Examine the relationships between workplace trust, interpersonal trust, and nurses' physical and mental health, and specifically investigate the mediating role of resilience.
Nurses are central to healthcare delivery but frequently experience workplace violence, adversely affecting their well-being. Trust represents a higher-order mechanism that fosters positive attitudes and professional growth, potentially safeguarding nurses' resilience in coping with adversity. However, research elucidating how trust influences nurses' health via resilience remains limited.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling. A total of 2855 clinical nurses from general hospitals in Fujian Province, China, were surveyed between August and October 2022. Workplace trust and interpersonal trust were served as independent variables, Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores as dependent variables, and resilience as a mediator. Mediation analysis was performed using Mplus 8.3. The study was prepared and reported according to the STROBE checklist.
Mean scores were Physical Component Summary: 51.12 ± 8.90, and Mental Component Summary: 48.20 ± 10.18. Workplace trust had significant direct effects on both Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary. Interpersonal trust had no significant direct effects on Physical Component Summary or Mental Component Summary. Resilience demonstrated significant mediating effects: for workplace trust on Physical Component Summary and on Mental Component Summary; and for interpersonal trust on Physical Component Summary and on Mental Component Summary.
Workplace trust directly enhances nurses' physical and mental health. While interpersonal trust lacks a direct link to health outcomes, both workplace and interpersonal trust significantly improve nurses' health indirectly by bolstering resilience. Resilience serves as a critical pathway through which trust fosters well-being.
No patient or public contribution.
Nurse managers and healthcare administrators should prioritise interventions to cultivate workplace trust (e.g., fostering trust among colleagues, and between nurses and the organisation/management) and strengthen interpersonal trust and psychological resilience. Enhancing these protective factors will better equip nurses to manage occupational and personal stressors, ultimately safeguarding and improving their physical and mental health.
To examine factors, including symptom burden profiles and self-care, associated with quality of life among individuals with heart failure and multimorbidity.
A cross-sectional design.
353 adults aged 50 years or older with heart failure and at least one additional chronic condition were recruited from a university-affiliated hospital. Three symptom burden groups were identified (low, moderate, and high) through latent profile analysis of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale scores. The Heart Failure Self-care Index and EuroQoL-5D-5L measured self-care behaviours and quality of life. This study examined group differences and associations overall and stratified by symptom burden groups via multivariable linear regression.
A higher disease burden and the high symptom burden group compared to the low symptom burden group were associated with lower quality of life. Self-care maintenance was positively associated with a higher quality of life, but not in the high-burden group. Among individual symptoms, pain and depression were associated with lower quality of life. In the high-burden group, older age was positively associated with quality of life. Higher symptom burden groups included a greater proportion of women and middle-aged adults.
Symptom burden and self-care maintenance show significant associations with quality of life in multimorbidity. Symptom burden profiles identified through latent profile analysis may complement conventional approaches by targeting high-risk individuals, such as middle-aged individuals and women with high symptom burden, for follow-up and integrated multimorbidity management.
For healthcare providers, including nurses, these findings underscore the importance of holistic, symptom-based care approaches combined with routine support for self-care maintenance. Adopting a life-course approach, through early identification and management of high-risk individuals, may help promote aging in place with a better quality of life for those with heart failure and multimorbidity.
STROBE checklist.
No patient or public contribution.
The debate about whether health visiting, a specialist community public health nursing role, is at the level of advanced practice nurse has gone on for more than a decade. There is little empirical evidence that the role matches the traditional role of an advanced practice nurse, although many of the attributes of advanced practice nursing such as prescribing rights, managing complex cases, caseloads with undifferentiated need and advanced assessment and decision-making are certainly present.
The current study aimed to develop, refine and test the Health Visiting Advanced Practice Scale to assess the scope of advanced practice of UK health visitors.
A cross-sectional and methodological scale validation design, following classical test theory.
