Conectar
To explore the familial, emotional, social and school-related challenges experienced by school-aged siblings of children with cancer, focusing on how these challenges intersect across hospital, home and school in their everyday lives.
Qualitative, two-phase, multi-site study.
Fieldwork was conducted at two distinct paediatric oncology wards, followed by semi-structured interviews with 11 siblings (aged 7–19 years) and 20 parents, recruited through criterion-based sampling. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Analysis showed that siblings were often marginalised in hospital life due to (1) family logistics; (2) hospital-induced restrictions, rules and physical spaces and (3) perceptions of their presence as ‘problematic’, ultimately limiting their access. In family life, siblings experienced peripheral roles because (1) they were cared for by others, (2) had their needs subordinated and (3) faced shifting expectations. At school, siblings encountered (1) limited understanding from classmates and teachers and (2) insufficient support resources.
Siblings of children with cancer face significant, interconnected challenges, often amplified by the structural frameworks of healthcare, family and school contexts.
Siblings of children with cancer are often marginalised in their own lives. In healthcare, a family-centred approach to care should formally and actively include siblings. Nurses are well-positioned to promote this, ensuring whole-family support. Siblings would benefit from coordinated support bridging hospital, home and school.
This study adheres to the SRQR Checklist.
Parents helped shape the study focus by discussing preliminary observations and potential support needs.
To explore siblings' and parents' experiences of, and perceived impacts of, a nurse-led school-based intervention (SUPREME) for siblings of children with cancer in Denmark.
A qualitative process evaluation.
Fifteen siblings (aged 6–14 years) and 16 parents were recruited through criterion-based sampling following siblings' participation in the SUPREME intervention. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews and open-ended responses from an evaluation form, and were analysed thematically. Data were collected between May 2024 and February 2025.
The intervention created a sense of normality for siblings by providing age-appropriate and credible information in the familiar school context, thereby strengthening the understanding of the family's cancer journey. The SUPREME nurse played a key role in easing the communication burden on siblings and parents, while also promoting recognition of siblings within the hospital setting as active participants in the family's cancer journey. Additionally, the intervention was perceived to accommodate varying levels of support needs across families.
The SUPREME intervention benefited siblings—and, by extension, their families—by equipping siblings with essential information, guiding their class communities on how to offer appropriate support and fostering siblings' inclusion in the family's cancer journey. The SUPREME intervention constitutes a new strategy for accessible, universal sibling support.
The healthcare system should formally ensure that professionals working with families affected by severe paediatric conditions provide family-centred care that actively includes siblings.
What problem did the study address? The position of siblings of children with cancer is often complex, as they may simultaneously serve as visible front figures of the family while remaining overlooked. This study explored how parents and siblings of children with cancer experienced participating in a new sibling support intervention.
What were the main findings? Nurses play a central role in supporting siblings of children with cancer by bridging family, hospital and school contexts.
Where and on whom will the research have an impact? Nurse-led, cross-sectoral interventions such as SUPREME may help normalise siblings' everyday lives and promote their inclusion in the family's cancer journey.
This study followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.
No patients, participants, or members of the public were involved in the design of this specific study.
In this case study conducted in a Danish general practice, we aimed to explore how patients with obesity experience a novel treatment approach: group consultations (GCs) for weight loss, lifestyle changes and semaglutide treatment. To receive semaglutide treatment, patients were required to participate in GCs focused on lifestyle changes.
A qualitative study design comprising individual, semistructured interviews was used. Patients were asked to reflect on and describe their past experiences with participating in GCs. Thematic analysis was used as an analytical strategy.
A general practice located in a larger city in the Region of Southern Denmark.
12 patients (eight women and four men) with obesity, aged between 27 years and 69 years, who met the Danish obesity treatment criteria for semaglutide (body mass index over 30 kg/m2 or over 27 kg/m2 with comorbidities), were included. Data were collected from 1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024.
