To identify and synthesise the ethical, feasibility and acceptability challenges associated with implementing eye-tracking research with clinicians in acute care settings and to explore strategies to address these concerns.
Scoping review using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
Six databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global) were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Reference lists of included studies were also hand-searched.
Eligible studies involved clinicians using or interacting with eye-tracking devices in acute care environments and addressed at least one ethical, feasibility, or acceptability consideration. Data were extracted and thematically analysed. Knowledge users, including clinicians, ethicists and a patient partner, were engaged during protocol development and findings synthesis.
Twenty-five studies published from 2010 to 2024 were included. Seven challenges were identified: obtaining ethical approval, managing consent, privacy and confidentiality concerns, collecting data in unpredictable environments, interference with care, participant comfort and data loss or unreliability. Knowledge users highlighted the importance of early institutional engagement, clear protocols, continuous consent and context-sensitive ethical reflection.
Eye-tracking offers valuable insights into clinician behaviour and cognition, but its implementation in acute care raises complex ethical and methodological issues. Responsible use requires anticipatory planning, stakeholder engagement and flexible yet rigorous protocols.
By informing the development of ethically sound study protocols and consent practices, this work contributes to safer, more transparent and patient-centred research that respects participant autonomy and protects clinical workflows.
The protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/jn4yx).
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA; Page et al., 2021) and its Extension for Scoping Reviews (Tricco et al., 2018).
A patient partner was involved in protocol development, interpretation of findings and development of study recommendations. Their contributions included participating in advisory groups and providing feedback alongside clinicians and ethicists during focus groups. This input helped ensure the research addressed patient-relevant priorities and informed the development of ethically responsible practices for conducting eye-tracking research in clinical care settings.
Alcohol use disorder and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) often co-occur, presenting a major clinical challenge with limited effective treatments. However, ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects and has shown promise in reducing alcohol use, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can be effective for both substance use and mood disorders. This study explores the feasibility and acceptability of combining ACT with ketamine within the framework of the Montreal Model—a structured, integrative psychedelic ketamine therapy developed for severe TRD.
This study is a single-group, open-label feasibility trial at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) Neuromodulation Ketamine Clinic in Montreal, Canada. 30 participants diagnosed with both alcohol use disorder and treatment-resistant depression will receive eight weekly in-person or virtual ACT sessions in addition to six intravenous ketamine infusions. The primary outcome is feasibility, assessed through study completion and protocol adherence. Secondary outcomes include recruitment rate, tolerability, safety, data completeness and healthcare resource use. Exploratory measures will examine changes in depressive symptoms, alcohol use and quality of life using validated tools. A subset of participants will participate in semistructured qualitative interviews to explore their experiences.
This study was approved by the ethics committee of the CHUM on 14 May 2025. The results of the trial, including primary and secondary outcomes, will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
To apply the capability approach to understand ICU nurses’ decision-making autonomy.
A qualitative study using Amartya Sen’s capability approach as a conceptual framework.
This study reanalyzed qualitative data from a previous investigation involving semi-structured interviews with 39 experienced Canadian ICU nurses who described their decision-making processes in managing post-cardiac surgery bleeding. The analysis examined how resources (e.g., information, therapeutic and human), conversion factors (personal, social and institutional) and professional agency interact to shape nurses’ decision-making capabilities.
Nurses’ decision-making capabilities encompass: (1) obtaining necessary information, (2) interpreting information to make judgements and (3) making actionable decisions. These capabilities enable nurses to achieve valued outcomes such as clinical effectiveness, patient and family comfort, professional growth and personal fulfilment. However, they are shaped not only by clinical expertise or competency but also by structural and contextual factors, including resource constraints, institutional policies, interprofessional dynamics and hierarchical relationships. These factors influence nurses’ autonomy and real opportunities to translate clinical judgements into action.
The capability approach offers a reflective lens for examining the contextual conditions that shape nurses’ autonomy. By shifting the focus beyond individual competence, it highlights the broader structural and relational influences on nurses’ ability to make and implement clinical decisions.