The design consisted of three phases; the first involved scale development including item generation, phase two assessed the content validity index, and the third phase involved a cross-sectional survey to establish construct validity, content validity, and internal consistency reliability, and conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.
The initial 44-item scale underwent iterative exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, leading to a refined 5-factor structure with 29 items covering domains such as family-centred care, leadership, prescribing, diagnostic reasoning, and professional practice. This final version demonstrated strong reliability and construct validity in the EFA but mixed fit indices in the CFA, supporting both internal consistency and validity of the scale.
The final scale offers a rigorously validated tool for assessing advanced practice among UK health visitors, capturing core domains such as family-centred care, leadership, prescribing, and diagnostic reasoning. By bridging theoretical frameworks with real-world practice, it fills a critical gap in evaluating and supporting the professional scope of this public health nursing specialty.
These findings provide valid and reliable insights for measuring and improving health visitors' advanced practice and developing future professional policies.
No patient or public contribution.
STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines for cross-sectional studies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving, offering an expanding suite of capabilities that go beyond the traditional focus on prediction and classification. Generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI could create transformative practices to support real-world evidence (RWE) generation for health research by streamlining studies, accelerating insights and improving decision-making. However, there is no published overview available describing the range of applications in RWE generation. This review aims to describe where and how genAI and agentic AI are applied across the domains of healthcare research tasks for RWE generation. Additionally, to map applications by tasks and methods across the product lifecycle continuum, and to identify emerging gaps and opportunities.
This Living Scoping Review (LSR) will include studies reporting an application and/or evaluation of genAI or agentic AI applied to one or more RWE generation research tasks. Searches will be conducted in Embase, MEDLINE and additional sources (eg, grey literature). Citations will be independently screened by two human senior reviewers for a substantive training dataset and a commercially available screening algorithm (Robot Screener) will complete screening with a human reviewer. The LSR will include reports of studies (primary or reviews) describing and/or evaluating the application of any genAI model for RWE generation in healthcare, in English, published from 1 January 2025 to the date of search. Data will be extracted from all studies included in the LSR by one independent senior reviewer using a piloted template, with 10% quality check by a second senior reviewer. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise the applications of genAI per RWE research task, and the results of genAI evaluations. Thematic analysis will be used to describe genAI application patterns, trends, gaps and opportunities. The LSR protocol and reports will be updated annually, and findings will be published on a publicly available website (eg, ISPE—the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology).
Ethical approval is not required due to use of previously published data. Planned dissemination includes peer-reviewed publication, presentation and short summaries.
Black women in early midlife experience disproportionate exposure to stress and elevated cardiovascular risk, including hypertension. Despite this, few stress management interventions are designed with and for this population. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of stress and coping among black women in early midlife with elevated blood pressure to inform the codesign of a culturally relevant, multilevel stress management intervention.
We will conduct one-time, semistructured focus groups with black women aged 35–50 who have elevated blood pressure, recruited from a large safety-net health system. Data will be analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach, with inductive theme development supported by line-by-line, focused and theoretical coding. The Social Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease framework will serve as a sensitising guide to multilevel contextual factors rather than a prescriptive coding structure. An artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analytic component will complement human-led analysis by supporting preliminary theme exploration and enhancing transparency.
Approved by the Indiana University Institutional Review Board (Protocol #21785). All participants will provide written informed consent. Findings will be shared via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and lay summaries for stakeholders.
Previous reviews have investigated the relationship between empathy and burnout. However, these are now out of date, did not capture the effect of the pandemic, did not include healthcare professionals other than doctors and nurses or medical students, did not assess the impact of differences in profession and did not pool the data, which made estimating the strength of the association unclear. We therefore aim to address these shortcomings in an up-to-date, rigorous, systematic review and meta-analysis.
Findings will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and flowchart.
