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To understand the social representations of bedside milk expression (BME) among mothers of preterm newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Qualitative descriptive study.
The study was conducted from July to August 2024 in two NICUs of a referral maternity hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil. Nineteen mothers of hospitalised premature newborns participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and subjected to thematic content analysis.
Mothers perceived BME as a meaningful act of protection and bonding, though some were unfamiliar with the practice. Emotional ambivalence was common, shaped by prior breastfeeding experiences and the context of prematurity. Discomfort related to privacy and shared spaces was noted. Support from healthcare professionals was essential to promote understanding and adherence.
Social representations of BME are shaped by emotional, social and institutional experiences. Anchored in prior breastfeeding experiences and cultural meanings of maternal care, the practice is objectified through both gestures of affection and tangible barriers.
Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, should receive training to support mothers in BME. Structural improvements, privacy and emotional support are essential for fostering maternal autonomy and confidence.
This study highlights the barriers to BME, emphasising the role of healthcare support and the need for better infrastructure, privacy and training to enhance maternal confidence and breastfeeding.
The study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.
None.
This paper highlights the pivotal role of healthcare professional support in overcoming barriers to BME and promoting breastfeeding practices.
Fresh breast milk is considered the gold standard for reducing complications and improving survival in preterm infants. BME is recommended as an effective strategy to ensure the availability of fresh breast milk. Mothers' social representations of this practice remain underexplored within the neonatal intensive care context.
Explores mothers' social representations of BME in NICUs, addressing a significant gap in qualitative research. Reveals how emotional, social and institutional factors shape mothers' perceptions, motivations and challenges related to BME. Highlights the need for targeted professional support, improved infrastructure and privacy to enhance maternal autonomy and adherence to milk expression practices.
Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, should receive specialised training to provide technical guidance and emotional support, enhancing mothers' confidence and autonomy in BME. Improving infrastructure and ensuring privacy in NICUs are crucial to creating supportive environments that facilitate milk expression and strengthen maternal–infant bonding. Institutional policies should integrate maternal-centred strategies to support breastfeeding continuity and promote humanised neonatal care.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths. The training of professionals on brief tobacco interventions (BTIs) increases the effectiveness of these interventions.
To assess the effectiveness of an online training program on BTI based on the 5As and 5Rs model in acquiring anti-tobacco brief advice competencies among nurses.
Quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design, with a control group and without random assignment. In the experimental group (EG), online training was provided in three sections: BTI theoretical content and methodology, clinical scenario videos, and feedback. Each scenario assessed the 5As and 5Rs as a validated instrument (BTI-Prof(C)). The control group (CG) only assessed the three videos of clinical scenarios. In both groups, competence was measured at the following points in time: T0 (before the training), T1 (at the end of the training), and T2 (after 90 days). The efficacy of the intervention was measured through a two-way ANOVA, and the variation rate was calculated from T0 to T1 and from T0 to T2.
236 nurses participated (157 EG; 79 CG). The mean age was 42.9 years, and 76.7% were women. There was a significant group*time interaction in the three cases, indicating that the online BTI training increases the competence of these professionals in clinical scenario 1 (F = 10.210; p ≤ 0.001; η 2 = 0.081), clinical scenario 2 (F = 6.235; p = 0.002; η 2 = 0.051), and clinical scenario 3 (F = 11.271; p ≤ 0.001; η 2 = 0.090).
A brief, asynchronous, and online intervention using standardized video-based cases is effective in improving nurses' BTI competence. This type of training can be a useful option for the National Health System as part of a global and continuous strategy for nurses to perform BTI.
An asynchronous online training program provides nurses with standardized, evidence-based tools to implement brief tobacco interventions in routine care, offering a scalable and practical solution to strengthen preventive strategies in health systems.
To evaluate the effect of mutuality on self-care in people with CHD and the contribution of their caregivers, and whether such relationships can be mediated by self-efficacy.
Secondary analysis of baseline data from a multi-centre longitudinal study.