Understanding decision-making as a capability underscores the importance of creating supportive environments where nurses can apply their expertise. The findings call for context-sensitive strategies in education, policy and practice that valorise nurse agency and respond to the systemic factors influencing decision-making in critical care settings.
What problem did the study address? This study examined the gap between nurses’ clinical expertise and the ability to act on decisions in practice, exploring how contextual factors influence their autonomy in critical care settings. What were the main findings? Decision-making autonomy is shaped by the interaction of individual, organisational and systemic factors—including access to resources, team dynamics and institutional norms—underscoring the need for context-sensitive strategies to support nurses’ decision-making. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? These findings can inform educators, policymakers and healthcare leaders seeking to strengthen decision-making, education and support, especially in complex or resource-constrained environments.
This report adheres to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
To describe how implementation leadership manifests among formal and informal point of care nurse leaders during a successful evidence-based practice implementation.
A collective case study.
A conceptual framework on shared implementation leadership guided the study. Two units known for strong implementation were selected as instrumental cases from a healthcare network. Data were collected from multiple sources (2022–2023), including document review, site visits, focus group and individual interviews with formal managerial and non-managerial nurse leaders, staff nurses, interdisciplinary clinical staff and departmental leaders. The Framework Method was used to thematically analyse within-case findings, followed by cross-case comparison.
Nurse leaders in formal and informal roles engaged in collaborative processes to collectively enact leadership behaviours throughout the implementation phases. Change-, relation- and task-oriented behaviours aimed to foster staff readiness, ensure supportive presence, structure implementation activities and reinforce the use of evidence-based practices on the units. Collaborative processes fostered leaders' engagement and kept one another informed to align and synchronise their collective actions.
This study extends our understanding of implementation leadership in nursing by highlighting a shared and relational approach among diverse point of care leaders. Strengthening team-level processes is essential to enhance leadership capacity for implementation in nursing.
Given the global push for innovative, high-quality healthcare, strong leadership is needed to create conditions for implementation and practice change. This study makes visible how multiple and diverse leaders collectively support implementation.
With much focus on nurse manager roles, there is a gap in the research showing how multiple point of care leaders facilitate implementation, which this study addresses. This study can serve as a template to assist nurse leaders in their implementation efforts and to advocate for developing diverse nurse leadership roles.
The report adheres to the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Quality research (COREQ) guidelines.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in the design, conduct or reporting.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERRI-10.2196/54681
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically affected schools. However, there are insufficient data on the chronic physical and mental health consequences of the pandemic in school workers.
To determine the prevalence and the functional and mental health impact of pandemic-related chronic health symptoms among school workers towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cross-sectional analysis of health questionnaires and serology testing data (nucleocapsid, N antibodies) collected between January and April 2023, within a cohort of school workers.
Three large school districts (Vancouver, Richmond, Delta) in the Vancouver metropolitan area, Canada (representing 186 elementary and secondary schools in total).
Active school staff employed in these three school districts.
COVID-19 infection history by self-reported viral and/or nucleocapsid antibody testing.
Self-reported, new-onset pandemic-related chronic health symptoms that started within the past year, lasting at least 3 months, after a positive viral test among those with a known infection.
Of 1128 school staff enrolled from 185/186 (99.5%) schools, 1086 (96.3%) and 998 (88.5%) staff completed health questionnaires and serology testing, respectively. The N-seroprevalence adjusted for clustering by school and test sensitivity and specificity was 84.7% (95% Credible Interval (95% CrI): 79.2% to 91.8%) compared with 85.4% (95% CrI: 81.6% to 90.3%) in a community-matched sample of blood donors. Overall, 31.1% (95% CI: 28.4% to 34.0%) staff reported new-onset chronic symptoms. These symptoms were more frequently reported in staff with viral test-confirmed infections (38.0% (95% CI: 34.3% to 41.9%)) compared with those with positive serology who were unaware that they had COVID-19 (14.3% (95% CI: 7.6% to 23.6%); p
The pandemic had major health impacts on school workers. To our knowledge, this study is among the first to concurrently quantify a broad range of chronic physical and mental health impacts, highlighting the need for further research and targeted health programmes to address this significant burden.