We will search American Psychological Association (APA) PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The Cochrane Library, PubMed and Scopus. We will also search ResearchSquare and Social Science Research Network (SSRN) for preprints; ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and Electronic Theses Online Service for relevant theses. Forward and backward citation searches will identify additional studies. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts and full texts and extract data. Two independent reviewers will assess risk of bias using Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) for randomised controlled trials, Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) for non-randomised interventional studies and Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Exposures (ROBINS-E) for observational studies.
For all included studies, we will summarise the study characteristics, including number of participants; health profession, specialty and career stage; country and gender. If data are suitable, we will pool results and conduct subgroup analyses (including by health profession, career stage and clinical specialty). We will also explore the relationships between subscales of empathy and burnout. We will use metaregression to explore the impact of theoretically derived factors (such as study design and profession) on the strength of the association. Sensitivity analyses will assess the impact of low-quality research. In our discussion, we will summarise results, the limitations and provide a general interpretation of the results and implications.
Ethical approval is not required for this review, as primary data will not be collected. The review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and presentation at conferences.
CRD420251075618.
To determine how people with post-COVID syndrome in Germany experience medical care and what healthcare problems they see in relation to post-COVID.
Semistructured interviews with a topic guide; audio-recording, transcription and analysis in terms of content.
13 digital interviews and one face-to-face meeting between April and June 2024.
14 German people with post-COVID syndrome (10 female; 4 male).
The experiences of the study participants in the care of their post-COVID symptoms were heterogeneous and suggested the continued, at least partially persisting, presence of problems in Germany that have already been addressed in the past. While other studies focus primarily on structural hurdles, our study provides indications that the interactions between healthcare professionals and patients may be important for their satisfaction with care. In particular, physician initiative, education and communication appear to play central roles. In addition, respondents often felt inadequately informed and reported problems with obtaining information. The level of knowledge about the disease in society as a whole has also been frequently criticised.
Doctor–patient interaction may be a critical factor in improving the care of post-COVID patients, with both supportive and problematic experiences indicating that empathic communication and transparent education can play an important role in reducing miscommunication and perceived stigma. In addition, people with post-COVID syndrome appear to need easier access to disease-specific information, which might be facilitated by expanded digital resources and additional dedicated support information services.
To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptability of a spherical video-based virtual reality training programme aimed at helping nurses manage workplace violence.
A convergent mixed-methods study.
This study included nurses from a tertiary medical centre in Taiwan. The training programme involved four interactive 360° scenarios focused on recognising, de-escalating, and responding to workplace violence. Quantitative measures included risk perception, confidence in coping with aggression, and technology acceptance. Qualitative measures included the participants' learning experiences. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated through joint displays.
The programme was feasible, with all participants completing the training. Nurses reported high levels of perceived usefulness and ease of use. Quantitative data revealed considerable improvements in risk awareness and confidence in responding to incidents of violence. Qualitative data revealed that immersion and emotional resonance enhanced engagement, fostered self-reflection, and reinforced learning. Technical challenges included subtitle placement and speech recognition accuracy.
Spherical video-based virtual reality is a feasible, acceptable, and effective training approach that improves nurses' preparedness for managing workplace violence by enhancing situational awareness and confidence in addressing high-risk situations.
Integrating spherical video-based virtual reality into continual education may strengthen nurses' workplace safety competencies, prevent harm from incidents of violence, and improve patient care in stressful environments.
Workplace violence undermines nurse safety and patient care. Current training modules often lack contextual realism. Our programme improved nurses' awareness, confidence, and reflective learning and was feasible and well accepted. The findings are relevant to nursing educators, hospital administrators, and policymakers seeking sustainable strategies for addressing workplace violence.
This study adhered to the Revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence.
Patients or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of this study.
To investigate the relationship between nursing ethical leadership style, work environment (workload, interpersonal conflicts) and patients' objective nursing-sensitive outcomes (accidental falls, pressure ulcers, nosocomial infections, restraints and deaths).
Nationwide multicentre cross-sectional multilevel survey.