Patients at the onset of coronary artery disease who underwent angioplasty, along with their caregivers, were included in the sample. Data from 136 patients and 136 caregivers were used for the analysis. Mutuality between patients and caregivers was measured using the Mutuality Scale. Self-care was measured using the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Index and the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Index. The actor–partner interdependence mediation models were used to assess the mediating role of self-efficacy for self-care between perceived mutuality and self-care behaviours.
An actor indirect effect was found between patient mutuality and their self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management, through the mediation of their self-efficacy. Caregiver mutuality had a positive indirect effect on their contribution to self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management, through the mediation of their self-efficacy. Caregiver mutuality had a positive indirect effect on patient self-care maintenance and on patient self-care monitoring, through the mediation of patient self-efficacy. All models demonstrated satisfactory fit to the data.
Mutuality between patients and caregivers enhances self-care behaviours in patients with coronary heart disease, and self-efficacy is a crucial mediator in this relationship. Interventions targeting both mutuality and self-efficacy within patient–caregiver dyads may improve self-care outcomes.
We adhered to STROBE guidelines.
Patients and members of the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
To investigate discrepancies in perceptions regarding the accessibility and availability of rest and relaxation (R&R) spaces between hospital doctors in Scotland and NHS Scotland regional health boards (HBs), with the intention of informing best practices for organisational policy on the provision of R&R spaces both now and in the future.
A qualitative study, through an inhabited institutionalism (II) lens, of semi-structured interviews of hospital doctors across the career continuum in Scotland and all NHS regional HBs in Scotland providing written information relating to R&R space provision.
NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Hospital doctors (n=30) who had participated in a larger qualitative study and provided specific insights on R&R spaces. All NHS Scotland regional HBs (n=14).
Although HBs reported the provision of R&R spaces, numerous doctors reported R&R spaces had been removed, relocated or were inaccessible. Furthermore, limited awareness of their availability attributed to inadequate communication, compounded the issue. This divergence between institutional reporting and front-line experience can be interpreted through the lens of II, which posits that institutional polices are often interpreted and implemented differently.
This study emphasises how crucial R&R spaces are to promoting doctors’ well-being especially during the time of high stress. HBs must not only guarantee the accessibility and physical availability of R&R spaces but also enhance their communication regarding the provision.
Introducción. La punción arterial para el análisis gasométrico provoca dolor de intensidad variable. Este dolor podría alterar la dinámica ventilatoria y, por tanto, los parámetros respiratorios de la muestra sanguínea. Objetivos. Determinar la posible relación entre el dolor inducido por la punción arterial y los parámetros obtenidos del análisis gasométrico de estas muestras de sangre. Como objetivos secundarios, obtener la prevalencia del dolor provocado en la muestra estudiada y la posible asociación con el número de intentos. Metodología. Estudio transversal que incluyó 100 muestras arteriales de 61 pacientes durante el primer semestre de 2024. La intensidad del dolor, reportada mediante la escala NRS-11, fue la variable principal de estudio. Se analizó la asociación de esta variable con variables gasométricas (por ejemplo, pH, pO2, pCO2 y lactato) y con otras variables sociodemográficas y relacionadas con punción arterial. Resultados. La edad fue de 69,43 ± 13,07 y el 68% eran hombres. Respecto a la variable principal de resultado, la puntuación media del dolor fue de 4,03 ± 2,61. La intensidad del dolor no mostró asociación con ninguna variable gasométrica. Sin embargo, el número de intentos de obtener con éxito una muestra arterial mostró significación. Tras ajustar por otras variables, cada intento adicional aumentaba el dolor en 1,14 puntos. Discusión. No se encontró asociación entre el dolor de la punción arterial y los parámetros del análisis gasométrico, por lo que los resultados pueden interpretarse de forma robusta en situaciones en las que no es posible un manejo adecuado del dolor.
