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Clinical nurses face notable chronic stress due to work-related stressors, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to somatic symptoms and low-grade inflammation. Mindfulness meditation has shown promise in reducing stress and improving health outcomes, but its effects on somatic symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in nurses remain underexplored.
To assess the impact of mindfulness meditation on somatic symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers such as leptin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α among nurses. To explore the secondary effects on perceived stress and trait mindfulness because of the complex interlinked association with the primary outcomes of interest.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 102 nurses randomly assigned to a meditation group (8-week mindfulness meditation program) or a non-meditation group. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-15) and blood samples for biomarker analysis at baseline and post-intervention.
The meditation group demonstrated notable reductions in perceived stress (p < 0.001), somatic symptoms (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.001), and leptin levels (p < 0.001) compared to the non-meditation group. Trait mindfulness increased markedly in the meditation group (p = 0.003), while TNF-α levels did not show notable changes.
Mindfulness meditation efficiently reduces perceived stress, somatic symptoms, and inflammatory biomarkers in nurses, highlighting its potential as a holistic intervention to improve both psychological and physical well-being in high-stress healthcare environments.
ClinicalTrail.gove, NCT06635278
To explore nurses' experiences of the adoption, implementation, and use of digital technologies during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.
A qualitative descriptive study.
A qualitative study using two data sources: qualitative responses from 55 respondents to an online survey, and data from in-depth interviews with 21 individuals. The NASSS framework was used to guide data collection and analysis. Data were analysed using framework analysis.
Respondents reported using a variety of technologies including video conferencing applications, telemonitoring, systems to support care management and telecommunication systems. The analysis identified a range of reasons why technology had been introduced into services, and a recognition of its value in a situation where otherwise care may not have been able to continue. During the pandemic nurses were expected to change their work practices very rapidly, and we identified situations where organisational infrastructure either supported this effectively or created additional burdens for the nurses' work.
Nurses had to adapt to new ways of working rapidly, with digital technology being one of the primary means through which communication and care were delivered. The Covid-19 pandemic provided a unique set of circumstances where layers of governance and many of the existing barriers to technology introduction were reduced.
It is important to learn from these experiences, to understand how to sustain innovations that have proved to be successful, as well as the factors that enable nurses to work effectively in this new environment.
This study adheres to the guidance for publishing qualitative research in informatics.
A public contributor was involved from the beginning of the study conceptualization. They had input into the study approach, were part of the team that acquired the funding for the study and gave input at various stages into the processes for data collection, analysis and writing up the findings. The public contributor is a co-author on this paper and has been involved in the writing and editing of this report.
This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of mothers of children with leukaemia regarding the transition of care from hospital to home.
A qualitative content analysis with a conventional approach was employed, and this report follows the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.
Thirteen mothers of children with leukaemia were recruited using purposive sampling from two Iranian paediatric hospitals. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted between 2023 and 2024 and analysed using conventional qualitative content analysis.
Drowning in the Vortex of Fear and Doubt emerged as the central theme, encapsulating the shared experiences of mothers of children with leukaemia. This overarching theme comprised five categories: (1) Fear of Unpredictable and Life-Threatening Complications, (2) Paradoxical Concerns About Discharge, (3) Doubts and Hopelessness About Treatment Effectiveness, (4) Stress Regarding the Child's Future Life Trajectory and (5) Sense of Helplessness in Alleviating the Child's Suffering.
The findings underscore the need to provide comprehensive supportive services for parents of children with leukaemia. Policymakers and healthcare teams should prioritise initiatives that enhance parental awareness, deliver psychosocial support and empower families to navigate the arduous path of care and treatment with greater trust and confidence.
Ensuring the well-being and comfort of both the child with cancer and the parents throughout the treatment process is essential for improving care outcomes.
The study is reported according to the COREQ.
Mothers of children with leukaemia participated as interviewees and contributed to ensuring the rigour of the study through data validation.
To explore the process of how nurses experience and deal with workplace violence based on nurses' perceptions and experiences in Iran.
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted using grounded theory approach. Participants included 17 nurses working in 4 hospitals in 2 urban areas in Iran with at least 1 year of clinical experience in emergency departments and intensive care units. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews conducted between August 2024 and March 2025. The constant comparative analysis approach was used for data analysis. This research method was carried out in five stages: open coding to identify concepts; development of concepts in terms of their characteristics and dimensions; contextual analysis; integration of the process to data analysis; and final category integration.