Validated self-report scales were used to assess nurses' perceptions of ethical leadership, workload and interpersonal conflict. Nursing staffing and objective patient' nursing-sensitive outcomes were measured at the ward level. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. Structural equation modelling examined the relationships among these variables based on Donabedian's conceptual framework.
Data from 2349 nurses across 158 wards in 25 Italian acute care hospitals were analysed. The multilevel model showed an excellent fit. Ethical leadership was negatively associated with both workload and interpersonal conflict. Workload was significantly linked to higher rates of pressure ulcers, falls and deaths in patients. Ethical leadership was indirectly associated with improved patient outcomes through reduced workload.
Head nurses' ethical leadership has a pivotal role in shaping the work environment and enhancing nursing-sensitive outcomes by reducing workload and fostering positive interpersonal dynamics. These findings emphasise the need for healthcare organisations to invest in ethical leadership development as a critical strategy for improving care quality and promoting better patient outcomes.
These findings emphasise the need for healthcare organisations to invest in ethical leadership development as a critical strategy for improving care quality and promoting safer, more effective patient outcomes.
The study adhered to The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist.
This study did not include patient or public involvement.
Cultivating moral values and principles in leadership enables leaders to effectively communicate these values to their staff. Addressing unethical behaviours, fostering open dialogue about organisational ethics, and supporting leaders in the ethical decision-making process contribute to a healthier nurses' work environment. Healthcare organisations investing in the development and promotion of ethical leaders improve care quality.
The study was registered in the research registry (www.researchregistry.com) under the record number (researchregistry7418), following a published protocol.
This study aimed to assess the psychological outcomes of family members of patients who were resuscitated in the Emergency Department (ED) and analyse factors associated with these outcomes.
This study utilised a cross-sectional design
Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire sent to family members of patients who had undergone resuscitation in the ED from February 2024 to January 2025. Instruments for data collection included The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the short version of The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale–21 items (DASS-21), the Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI) and questions related to demographic variables and the resuscitation event.
A total of 106 family members completed the questionnaire. Of this, 64.2% (n = 68) reported witnessing the resuscitation attempt, and 35.8% (n = 38) did not witness the event. Family members who witnessed the resuscitation displayed more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), measured by the IES-R, compared to those who did not witness the event. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the IES-R and the MQLI scores, indicating that higher PTSD symptoms correlate with lower quality of life (QoL) ratings.
The findings of this study indicated that witnessing the resuscitation of a loved one in the ED is associated with increased PTSD symptoms.
Patients' and family members' cultural and religious needs should be acknowledged by the health care providers. Study findings indicate that family members prefer to be with the patient during the patient's resuscitation. However, without adequate support from hospital staff, this experience may cause adverse psychological effects. Strategies to support family members during and after resuscitation should be developed and integrated into the management of in-hospital resuscitation.
This study followed the STROBE guidelines.
No patient or public contribution.
To identify the latent frailty trajectory and explore corresponding predictors among older adults living with frailty who experience hip fracture surgery within 3 months after discharge.
From December 2022 to November 2024, 178 individuals were consecutively enrolled in a longitudinal observational study conducted at a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province, China.
The Reported Edmonton Frail Scale measured the frailty level at 5 points, which included baseline (pre-fracture), at discharge, 2 weeks, 1 and 3 months after discharge. Latent class growth models were set up for the frailty trajectory. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to explore the predictors of frailty trajectory classes.
One hundred fifty-three participants completed the full follow-up. Latent class growth models identified 3 frailty trajectories. Class 1: moderate frailty transformed to severe frailty (n = 27; 17.65%); Class 2: mild frailty transformed to moderate frailty (n = 86; 56.20%); Class 3: pre-frailty transformed to mild frailty (n = 40; 26.15%). A higher-level D-Dimer at admission and the five-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale increased the incidence of Class 2 compared to Class 3. The higher scores of the Abbreviated Mental Test decreased the incidence of Class 2 compared to Class 3. Longer surgical waiting time, a higher-level five-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Age-Adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index increased the incidence of Class 1 compared to Class 3. The higher scores of the Abbreviated Mental Test and Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form decreased the incidence of Class 1 compared to Class 3.