ABSTRACT
Introduction. Arterial puncture for gasometrical analysis causes pain of varying intensity. This pain could alter the ventilatory dynamics and therefore the respiratory parameters of the blood sample. Objectives. To determine the possible relationship between the pain induced by arterial puncture and the parameters obtained from the gasometrical analysis of these blood samples. As secondary objectives, to obtain the prevalence of pain caused in the sample studied and the possible association with the number of attempts. Methodology. Cross-sectional study involving 100 arterial samples from 61 patients during the first half of 2024. Pain intensity reported by the NRS-11 was the main study variable. The association of this variable with gasometrical variables (for example: pH, pO2, pCO2, lactate) and with other variables of different nature (sociodemographic and related to the arterial puncture itself) was analyzed. Results. The age was 69,43 ± 13,07 and 68% were men. Regarding the main outcome variable, the mean pain score was 4.03 ± 2.61. Pain intensity showed no association with any of the gasometric variables. However, the number of attempts to successfully obtain an arterial sample showed significance. After adjustment for other variables, each additional attempt increased pain by 1.14 points. Discussion. No association was found between arterial puncture pain and gasometric analysis parameters, so the results can be robustly interpreted in situations where adequate pain management is not possible.
Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an important modifiable risk factor of major adverse cardiovascular events. Patients without prior myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke but with established risk factors and elevated LDL-C may benefit from intensive lipid-lowering therapy (LLT); however, the size and potential healthcare burden of this population globally are not known. The benefits of evolocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, in these patients, are currently being studied in the phase 3 Effect of Evolocumab in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk Without Prior Myocardial Infarction or Stroke (VESALIUS-CV) trial. To characterise the high-risk pre–CV-event (VESALIUS-CV–like) individuals in the real world, an observational study is being conducted across multiple countries.
This retrospective cohort study will use a common protocol and an analytical common data model approach to characterise VESALIUS-CV–like individuals in the real world across different geographical regions and healthcare settings. The study period will be from 2010 to 2022, subject to data availability in study sites. Patients aged 50 years and older at high risk of CV disease but without prior MI or stroke will be included in this study. VESALIUS-CV–like individuals are defined through a combination of the following: (1) one diagnosis of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease or diabetes with microvascular complications or chronic insulin use; (2) an elevated LDL-C measurement and (3) other high-risk factors. The objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of VESALIUS-CV–like individuals, describe their characteristics and care pathways and estimate their incidence rates of CV events and healthcare costs. The prevalence of VESALIUS-CV–like individuals will be expressed as annual prevalence; patient characteristics at index date will be presented using summary statistics; care pathways will be summarised as LLT prescription across time; and the incidence of defined CV events will be expressed as events per person-years as well as at certain time periods. Healthcare costs will be presented as CV-related costs in different time periods.
Approvals of the study protocol were obtained from relevant local ethics and regulatory frameworks for each participating database. The results of the study will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific publications and presented at scientific conferences.
Health advocacy (HA) is acknowledged as a core competence in medical education. However, varying and sometimes conflicting conceptualisations of HA exist, making it challenging to integrate the competence consistently. While this diversity highlights the need for a deeper understanding of HA conceptualisations, a comprehensive analysis across the continuum of medical education is absent in the literature. This protocol has been developed to clarify the conceptual dimensions of the HA competence in literature as applied to medical education.
The review will be conducted in line with the JBI (formerly Joanna Briggs Institute) methodology for scoping reviews. A comprehensive literature search was developed and already carried out in eight academic databases and Google Scholar, without restrictions on publication date, geography or language. Articles that describe the HA role among students and physicians who receive or provide medical education will be eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will independently complete title and abstract screening prior to full-text review of selected articles and data extraction on the final set. A descriptive-analytical approach will be applied for summarising the data.
This scoping review does not involve human participants, as all evidence is sourced from publicly available databases. Therefore, ethical approval is not required for this study. The findings from this scoping review will be disseminated through submission to a high-quality peer-reviewed journal and presented at academic conferences. By clarifying the conceptualisations of HA, this review aims to contribute to a shared narrative that will strengthen the foundation for integrating the HA role into medical education.
