabetes care in tertiary care settings in sub-Saharan Africa.
The study was reported in accordance with the COREQ checklist.
Patients or the public were not involved in the design, analysis or interpretation of the data in this study. However, patients and healthcare providers participated in pilot interviews, which helped refine the interview guides. The summary of the findings of the study was also discussed with patients and healthcare providers, where they provided feedback.
Commentary on: Mazalová L, Gurková E, Štureková L. Nursing students' perceived stress and clinical learning experience. Nurse Educ Pract. 2022 Oct;64:103 457. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103457. Epub 2022 Sep 24.
Clinical nursing supervisors may be unfamiliar with the demands and challenges students encounter in the clinical environment, and the amount of encouragement and assistance they require to be successful in the nursing profession. Further research should focus on intervention studies examining how clinical nursing supervisors control nursing student clinical stressors to improve student outcomes.
The clinical environment is the prevailing source of stress during nursing students’ educational experience. Although clinical supervisors are predominantly supportive to students in the clinical environment, current literature recognises certain clinical nursing supervisor actions and behaviours as causes of nursing student clinical stress.
Commentary on: Clair A, Baker E. Cold homes and mental health harm: Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Dec;314:115461. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115461. Epub 2022 Oct 22 .
Supporting people to live in warm housing during a period of increasing living and energy costs in many countries will avoid social, economic and mental health harm. Further research to understand the pathways between cold housing and increased mental health distress is needed.
Cold housing, driven by poor housing quality and energy poverty, is a significant public health issue in many countries.
To refine the Rushton Moral Resilience Scale (RMRS) by creating a more concise scale, improving the reliability, particularly of the personal integrity subscale and providing further evidence of validity.
Healthcare workers are exposed to moral adversity in practice. When unable to preserve/restore their integrity, moral suffering ensues. Moral resilience is a resource that may mitigate negative consequences. To better understand mechanisms for doing so, a valid and reliable measurement tool is necessary.
Cross-sectional survey.
Participants (N = 1297) had completed ≥1 items on the RMRS as part of the baseline survey of a larger longitudinal study. Item analysis, confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses (Cronbach's alpha), and correlations were used to establish reliability and validity of the revised RMRS.
Item and confirmatory factor analysis were used to refine the RMRS from 21 to 16 items. The four-factor structure (responses to moral adversity, personal integrity, relational integrity and moral efficacy) demonstrated adequate fit in follow-up confirmatory analyses in the initial and hold-out sub-samples. All subscales and the total scale had adequate reliabilities (α ≥ 0.70). A higher-order factor analysis supports the computation of either subscale scores or a total scale score. Correlations of scores with stress, anxiety, depression and moral distress provide evidence of the scale's validity. Reliability of the personal integrity subscale improved.
The RMRS-16 demonstrates adequate reliability and validity, particularly the personal integrity subscale. Moral resilience is an important lever for reducing consequences when confronted with ethical challenges in practice. Improved reliability of the four subscales and having a shorter overall scale allow for targeted application and will facilitate further research and intervention development.
Data came from a larger study of Canadian healthcare workers from multiple healthcare organizations who completed a survey about their experiences during COVID-19.
To explain the process taken by Chinese family care partners of older adults in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, to access health and social services in their communities. The research question was: What mechanisms and structures impact the agency of Chinese family care partners of older adults, in the process of assisting them to access health and social services?
This qualitative study was informed by critical realism.
Chinese family care partners of older adults in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, were interviewed from August 2020 to June 2021. Transcripts underwent thematic analysis.
Twenty-eight Chinese family care partners expressed a firm commitment to maintain caregiving conditions and to judiciously access health and social services. Their commitment was made up of three parts: (a) legislative and cultural norms of family, work, and society; (b) their perseverance to fill gaps with limited social and financial resources; (c) the quality of their relationship to, and illness trajectory of the older adults. The social structures created tension in how Chinese family care partners made decisions, negotiated resources, and ultimately monitored and coordinated timely access with older adults.
Participants' commitment and perseverance were conceptualized as “grit,” central to their agency to conform to legislative and cultural norms. Moreover, findings support grit's power to motivate and sustain family caregiving, in order for older adults to age in place as long as possible with finite resources.
This study highlights the importance of cultural awareness education for nurses, enabling continuity of care at a systems level and for a more resilient healthcare system.