Three frailty trajectory classes were identified among older adults living with frailty who experience hip fracture surgery after discharge within 3 months. D-Dimer at admission, surgical waiting time, depressive symptoms, cognitive status, comorbidity index and nutritional status are associated with these fluctuating frailty trajectories.
Modifiable factors such as improving nutrition and cognitive status and managing depression, comorbidities and preoperative evaluations provide methods for future interventions to prevent or mitigate frailty among this population.
What problem did the study address? Frailty is an inherent dynamic among older adults living with frailty who experience hip fracture surgery after discharge within 3 months. Some factors affect the mitigated frailty process in this population. What were the main findings? Three frailty trajectory classes were identified in this study. And the level of their frailty worsens 3 months after surgery compared to pre-fracture. D-Dimer at admission, surgical waiting time, depressive symptoms, cognitive status, comorbidity index and nutritional status are associated with these fluctuating frailty trajectories. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The findings of this study provide screening, intervention and discharge plan evidence for healthcare workers in orthopaedics and geriatrics Departments. Helping community healthcare workers and primary caregivers set the theoretical basis for home-based intervention programs.
We have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines using the STROBE reporting method.
No patient or public contribution.
To determine how patients use the internet to get health information and to identify their needs and preferences for a journal transparency tool which would highlight journal transparency practices.
A mixed-methods study comprising a cross-sectional online survey followed by virtual focus groups to further explore the survey responses.
Canada.
A total of 183 adult patients and caregivers completed our online survey. 29 survey respondents participated in the subsequent focus groups.
We report descriptive statistics (counts and percentages) for all quantitative survey items. We used thematic content analysis for text-based survey responses. The focus groups asked patients about four key topics: (1) the content they would like to see in a journal transparency tool, (2) how they would like the content visually displayed, (3) how to best share the tool with patients and (4) how to determine whether the tool was successful over time. We conducted a thematic content analysis to identify core themes discussed. Focus group participants then rank-ordered the themes identified by their perceived importance.
Of the 183 survey respondents, 146 (82%) indicated they use the internet most often when looking for health information, 66 (37%) indicated they sometimes read original research articles when searching for health information and 92 (52%) indicated they sometimes have difficulty knowing if the information they read online is reliable. Approximately half (86; 49%) of the survey respondents had never heard of predatory journals. We identified 32 themes across the four key topic areas that were discussed in the focus groups.
Patients have expressed a need for a journal transparency tool. This study will inform the tool’s development to ensure that it meets the needs and preferences of patients.
The WHO Package of Essential Non-communicable Diseases Interventions (WHO PEN) provides a core set of measures to prevent, detect and manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low-resource settings. Many countries have adopted WHO PEN to strengthen primary healthcare, yet there is limited consolidated evidence on what components have been implemented and how WHO PEN has been implemented across different contexts. Understanding both the ‘what’ (disease modules, intervention activities, tools) and the ‘how’ (strategies, approaches, target populations and contextual factors) is crucial to assess the short-term to medium-term effects on health system readiness, provider performance, patient outcomes and long-term population health impact.
This protocol outlines a systematic review that will be updated as new evidence emerges and additional countries adopt or adapt WHO PEN. It represents the first systematic review focused on the implementation of the multifaceted interventions under WHO PEN. Findings will support efforts to sustain and scale up NCD interventions at the primary healthcare level and inform future updates of WHO PEN and related WHO guidance.
We will search PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar for studies published up to June 2025, supplemented by grey literature and reference checking.
The review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines. Given the complexity, the review will be conducted in two stages. Stage 1 consists of an overview of review, mapping of existing review and evidence and guiding deeper inquiry of stage 2. Stage 2 will conduct a mixed-methods systematic review of the primary studies, forming the main output of this protocol.
Ethics approval is not required. The protocol and findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, webinars and conferences.