A preliminary version of this protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework on 9 December 2024, and can be accessed at the following link: https://osf.io/ed2br. We have also registered our scoping review protocol as a preprint at medRxiv:
A assistência psiquiátrica brasileira começou nas Santas Casas de Misericórdia até o surgimento dos hospitais psiquiátricos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram identificar vestígios do cuidado de enfermagem em psiquiatria nas primeiras instituições criadas no estado do Piauí, região Nordeste do Brasil e analisar suas relações com a institucionalização deste grupo na primeira metade do
século XX. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, histórico social, com dados publicados na mídia jornalística, coletados em arquivos públicos brasileiros. A análise, sob o referencial teórico foucaultiano, seguiu a metodologia de triangulação das fontes e interpretação de dados. Resultados: duas instituições iniciaram a assistência psiquiátrica no estado: o Asylo de Alienados, instituição pública criada em 1907, e o Sanatório Meduna, instituição privada inaugurada em 1954. Apesar do intervalo de 47 anos entre tais instituições, ambas instituíram o modelo manicomial, cuja prática assistencial incluía longos períodos de internação e tratamento disciplinar. Tal modelo abriu o mercado de trabalho para a enfermagem em psiquiatria, que se constituiu inicialmente de pessoas sem preparo formal, devido a inexistência de cursos de enfermagem no estado. Conclusão: o cuidado de enfermagem em psiquiatria foi institucionalizado no
Piauí/Brasil de acordo com a psiquiatria tradicional e a ausência de um saber próprio da enfermagem a colocou em condições de submissão ao poder médico, com poucos avanços na primeira metade do século XX.
Objetivo: diseño de una intervención psicoeducativa de enfermería para el control del peso gestacional en mujeres embarazadas mexicanas basado en Modelo de Promoción de la Salud. Método: Uso de teorías en el diseño de intervenciones. Resultados: Los determinantes que se utilizaron para el diseño de la intervención, fue la autoeficacia, barreras percibidas e intenciones de implementación. Se diseñaron dos manuales, uno para el facilitador y otro para el participante. Conclusiones: El modelo de promoción de la salud es útil para guiar intervenciones psicoeducativas.
The way communication is conducted directly influences the professional–patient relationship, how patients cope with their diagnosis, and their sense of hope throughout treatment. This study aims to map the literature on strategies that healthcare professionals can use to promote hope in communication with pediatric patients and their families in the context of chronic illness. Based on this objective, the study highlights an algorithm to assist healthcare professionals in instilling hope in this population through communication.
Scoping review.
This systematized review was conducted using the databases PubMed, LILACS, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus, employing the PCC framework and the Boolean operators AND and OR. The time frame was limited to the last 20 years (2004–2024). A total of 734 studies were identified across the databases, with an additional four retrieved through manual citation searches, resulting in 19 articles included in the final sample.
The findings highlight three key pillars for promoting hope in communication: (1) careful preparation for information delivery, which involves identifying the diverse needs of families and creating a physically comfortable and emotionally supportive environment; (2) providing information and emphasizing how it is presented—considering content, clarity, honesty, empathy, and adaptation to the recipient's specific needs; and (3) follow-up after information delivery, ensuring emotional support and active, skilled listening.
Interpersonal communication between the healthcare professional, the patient, and the family was mainly focused on the transmission of information about the disease and treatment in a clear and empathetic manner, considering who is receiving the information and how the information is interpreted.
This review provides guidance for healthcare professionals in implementing communication strategies that foster hope in the context of pediatric chronic illness. Additionally, this guide may serve as a model for training students and healthcare professionals. Further research is needed to implement and explore additional effective communication strategies for this population across diverse cultural settings.
To explore the experiences and support needs of Black Canadian parents with preterm infants and to engage them in co-creating a culturally informed framework to inform nurses, healthcare providers and community organisations to better serve this population.
Preterm birth (PTB) is a traumatic experience that places significant physical and emotional strain on families and other caregivers. Despite research showing that Black mothers are at risk of PTB, little is known about their experiences of giving birth to a preterm infant and the challenges they encounter caring for these children in Canada. This lack of research specifically on Black parents in Canada makes it difficult to identify their psychosocial needs and develop intervention programmes to address their unique challenges.