Before attending GCs, patients were worried about sharing personal information with other patients and losing their confidentiality. They also feared being judged by the others in the group, possibly due to previous experiences of stigmatisation. However, after participating in GCs, patients reported positive experiences with peer sharing, had no issues with confidentiality and found the consultations beneficial. Most patients indicated a preference for GCs over one-on-one consultations in the future.
Despite initial concerns about confidentiality and stigmatisation, patients ultimately had positive experiences and gained valuable peer support during group GCs in general practice. Various aspects of the group design, such as the hybrid consultation format and the role of the facilitator, may impact the effectiveness of peer support and influence patients’ overall experience of GCs.
Integrating evidence-based interventions in services by midwives and public health nurses (PHNs) has the potential to improve public health. Attitudes and individual readiness to change can influence the implementation of evidence-based interventions, but there is limited research in community nursing and maternity and child health care services (MCHCs).
To examine attitudes toward evidence-based practice and readiness to change in midwives and PHNs in MCHCs before implementing the “Mamma Mia” intervention (an evidence-based intervention to improve maternal mental health).
A survey-based, multisite cross-sectional study following the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline. Data were collected from 190 midwives and PHNs from 42 MCHCs across 33 municipalities in Norway (2021–2022). Six subscales of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) assessed attitudes toward evidence-based practice, and the Brief Individual Readiness for Change Scale (BIRCS) measured individual readiness. Descriptive and inferential statistics using frequency tables, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression were used for data analysis. Open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis.
Sixty-five midwives and 125 PHNs completed the baseline survey (mean age 46.8, all female). Mean EBPAS subscales scores were 2.99 to 3.58 (SD = 0.46–0.77) mean BIRCS score was 3.16 (SD = 0.49) (possible range 0–4). Scores were slightly higher than typically reported in clinical settings, with no significant differences based on demographics (all p-values ≥ 0.166). EBPAS subscores and the BIRCS score showed a moderate positive association. The most frequently reported positive factors influencing readiness were “enhanced care and positive gain” (42.6%), “organizational support” (26.3%), and “receiving training and implementation support” (23.2%). Negative factors included “time constraints and workload” (58.4%), and “research participation and implementation demands” (27.9%).
Midwives and PHNs showed positive attitudes toward EBP and a high degree of individual readiness. Our findings align with previous research highlighting barriers such as time constraints and workload, offering insights to inform strategies for more effective EBP adoption and implementation. These results can guide nurse managers, administrators, policymakers, professional associations, implementers, and intervention developers in enhancing EBP integration into practice.
Dyslipidaemia, affecting approximately 39% of adults worldwide, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Individuals with dyslipidaemia are often prescribed statins, which effectively lower plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Although statins lower LDL-C, emerging evidence suggests that they may counteract the beneficial adaptations to exercise in skeletal muscle mitochondria and whole-body aerobic capacity. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and there is a need for studies investigating how statins influence molecular adaptations to exercise. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the combined effects of statin therapy and focused exercise training on mitochondrial function and whole-body aerobic capacity in people with dyslipidaemia. The untargeted proteomic analysis will be incorporated to provide detailed insights into how statins may affect mitochondrial proteins and other muscle metabolic traits, offering molecular explanations for altered functional readouts at both the muscle and whole-body levels.
A total of 100 women and men (aged 40–65 years) diagnosed with dyslipidaemia without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease will be enrolled in this 12-week, double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Participants will be randomised into one of four groups using a block randomisation approach to ensure an allocation ratio of 60:40 for exercise and non-exercise conditions, respectively. The four groups will be: (1) exercise+placebo, (2) exercise+atorvastatin (80 mg/day), (3) atorvastatin (80 mg/day) and (4) placebo. The primary outcome is mitochondrial function, measured by changes in skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity from baseline to post-intervention. Secondary outcomes include whole-body aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and proteomic analyses. Genetic analysis will be conducted to assess the role of genetic polymorphisms in individual responses to statins and exercise.
The trial has received ethical approval from the Faroe Islands Ethical Committee (2024-10) and adheres to the Declaration of Helsinki and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Results will be published in peer-reviewed international journals.