Family care partners' grit may be crucial for nurses to harness when together, they face limited access to culturally appropriate health and social services in a system grounded in values of equity and inclusion, as in Canada.
When writing this manuscript, we adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).
No patient or public involvement.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between advanced nurse practitioners' self-leadership and commitment to the workplace, work engagement and influence at work.
The concept of self-leadership is particularly suited to ANPs, who are required to take responsibility for their work roles. An optimum balance between the ANPs' psychosocial work environment and self-leadership may positively impact work ability in this group and can be compromised by interactions between and among these variables.
A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted from July 2020 to August 2020 on 153 ANPs across a national health service.
The survey was distributed to respondents online. The revised self-leadership questionnaire was used to measure self-leadership, and three scales from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire were used to measure commitment to the workplace, work engagement and influence at work. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the association between self-leadership and the psychosocial variables.
ANPs with high levels of self-leadership reported high levels of work engagement and commitment to the workplace. No relationship was found between self-leadership and influence at work.
Improving self-leadership among ANPs by involving them in strategic leadership activities at an organizational level could be an effective strategy for optimizing the role and facilitating ANPs to contribute at an organizational level beyond the clinical interface. However, organizational support is required to ensure that ANPs practise to the full potential of their training and capability.
No patient or public contribution.
This study provided new evidence of a relationship between ANPs' self-leadership and psychosocial factors. This study found that ANPs with high levels of self-leadership reported high levels of work engagement and commitment to the workplace. Policymakers and organizational leaders can optimize the ANP role and facilitate ANPs to contribute strategically to improve care systems. This study identifies a relationship between ANPs' self-leadership and specific psychosocial variables.
To provide an analysis of legacy and legacy-oriented interventions in paediatric healthcare.
Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis.
Using Walker and Avant's method, three defining attributes of the concept were determined, followed by antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of legacy.
In paediatrics, legacy is co-authored in relationships, has the capability to outlive the person or event it represents, and elicits the essence of a person or experience. Receiving legacy-oriented interventions are not a prerequisite for having a legacy, nor is death.
Engaging in purposeful, individualized legacy-oriented interventions can improve coping in paediatric patients, families, and providers. By understanding the concept of legacy, providers are better equipped to provide care honouring the unique personhood, relationships, and strengths of children and families in even the most dire circumstances.
Understanding the scope and purpose of legacy in paediatrics assists providers in improving patient- and family-centred outcomes by designing interventions that facilitate long-term coping in patients facing a loss of or significant change in health, normalcy, or life.
Legacy-oriented interventions are provided at most children's hospitals in the United States, yet no widespread consensus on foundation or scope has been determined. This concept analysis provides evidence-based guidelines for policy and practice in creating legacy for and with children, providing opportunities to improve quality of care for young patients and their families around the world.
N/A.
No patient or public contribution.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, acute care nurse managers functioned in a critical role by helping to advance the mission and goals of their organization while navigating a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. This resulted in high levels of ongoing job-related stress which is linked to negative physical, psychological, and job-related outcomes. Little is known about the perceptions regarding their own professional well-being during this time.
The aim of this study was to qualitatively describe acute care nurse managers' perceptions of and barriers to their professional well-being.
Using a qualitative descriptive approach, nurse managers from a hospital system in the southwestern United States responded to two short-answer, survey-based questions in 2022: (1) “Describe the definition of nurse-manager well-being in your own words” and (2) “What do you feel is your biggest barrier to professional well-being?” Reflexive thematic analysis was utilized to analyze participant responses (N = 80).
Professional well-being is a complex concept influenced by the nurse manager's ability to navigate work–life balance; care for their own physical, emotional, and spiritual selves; give and receive support from stakeholders; and manage feelings of thriving vs. struggling in the role. Barriers most cited as influencing well-being included having too little time to get things done coupled with increasing workloads, feeling stuck in the middle among stakeholders, and coping with ongoing staffing challenges.
The definition of and barriers to well-being are influenced by the specific needs and experiences of the nurse manager. While not all barriers can be immediately removed, the identification of individual and organization-specific barriers needs to be taken seriously, reviewed by those who can promote change, and evidence-based solutions for improvement piloted or implemented when feasible.
The aim of this paper is to present the evidence on the effectiveness of non-surgical interventions to improve health and well-being in women living with Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.
Systematic review guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews checklist.