The main concern of participants in dealing with workplace violence was a ‘multidimensional security threat’. ‘Perpetrator response to nursing care’ (at the individual level) and ‘organisational inefficiency’ (at the organisational level) provided the context for this threat. A general theme entitled ‘tensive adaptation’ was the core category in this research and included four main categories: ‘tolerant reactions’, ‘seeking help’, ‘passive reactions’ and ‘hostile reactions’. ‘Organisational damage’, ‘nurse damage’ and ‘patient damage’ were the outcomes.
The theoretical model of ‘tensive adaptation’ provides a new perspective on ‘what’ and ‘how’ nurses experience and manage workplace violence. Effective strategies for managing violence such as effective communication, empathy, providing appropriate care, anger management, self-care, effective teamwork and requesting support can be considered by nursing administrators and incorporated into training programmes for nurses and nursing students. The adverse consequences of nurses' exposure to workplace violence should receive greater attention, as the entire healthcare system is affected by this exposure.
Workplace violence leads to physical and psychological problems, reduced job satisfaction, diminished performance, negative effects on personal and family life and decreased quality of patient care. The main concern of participants in dealing with workplace violence was ‘multidimensional security threat’. This concept includes three characteristics: ‘psychological health threats’, ‘physical health threats’ and ‘professional position threat’. ‘Perpetrator response to nursing care’ (individual level) and ‘organisational inefficiency’ (organisational level) served as contextual conditions that expose nurses to workplace violence. In ‘tensive adaptation’, nurses attempt to respond to workplace violence through strategies such as ‘tolerant reactions’, ‘seeking help’, ‘passive reactions’ and ‘hostile reactions’. ‘Organisational damage’, ‘nurse damage’ and ‘patient damage’ are the consequences of nurses' exposure to workplace violence.
The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) was used to report this study.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
Although multimodal rehabilitation programs are effective for substance use disorders and widely used, addiction is still a global socioeconomic problem. Providing practical strategies, such as the HeartMath intervention for managing stress at the moment, helps mitigate the physical, emotional, and psychological impacts associated with substance use disorder, promotes resilience, and enhances treatment motivation.
To investigate the effects of the nurse-led HeartMath Training Program on resilience, emotional adjustment, and treatment motivation among patients with substance use disorder.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used to carry out this study. This study was conducted at the inpatient unit for patients with addiction at Elmaa'mora Hospital for Psychiatric Medicine in Alexandria, Egypt. The subjects were 130 patients with substance use disorders (65 in each group). Researchers used three tools to collect the necessary data: Tool I Resilience Scale, Tool II Brief Adjustment Scale–6, and Tool III Treatment Motivation Questionnaire.
The difference in resilience, emotional adjustment, and treatment motivation between the study and control groups after the Nurse-Led HeartMath training intervention was statistically significant.
The HeartMath Training Program is efficacious in improving resilience and emotional adjustment among patients with substance use disorder and increasing their treatment motivation.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06437366
Nurse managers are pivotal to the successful implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). However, enhancing their skills and competencies remains a critical priority. Assessing the influence of nurse managers' competencies in managing and practicing EBP is essential, as it directly impacts outcomes across all levels of healthcare institutions.
This study explored how leadership, organizational support, and knowledge management influence EBP implementation among nurse managers.
A descriptive correlational study was conducted with a convenience sample of nurse managers in seven Egyptian hospitals. A total of 369 nurse managers completed three validated instruments: EBP Leadership and Organizational Support Scale (EBPLOSS), Knowledge Management Competencies for Nurse Managers (KMQN), and EBP Questionnaire (EBPQ). Descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied for data analysis.
Nurse managers reported high levels of perceived EBP leadership (84.7%), organizational support (79.52%), knowledge management (KM) competencies (75.15%), and EBP implementation (74.83%). SEM analysis identified KM competencies as the strongest predictor of EBP implementation, with a direct effect (B = 0.86, p < 0.001) accounting for 86% of the total effect. EBP leadership significantly influenced EBP implementation both directly (β = 0.31, p = 0.02) and indirectly through KM competencies (B = 0.89, p < 0.001). Organizational support showed a minimal direct effect (B = 0.13, p < 0.05) and a slightly negative indirect effect through KM competencies (B = −0.10, p < 0.001).
KM competencies are critical for EBP implementation, mediating the effects of leadership and organizational support. Healthcare organizations should enhance nurse managers' KM skills, foster transformational leadership, and create supportive environments. Future research should address barriers and explore longitudinal relationships in EBP implementation from a managerial perspective.
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