A two-phase qualitative exploratory design informed by a community engagement lens will be used.
In Phase 1, five focus groups (n = 48) and 6–8 in depth interviews will be conducted with Black parents of preterm infants. Questions will explore experiences in the NICU, transition home, access to support, coping strategies and mental well-being. One focus group will be conducted with the parent advisory council of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, our community partner to explore gaps in services. The data from Phase 1 will be analysed and findings will be used to informed Phase 2 concept mapping exercise. This research was approved by the Toronto Metropolitan University Research Ethics Board.
There is a paucity of research addressing the experiences and needs of Black parents with preterm infants. Thus, this study is well positioned to generate the much-needed Canadian empirical knowledge on the unique experiences and stressors face by Black parents with preterm infants and inform the design of programmes and services to better support them.
This study is in collaboration with the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, our community partner.
Globally, the demand for community palliative care, delivered within the home setting, is rising. Hospice support workers, also referred to as healthcare assistants, play a crucial role in providing this care, but evidence indicates they face challenges relating to inadequate training, isolation and emotional labour. This realist review aims to understand how peer support interventions can support healthcare assistants in delivering hospice care at home.
The realist review will follow a five-step process to explore the research question: (1) locating existing initial programme theories, (2) searching for evidence, (3) selecting and appraising evidence, (4) extracting and organising data and (5) synthesising evidence and drawing conclusions. Comprehensive searches of academic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, AMED, Scopus) and grey literature sources will be conducted between November and December 2024, with no restrictions on publication date applied. Search strategies will be iteratively refined, with evidence selected based on relevance and rigour. Data will be extracted and coded using a realist logic model of analysis. The review will develop an explanatory programme theory for peer-to-peer interventions which would identify what, how, for whom, why and in what circumstances peer-to-peer interventions may support delivery of hospice care at home. It will explore the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of these interventions using context-mechanism-outcome configurations.
Ethical approval is not required as the review involves no primary data collection. This review aims to clarify research gaps, inform next stages of a wider study, policy and practice. Reporting of the findings will adhere to RAMESES publication standards for realist syntheses, ensuring transparency and rigour in reporting. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and other strategies identified by the stakeholder group.
CRD42024606133.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery for patients with breast cancer. eHealth solutions enable remote care and may improve patient activation, which is defined as having the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage one’s health. Thus, we developed the Breast Cancer Treatment Application (app) for patients and practitioners to use throughout the cancer care continuum. The app facilitates virtual assistance, delivers educational resources, collects patient-reported outcome measures and provides individualised support via volunteer e-coaches. Among newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer, we will compare changes in patient activation, other patient-reported outcomes and health service outcomes over 1 year between those using the app and Fitbit, and those receiving standard care and Fitbit only.
This randomised controlled trial will include 200 patients with breast cancer seen at a tertiary care cancer centre in Ontario, Canada. The intervention group (n=100) will use the app in addition to standard care and Fitbit for 13 months following diagnosis. The control group (n=100) will receive standard care and Fitbit only. Patients will complete questionnaires at enrolment, 6 and 12 months post-diagnosis to measure patient activation (Patient Activation Measure-13 score), distress, anxiety, quality of life and experiences with their care and information received. All patients will also receive Fitbits to measure activity and heart rate. We will also measure wait times and number of visits to ambulatory care services to understand the impact of the app on the use of in-person services.
Ethics approval was obtained on 6 January 2023. Protocol version 2.0 was approved on 6 January 2023. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Study findings will be disseminated via publication in a peer-reviewed journal and shared with participants, patient programmes and cancer awareness groups. The app has also been approved as a secure communication method at our trial institution, thus we are well-positioned to support future integration of the app into standard care through collaboration with our hospital network.
In Brazil, previous research has highlighted that clinical teachers have little interest in teaching palliative care to undergraduate medical students and there is a need to obtain greater understanding of the reasons for this disinterest.