The search was conducted between June and September 2022 across the following databases: CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO and Cochrane. Trial registries (clinicaltrials. gov, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), Cochrane Controlled Trials Register-CCTR), Google scholar, dissertations, conference proceedings and reference lists of included studies were also searched. Corresponding authors, formal and informal MRKH groups were contacted to obtain any significant studies or reviews.
Eligible were only English-language empirical studies of any time period. The review followed narrative synthesis.
Twenty-three studies were identified that fit the inclusion criteria which included 1540 MRKH syndrome affected women. Four studies were on psychological interventions (n = 85) and 19 studies (vaginal dilation therapy n = 897, coital dilation n = 57) focused on non-surgical vaginal dilation as a measure to vaginal agenesis in MRKH syndrome.
Clearly, vaginal dilation is a viable initial treatment option for women with MRKH syndrome. There is limited evidence that ‘coital dilation’ is an effective method of dilation for vaginal agenesis. The literature, however, supports the need for psychological intervention to improve health and well-being.
Women with MRKH syndrome who require dilation can receive guidance and support from their healthcare providers, particularly sexual and reproductive health nurses, clinical nurse specialists and gynaecologists. From the point of diagnosis, clinical psychologists should be involved. As much as feasible, family and partner support can be encouraged.
No patient or public contribution.
To identify postoperative interventions and quality improvement initiatives used to prevent wound complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgeries, the types of activities nurses undertake in these interventions/initiatives and how these activities align with nurses' scope of practice.
A scoping review.
Three health databases were searched, and backward and forward citation searching occurred in April 2022. Research and quality improvement initiatives included focussed on adult patients undergoing colorectal surgery, from 2010 onwards. Data were extracted about study characteristics, nursing activities and outcomes. The ‘Dimensions of the scope of nursing practice’ framework was used to classify nursing activities and then the Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence for practice and Research recommendations framework was used to synthesise the review findings.
Thirty-seven studies were included. These studies often reported negative wound pressure therapy and surgical site infection bundle interventions/initiatives. Nurses' scope of practice was most frequently ‘Technical procedure and delegated medical care’ meaning nurses frequently acted under doctors' orders, with the most common delegated activity being dressing removal.
The full extent of possible interventions nurses could undertake independently in the postoperative period requires further exploration to improve wound outcomes and capitalise on nurses' professional role.
Nurses' role in preventing postoperative wound complications is unclear, which may inhibit their ability to influence postoperative outcomes. In the postoperative period, nurses undertake technical activities, under doctors' orders to prevent wound infections. For practice, nurses need to upkeep and audit their technical skills. New avenues for researchers include exploration of independent activities for postoperative nurses and the outcomes of these activities.
There may be opportunities to broaden nurses' scope of practice to act more autonomously to prevent wound complication.
Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist.
A health consumer interpreted the data and prepared the manuscript.
This systematic review aimed to identify the needs and preferences for cancer care services among Australian First Nations people.
Integrative review.
An integrative review was conducted. A wide range of search terms were used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the searches in electronic databases. Methodological quality assessment, data extraction, was conducted independently by two reviewers, and a narrative synthesis was conducted.
Forty-two studies were included. A total of 2965 Australian First Nations adults, both men and women of various ages across the lifespan, were represented; no First Nations children affected by cancer were represented in the studies. Three themes emerged which included: (1) discrimination, racism and trauma, resulting from colonization, directly impacted First National people's cancer care experience; (2) cultural ways of knowing, being and doing are fundamental to how First Nations people engage with cancer care services; and (3) First Nations people need culturally safe person-centred cancer care services that address practical needs.
Most participants represented in this review experienced discrimination, racism and trauma, resulting from colonization, which directly negatively impacted Aboriginal peoples' cancer care experience. While the Optimal Cancer Pathway (OCP) was launched in Australia several years ago, people with cancer may continue to experience distressing unmet care needs.
Our team includes both First Nations people, non-First Nations researchers and healthcare professionals with expertise in cancer care. The researchers employed decolonizing restorative approaches to ensure voice, respect, accountability and reciprocity in this review work.
Members of the multidisciplinary team including nurses and policymakers should reflect on these findings, ensure that they have up-to-date cultural safety training and stand together with Indigenous and non-Indigenous cancer leaders to take proactive steps to stamp out and dismantle oppression in health, and safely implement the OCP.