CRD420251064835.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has 20 Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) and 28 Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs) that work with NHS organisations and universities to translate cutting-edge research into new interventions. As mandated by NIHR, all BRCs/CRFs have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy which details how they will implement EDI through their practices, research and organisational systems. This UK-based study aimed to conduct a pilot qualitative analysis of EDI strategies to compare all 20 NIHR BRCs/CRFs, identify common priorities and improve inclusion across research infrastructures. The analysis was presented at the first in-person seminar for NIHR EDI professionals (Birmingham, October 2024).
Qualitative content analysis of publicly available EDI strategy documents.
48 research infrastructures (20 BRCs and 28 CRFs).
EDI strategies were collated into NVivo and Microsoft Excel where inductive coding and content analysis was executed for objectives, action plans and success measures. Both quantitative and qualitative content analyses were conducted to analyse the prevalence of categories and similarities or differences between them. Logic models were developed to map the process of implementing EDI for each main category generated.
The most common main category across objectives was ‘Cultural change in workplaces’ for BRCs and ‘Leadership, governance and policy’ for CRFs. For action plans, codes for ‘Collaborations and Networks’ and ‘Research development and delivery’ were most prevalent for BRCs—for CRFs, it was ‘Workforce culture change’ and ‘Research development and delivery’. Success measures for both BRCs and CRFs most often related to ‘Summary reports, feedback, audits and monitoring’. Differences between BRCs and CRFs reflected their organisational roles and strategic maturity, with BRCs tending to have more comprehensive, measurable strategies.
This study provides the first systematic analysis of EDI strategies across all NIHR BRCs and CRFs, offering a comprehensive mapping of how EDI priorities are articulated and operationalised across objectives, action plans and success measures. While both infrastructures align with NIHR’s inclusion goals, BRCs generally showed more strategic maturity than CRFs. As the analysis was based solely on publicly available strategy documents, it could not determine the extent to which any strategy had been implemented in practice. Future research is needed to examine implementation and impact. The contribution of this work lies in demonstrating systematically and for the first time the ways in which EDI commitments are framed across NIHR infrastructures and their varying levels of depth and maturity. Our findings support the development of more measurable EDI frameworks and highlight opportunities to strengthen inclusion across NIHR-funded research infrastructures.
The Windrush Generation describes a group of individuals who migrated, primarily from the Caribbean to the UK between 1948 and 1971, many of whom are now entering older age. Now entering later life, many face ongoing health inequalities shaped by systemic racism and cultural marginalisation. Despite a growing number of ethnic minority residents in UK care homes, little is known about the lived experiences of Black African Caribbean people in these settings, particularly at the end of life.
This qualitative study explores the experiences of Black African Caribbean care home residents and their families, focusing on how race, identity and marginalisation shape care. Guided by the Silences Framework, semistructured interviews will be conducted with up to 16 participants across diverse care home settings. Data will be analysed thematically, with attention to under-represented narratives. A Patient and Public Involvement group of African Caribbean community members has codeveloped the study and will support analysis and dissemination to ensure cultural relevance.
Ethical approval has been secured (REC: 24/WM/0151; protocol number: RG_21087; IRAS project ID: 302629), and the study will follow rigorous consent and capacity procedures, including caregiver affirmation and UBACC assessment where needed. Given the sensitive, potentially distressing focus on racism, marginalisation and end-of-life experiences, the research will be conducted by an experienced clinician-researcher using a reflexive, ethically grounded approach that safeguards both participants and researcher. Interviews will be held in private, accessible settings with appropriate advocacy, safeguarding concerns will follow care home and national protocols, and all data will be securely stored, anonymised and managed under General Data Protection Regulation and university governance, with the University of Birmingham as sponsor and data controller.
The rise in smartphone use presents opportunities and challenges in clinical settings. Despite guidelines restricting mobile phone use, nurses frequently rely on them for various purposes. While beneficial, smartphone use poses risks to information security, patient safety, and care quality, prompting the need for monitoring.