Our objective was to explore the challenges experienced by Brazilian clinical teachers responsible for palliative care in undergraduate medical education.
A qualitative exploratory study using semistructured interviews and analysed by thematic analysis. A total of six teachers responsible for teaching palliative care to medical students in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were recruited. Interviews were conducted via video conferencing.
Four themes were identified from the data: (1) conflicting ideals on clinical care, (2) teaching in palliative care: from the possible to the ideal, (3) missed teaching opportunities in palliative care and (4) challenges of palliative care in the health system. The main challenge of teaching palliative care was the lack of understanding of the concept and importance of palliative care within the healthcare system.
Challenges in teaching palliative care in Brazil include limited understanding of its importance, conflicting clinical care perspectives and emotional discomfort. Targeted strategies are recommended to prepare clinical teachers, integrate palliative care into curricula and address systemic barriers in similar low and middle income contexts.
To review the current evidence on mixed reality (MR) applications in nursing practice, focusing on efficiency, ergonomics, satisfaction, competency, and team effectiveness.
Mixed methods systematic review of empirical studies evaluating MR interventions in nursing practice.
The systematic review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO. Studies were included if they assessed nursing outcomes related to MR interventions. Exclusion criteria encompassed reviews, studies focusing solely on virtual reality, and those involving only nursing students. The Cochrane ROBINS-I, RoB 2, and CASP tools assessed the risk of bias and methodological quality.
A comprehensive search of 12 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and others) covered literature published between January 2013 and January 2023.
Eight studies met inclusion criteria, exploring diverse MR implementations, including smart glasses and mobile applications, across various nursing specialisations. MR demonstrated potential benefits in efficiency, such as faster task completion and improved accuracy. Satisfaction outcomes were limited but indicated promise. Ergonomic challenges were identified, including discomfort and technical issues. Studies on competency showed mixed results, with some evidence of improved skill acquisition. Team effectiveness and health equity outcomes were underexplored.
While MR shows potential in enhancing nursing practice, evidence is heterogeneous and clinical relevance remains unclear. Further rigorous comparative studies are necessary to establish its utility and address barriers to adoption.
MR technology may enhance nursing efficiency, competency and satisfaction. Addressing ergonomic and technical challenges could optimise adoption and benefit patient care.
This review adheres to PRISMA guidelines.
No Patient or Public Contribution.
PROSPERO registration: #CRD42022324066
To test the psychometric properties of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII) in patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
A cross-sectional, multicenter study.
A total of 452 IBD patients were recruited from nine centres across Italy. Participants completed the SC-CII, the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale (SCSES), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's Omega. Construct validity was determined through correlations between SC-CII and SCSES scores.
CFA confirmed the SC-CII's structural validity, demonstrating its multidimensional self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management structure. Reliability scores were satisfactory, with robust internal consistency. Significant positive correlations between SC-CII and SCSES scores confirmed its construct validity.
The SC-CII is a valid and reliable tool for assessing self-care behaviours in IBD patients. Its application in clinical and research settings can facilitate the evaluation of self-care practices, supporting the development of targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes.
The SC-CII helps identify self-care deficits in IBD patients, enabling tailored interventions for better patient-centred care.
The study addressed the need for validated tools to assess self-care in IBD patients, crucial for managing conditions like IBD. The SC-CII proved valid and reliable, with CFA confirming its structure and correlations with self-efficacy supporting validity. It offers a robust tool to assess and promote self-care behaviours.
The STROBE checklist ensured accurate and comprehensive reporting.
IBD patients helped align the SC-CII with their experiences, ensuring its relevance.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06015789
Parastomal hernia or bulging is a long-recognised complication in relation to a stoma. Around half of patients develop a parastomal bulge and up to 75% experience symptoms. Only a minority is offered surgical treatment; thus, most patients manage the bulge on their own or by interventions provided by stoma care nurses.
To identify and present the available information on nursing interventions for the management of symptoms caused by the parastomal bulge.