The combination of a reduction in the Danish hospital bed count, the shortage of hospital staff and demographic changes challenges the Danish hospital capacity. This was further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals worldwide were overwhelmed by infected patients requiring acute hospital care. To address these challenges, a hospital-at-home (HaH) programme offers an alternative to conventional in-hospital admission. Furthermore, HaH has the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs and increase patient satisfaction. However, few studies have evaluated HaH in a Scandinavian setting, and this article describes the protocol for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing an HaH model with continued conventional in-hospital admission. The main aim of the trial is to evaluate physical activity level and mental wellbeing in patients admitted at home compared with conventionally admitted patients.
110 clinically stable patients from two internal medical wards at Nordsjaellands Hospital in Denmark will be included and randomised in a ratio of 1:1 to either continued conventional in-hospital admission (control group) or virtual HaH model (intervention group). The control group will receive standard hospital treatment, and the intervention group will be transferred home for continued treatment (eg, intravenous antibiotics or oxygen treatment). The primary outcome measures are physical activity assessed using daily step count (during the first 24 hours after inclusion, as an intermediary indicator of the risk of adverse events) and treatment satisfaction (assessed using a patient satisfaction survey). Secondary outcome measures are adverse events of special interest, escalation of care, readmission rate postdischarge (30 days and 90 days), mortality (associated and 7 days, 30 days and 90 days postdischarge), process data (eg, the number of teleconsultations) and a health economic evaluation.
The study was approved by the Danish Research Ethics Committees (no. 2303051) and the Danish Medicines Agency (CIV-23-03-042542) and will be monitored by the Copenhagen University Hospital Good Clinical Practice unit. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant national and international conferences. We also plan to communicate the results to relevant stakeholders in the Danish healthcare system.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been nurturing and sustaining babies through breastfeeding for over 65 000 years. Breastfeeding is an important practice for nutrition, culture, connection and well-being, and is associated with positive short- and long-term health and well-being outcomes for the mother and baby. Developing community-led supports that empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers through their breastfeeding journeys is vital for supporting the health and well-being of the next generations.
Yalbilinya Miya is a holistic and culturally responsive breastfeeding project being designed and led by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service in New South Wales (NSW). This project aims to identify, implement and evaluate the breastfeeding supports preferred by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Phase 1 will use yarning methodology to gather the experiences of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their recommendations for breastfeeding support. The information gathered will inform the development of a culturally responsive breastfeeding support programme. In phase 2, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who were ≥28 weeks gestation will be invited to participate in the pilot breastfeeding support programme. Phase 3 will evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the holistic breastfeeding supports provided in the pilot programme and provide key recommendations based on the findings of the evaluation.
Ethical approval was granted by the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (#2132/23). The findings from this project will be disseminated through community presentations, videos, brochures, infographics, social media, reports, conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal articles.
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.
(1) To codesign a health literacy intervention within a specialist healthcare setting to help the parents of children with epilepsy access, comprehend, use and communicate information and (2) to assess the intervention's feasibility by exploring stakeholders' perspectives on its usefulness, ease of use of trial methods and contextual factors impacting its execution.
A codesign participatory approach followed by a feasibility approach inspired by the OPtimising HEalth LIteracy and Access to Health Services (Ophelia) process for health literacy intervention development.
(1) The codesign approach included workshops with (a) multidisciplinary personnel (n = 9) and (b) parents (n = 12), along with (c) an interview with one regional epilepsy specialist nurse (n = 1). The participants discussed parents' health literacy needs on the basis of vignettes and brainstormed service improvements. A three-step intervention was subsequently designed. (2) The intervention's feasibility was assessed via interviews with six parents (n = 6), a focus group interview with study nurses, a short doctors survey and a log of time spent testing the intervention.
(1) The parents of first-time admitted children to a specialist epilepsy hospital were targeted for the intervention. Nurse–parent consultations were central to the intervention, activating parents in codeveloping and executing a tailored education plan. (2) Feasibility: parents (n = 6) experienced consultations and education plans that were beneficial for enhancing their self-efficacy in managing the child's condition. The study nurses (n = 3) acknowledged positive outcomes in streamlining patient education but felt that their training on the intervention methods was insufficient. Both parents and nurses identified limited personnel resources as a significant barrier to executing the intervention.