This study examined smartphone usage among nursing students and their perspectives on acceptable and unacceptable use during clinical placements.
This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to recruit undergraduate nursing students from five universities in Australia and New Zealand. Participants completed the Attitude Towards Digital Device Use during Clinical Placement (Adduct) Scale online between September 2021 and August 2022. The survey included closed and open-ended questions. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using SPSS. Exploratory factor analysis identified attitudinal dimensions, while group comparisons assessed demographic variations. Qualitative responses were thematically analysed. Reporting followed the Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies (CROSS).
Among 279 respondents, drawn from an eligible population of 2682 students, the response rate was 10.4%. Age significantly influenced perceptions of unacceptable smartphone use. Younger students (mean age = 25.0, SD = 9.8) were more likely to view such use as acceptable, with those up to 21 years reporting higher scores on the Unacceptable Use sub-scale compared to older peers (p = 0.024). Most respondents found smartphone use beneficial for accessing information and learning, though concerns included distractions and confidentiality breaches. Younger students were at greater risk of non-adherence to guidelines.
Smartphones can enhance learning and efficiency, but clear guidelines and education are needed to balance benefits with risks, particularly for younger students.
This study highlights the need for clear guidelines and structured training to balance educational benefits of smartphone use with the risks of distraction and breaches of patient confidentiality in clinical practice.
No patient or public pontribution.
To explore the lived experiences and daily interactions of older couples living with multimorbidity.
A descriptive-interpretive qualitative study based on a generic interpretive description framework.
A total of 20 dyads were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy, and 24 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between May 2023 and January 2025. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data.
Four overarching themes were generated: (1) dynamic relationship structures; (2) diverse interaction patterns; (3) double burdens; and (4) double resilience. Dynamic relationship structures occurred in dyadic and triadic forms. Diverse interaction patterns involved independence, interdependence and dependence. Double burdens manifested as physical toll, financial hardship, emotional contagion and perceptual misalignment, whereas double resilience was reflected in the nudge effect, emotional resonance and promotion of family ownership of health.
This study adopted a dyadic perspective to explore the experiences and interactions of older couples living with multimorbidity. The caring dynamics and blurred roles of patient and care partner deviate from the traditional unidirectional, linear model of ‘one person caring for the other’. Formal or informal caregiving support from third parties, as well as the nudge effect and emotional resonance between spouses, may help orient older couples as they navigate the challenges associated with multimorbidity.
Our findings indicate that community nurses can play a proactive role in identifying older couples living with multimorbidity through routine care attendance and assessments, enabling early recognition of health management needs. Geriatric nurses can leverage insights into couples' interaction patterns to tailor more effective care plans at different stages of illness, monitor emerging risks and identify optimal timing for third-party support. By facilitating a responsive triadic network, nurses can help ensure continuous and sustainable health care.
Adhered to SRQR guidelines for qualitative research.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
To report on the unique perspectives of senior nursing leaders on the value proposition of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role, their organisational experience and the barriers and facilitators to optimise and promote the long-term sustainability.
A qualitative sub-study of a larger multi-method study focused on informing policy recommendations to optimise the CNS workforce, informed by integrated knowledge translation.
Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) and other senior leaders in all health authorities in British Columbia, Canada, were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews via video call between August–December 2023. We recruited 13 participants from diverse health regions, including 5 CNOs.
Leaders collectively conveyed a renewed interest in the CNS role to support nursing and multidisciplinary teams to better meet patient and system needs, and a sense of urgency to optimise the role in diverse settings. The overarching theme of “success by design” was supported by three thematic priorities: (1) understanding the CNS role, (2) a role that needs protection and connections and (3) moving forward together. Views were aligned to co-construct implementation-ready policy recommendations to guide provincial strategies.
Senior leaders reported a common understanding of the value-add of the CNS workforce and had a shared experience of barriers to optimisation. Contemporary policy guidance is needed to equip health systems to address this gap.