This scoping review followed the framework by the Joanna Briggs Institute, conducting searches in 11 databases and through stoma organisations. Literature on nursing management of parastomal bulges was included. Two authors independently screened and selected the studies, with data-charting performed by one author and verified by another. The PAGER framework depicted the state of the evidence and the PRISMA-ScR checklist guided the process.
Of 8361 screened publications, 44 were included. Management of the parastomal bulge and related symptoms were described in eight nursing interventions: appliances, support garments, irrigation and regulation of stool, strangulation, disguise and intimacy, physical activity, support and education, record keeping, follow-up and referral. Most evidence was based on expert opinion with only ⅓ of papers using study designs, such as cross-sectional, qualitative, review, before and after study, Delphi and RCT.
This scoping review highlights the complexity of providing nursing interventions for parastomal bulging. It shows that one intervention can manage multiple symptoms and potentially several symptoms simultaneously, whereas several interventions may be needed to address a single symptom. Therefore, decisions on interventions must be based on the underlying cause of the problem. Due to the limited number of studies on the effects of nursing interventions, more rigorous research is needed in the future.
The results can be used as an inspirational guide for clinical practice.
To analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sustainability of a breastfeeding (BF) clinical practice guideline (CPG) for women without COVID-19, throughout the 5 waves of the pandemic.
A mixed-methods design was utilised.
For the quantitative approach, an interrupted time series design was utilised, as well as the analysis of CPG sustainability reports as a qualitative approach. The study setting was in a health area in the Spanish health system from April 2019, until October 2021. The sample was composed of 2239 mother–infant dyads.
The exclusive-BF rate at hospital discharge obtained values between 90% and 94.8%, without statistically significant changes. A significant increase in the risk of not starting BF in the first feeding was observed (adjusted odds ratio = 9.36; 95% CI: 1.04–84.13), between the pre-pandemic period and the first wave. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) decreased in the first wave to 82.20%, and the oscillations observed throughout the pandemic were not statistically significant. In general, the qualitative indicators were maintained. A decrease was observed in the spaces used for postpartum care due to the re-assigning to the intensive care unit. Also, the acquisition of materials and equipment decreased.
The measures implemented for the sustainability of the BF CPG during the 5 waves of the pandemic were positive. The programmes of implementation of BF guidelines were shown to resist the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our findings contribute to the understanding and evolution of the main indicators of the sustainability of a BF CPG on COVID-19 context, providing details on the magnitude of the effect and the process of change.
The Preferred Reporting Items for observational studies (STROBE) checklist was followed.
No Patient or Public Contribution.
To determine the effectiveness of nurse-led/involved home-based interventions for older people with COPD and to explore the experiences of older people and nurses with the interventions.
A mixed-methods systematic review following the JBI methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews.
The search included relevant and peer-reviewed studies published from January 2010 to December 2023 in CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, EMBASE, JBI, EMCARE and ProQuest.
English-language reports of nurse-led/involved home-based interventions for people with COPD were included based on authors’ consensus. Three reviewers performed independent quality appraisal using JBI tools. A convergent segregated approach was used for data synthesis and integration.
Seven interventions were identified in two mixed-methods, two qualitative, two quasi-experimental studies, and one secondary analysis from a randomised control trial. The effectiveness of the interventions was measured with various outcomes and was effective to some extent, with reduced hospitalisation, hospitalisation days, hospitalisation cost and all-paid claims. However, the outcomes were not statistically significant, and the effectiveness was inconclusive. While patients appreciated support and resources, some perceived them as a double-edged sword.
Patients preferred more holistic interventions over extended periods. The inconclusive findings and limitations warrant further research with larger sample sizes and comparable measurement tools and outcomes.
This is the first mixed-methods systematic review on the effectiveness of home interventions for people with COPD with a clear definition of ‘nurse-led’. Nurses felt highly valued by patients and other health professionals; however, they reported a lack of support from management. The lack of interventions led by nurses challenges them to lead, deliver and evaluate what matters to people with COPD.
This systematic review was reported in accordance with the Referred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Not applicable.
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