The codesigned intervention engaged nurses and parents in HL development despite system barriers. The parents experience enhanced self-efficacy in managing their child's condition. However, needs refinements and further feasibility tests are needed before future implementation.
The Consort Statement 2010 extension for reporting non-randomised pilot and feasibility studies was used to ensure the methodological quality of the study. A Consort Statement 2010 checklist is provided as an additional file.
The collaboration of parents within the target group, the providers involved and the project's steering committee was crucial in codesigning and evaluating this three-step intervention. Parents and multidisciplinary providers actively contributed through workshops, interviews and in discussion meetings. The study nurses testing the intervention played a key role in defining the documentation process for the codeveloped education plan.
This three-step health literacy intervention can positively impact parents' self-efficacy in managing their child's condition. Enhancing nurses' communication skills is essential for improving parents' health literacy, making it crucial to allocate resources for such training. The intervention content and strategies to meet parents' health literacy needs require refinement, with more provider involvement to better adapt it to the context. Future studies should focus on further feasibility testing by considering a more flexible time frame.
Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/fg9c7/
To analyse the qualitative evidence on the role of critical care nurses in rapid response teams.
Qualitative systematic review.
This qualitative systematic review employed Bettany-Saltikov and McSherry’s guidelines and is reported according to the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research checklist. Two pairs of blinded researchers screened the articles. The data were synthesised using a thematic analysis approach.
A systematic literature search was conducted using the CINAHL, Embase and MEDLINE databases.
Seven studies were included, and three main roles were identified: (1) balancing between confidence and fear in clinical encounters, (2) facilitating collaboration and (3) managing challenging power dynamics in decision-making.
Critical care nurses possess extensive knowledge and skills in providing critical care to patients experiencing deterioration on general wards. They play a vital role in facilitating collaboration between team members and ward staff. Furthermore, within the rapid response team, critical care nurses assume leadership responsibilities by overseeing the comprehensive coordination of patient care and actively engaging in the decision-making process concerning patient care.
Highlighting the central role of critical care nurses in rapid response teams as well such a team’s benefits in healthcare organisations can promote applications for funding to support further quality assurance of rapid response teams and thus enhance patient safety.
Health care organisations can assure the quality of rapid response team by providing economical resources and training. The education providers should facilitate and standardise curriculum for critical care nursing students to achieve necessary knowledge and skills as members in rapid response teams.
No patient or public contribution.
Healthcare consumers require diverse resources to assist their navigation of complex healthcare interactions, however, these resources need to be fit for purpose.
In this study, we evaluated the utility, usability and feasibility of children, families and adults requiring long-term intravenous therapy using a recently developed mobile health application (App), intravenous (IV) Passport.
Multi-site, parallel, multi-method, prospective cohort study.
A multi-site, multi-method study was carried out in 2020–2021, with 46 participants (20 adults, 26 children/family) reporting on their experiences surrounding the use of the IV Passport for up to 6 months.
Overall, utility rates were acceptable, with 78.3% (N = 36) using the IV Passport over the follow-up period, with high rates of planned future use for those still active in the project (N = 21; 73%), especially in the child/family cohort (N = 13; 100%). Acceptability rates were high (9/10; IQR 6.5–10), with the IV Passport primarily used for documenting new devices and complications. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes (and multiple subthemes) in the qualitative data: Advocacy for healthcare needs, Complexity of healthcare and App design and functionality.
Several recommendations were made to improve the end-user experience including ‘how to’ instructions; and scheduling functionality for routine care.
The IV Passport can be safely and appropriately integrated into healthcare, to support consumers.
Patient-/parent-reported feedback suggests the Intravenous Passport is a useful tool for record-keeping, and positive communication between patients/parents, and clinicians.
Not applicable.
Consumers reported their experiences surrounding the use of the IV Passport for up to 6 months.
FreshRSS 