Across international regions, the role of CNSs is not fully optimised. This is a wasted opportunity to address the pressing need for nursing practice leaders to transform health systems and improve outcomes. This study provides new knowledge about the perspectives of Chief Nursing Officers and other nursing leaders to shape comprehensive and targeted policy recommendations and address enduring and new challenges to realise the full impact of the CNS workforce.
We have adhered to COREQ reporting guidelines (See supplemental file).
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
This study aimed to investigate the network structural characteristics of self-efficacy and professional resilience among emergency nurses, identify core nodes within the network, and elucidate the key interactive mechanisms between these constructs.
Descriptive cross-sectional study.
A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2025, involving 612 emergency nurses from 20 hospitals in Sichuan, China. Data were collected using a self-administered demographic questionnaire, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Chinese Emergency Nurse Professional Resilience Tool. An adjacent network integrating professional resilience and self-efficacy was developed. Key covariates—including title, position, tenure in the hospital or emergency department, education, and exposure to workplace violence—were included as control variables. Network precision and stability were evaluated using the correlation stability coefficient and confidence intervals for edge weights. To further test the robustness of the network model, sensitivity analyses were performed by adding each significant covariate to the original model. The Network Comparison Test was then used to compare the covariate-adjusted and unadjusted networks, assessing differences in network structure, overall strength, and edge weights.
The analysis identified S9 as the central node in the network. The overall network showed satisfactory stability and precision. The Network Comparison Test showed no significant differences in network structure or global strength between the adjusted and unadjusted models, indicating that the network was stable and robust to covariate adjustment.
This network analysis revealed the interaction mechanisms between self-efficacy and professional resilience among emergency nurses through contemporaneous network modelling and identified S9 as the core node, suggesting that this coping strategy plays a key role in regulating psychological resources. The overall network demonstrated good stability and precision, with no statistically significant differences between the adjusted and unadjusted models according to the Network Comparison Test. These findings indicate that the network structure was robust to covariate adjustment and provide a reference for developing and optimising intervention strategies to enhance professional resilience among emergency nurses.
For Emergency Nurses and the Management of Emergency Nursing Practice: What problem does this study address?
This study addresses the gap in understanding how self-efficacy and occupational resilience interact in emergency nurses under high-stress conditions.
A contemporaneous network analysis revealed a central node linking self-efficacy and resilience, highlighting key pathways in their mutual influence.
The findings offer practical guidance for emergency nursing management, supporting the development of targeted strategies to strengthen nurses' resilience, enhance professional competence, and improve the quality of emergency care.
This study is reported using the STROBE guidelines.
No Patient or Public Involvement: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
Social connection describes how individuals connect, relate and interact with one another, and can affect quality of life (QoL) in persons with dementia. Much of the existing research on social connection does not explicitly differentiate social connection’s structure, function and quality components. Due to this, social connection is described using inconsistent terminology, making it unknown how each component is associated with health and well-being outcomes. However, for people with dementia, it is unknown which components of social connection are associated with QoL and whether factors such as gender and type of dementia influence these relationships. This scoping review will identify which components of social connection have been studied in relation to the QoL for people with dementia. This will address inconsistent definitions of social connection terminology and clarify what components of social connection are described and measured in the existing literature.
The six-stage scoping review framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005), with updates from Levac et al (2010), will be used. In March 2025, a comprehensive literature search in the following databases will be conducted: MEDLINE ALL (Ovid), APA PsycInfo (Ovid), Embase Classic and Embase (Ovid), CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost) and Scopus, from database inception. Studies will be included if they are observational studies reporting on an association between social connection and QoL in community-dwelling people with dementia. In Covidence, two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts and review full-text articles based on the inclusion criteria. Data extraction will be carried out by one reviewer and cross-checked by another reviewer. A content analysis for scoping reviews will be used to analyse data and synthesise findings.
Ethical approval is not required. Dissemination activities will include peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations and lay summaries on professional websites and social media.