Search

Background As future health educators, nursing and physiotherapy students will play an essential role in the prevention of smoking. Aim To determine the prevalence of smoking among students and to analyse their knowledge of and attitudes towards smoking. Method This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using an anonymous questionnaire and conducted in a Spanish Faculty of Health Sciences in 2013. Findings 247 nursing and physiotherapy students (82.33%) participated in the study. The global prevalence of smoking (18.2%) was lower compare with the general population group of the same age. We have observed statistical significance in relation to previous studies. Nursing and physiotherapy students showed a low nicotine dependence. We found a lack of knowledge about the harmful effects of cigarette consumption on health. Statistically significant results were also found in relation to degree courses (p < 0.01) as regards students' opinions about their knowledge of strategies and methods to help patients stop smoking. Conclusion Most students started smoking before commencing their university studies; consequently, interventions should focus on cessation programmes. An analysis of university curricula leading to the award of a degree in the health sciences could serve to identify educational deficiencies in order to implement the necessary modifications. Implications for nursing and health policy This paper presents an update in tobacco use characteristics amongst nursing and physiotherapy students. Those results have showed a need to improve the curricula in order to develop specific programmes to improve knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Measures to prevent smoking must be taken at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GURKOVÁ E., ČÁP J., ŽIAKOVÁ K. & ĎURIŠKOVÁ M. (2011) Job satisfaction and emotional subjective well-being among Slovak nurses. International Nursing Review 59, 94-100 Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate job satisfaction and emotional subjective well-being and the correlations between these two constructs among Slovak nurses. Design: A cross-sectional survey was used to investigate this relationship among nurses ( n = 104) working in seven public hospitals in Slovakia. Methods: Data were collected using a set of questionnaires that included the questionnaire to measure job satisfaction, the Positive Affect Scale, the Negative Affect Scale and a demographics form. Findings: Findings of this study confirmed some general satisfying and dissatisfying elements for the nursing profession across different clinical specialties and different cultures. The results also indicate that there is a positive correlation between positive emotions and job satisfaction of Slovak nurses. Conclusion: The paper has drawn attention to the job satisfaction and emotional well-being among nurses. Further studies in this field, extended to different countries, work settings and nursing specialties, may help to improve subjective well-being of nurses. Study limitations: Participants came from a limited number of hospitals in Slovakia. A larger sample from different hospitals in Slovakia could have enhanced the generalizability of the results and increased the power of the study to detect significant differences and associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MANZANO GARCÍA G. & AYALA CALVO J. C. (2011) Emotional exhaustion of nursing staff: influence of emotional annoyance and resilience. International Nursing Review 59, 101-107 Aim: This paper aimed to study the influence of emotional annoyance and resilience on the emotional exhaustion levels of nursing staff. Background: Emotional exhaustion is one of the key factors in understanding both the performance and the quality of care that nurses give to their patients. There is a considerable body of knowledge that has focused on the study of emotional exhaustion in relation to cynicism and professional efficiency. More recently emotional annoyance and resilience have been identified as variables that could help explain levels of emotional exhaustion. Methods: Nine hundred eighty-three nurses who work in five hospitals in the north of Spain were invited to participate in the study. Five hundred questionnaires were distributed, of which 200 were fully completed. The average response rate was 40%. A personal information form, and a questionnaire concerning nurses' emotional annoyance, resilience, professional efficiency and cynicism were used as data collection instruments. To estimate a path model with latent variables, partial least squares was used. Findings: Emotional annoyance and resilience contribute to a better understanding of emotional exhaustion levels of nursing staff. There was a significant association between emotional annoyance and emotional exhaustion (β = 0.26, P = 0.020), while resilience appeared to be protective against emotional exhaustion (β = −0.22, P = 0.004). Conclusion: A more complete explanation and understanding of emotional exhaustion in nursing is achieved when emotional annoyance and resilience is measured in addition elements of burnout, which include professional efficiency and cynicism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the psychometric properties of the Cultural Capacity Scale Spanish version in Chilean nursing students. Background: The increased diversity in healthcare facilities and the current shortage of local nursing workforce in Chile present a significant challenge to the nursing education to train future competent local nurses. To facilitate cultural competence development among Chilean nursing students, it is necessary to regularly assess their cultural competence, which necessitates a culturally adapted valid and reliable tool. Methods: A convenience sample of 502 Chilean nursing students was surveyed in this cross-sectional study using the culturally adapted scale. Reliability of the instrument was established by internal consistency and stability reliability, while validity was established by content and construct. Results: The Cronbach's α value of the entire scale was 0.95, and the test-retest reliability was 0.85. The Corrected Item-Total Correlations ranged from 0.45 to 0.78. The tool manifested an excellent content and construct validity. The exploratory factor analysis confirmed a single factor of the scale. Discussion: The tool demonstrated evidence of internal consistency, stability reliability, content validity and construct validity. The study provided cross-cultural evidence for the potential application of this scale in Chile and other Spanish-speaking countries. Conclusion: The Cultural Capacity Scale Spanish version demonstrated sound psychometric properties for assessing the cultural competence of Chilean nursing students. Limitations: The sample was restricted to one university, and the tool was only used in Chilean nursing students. Implications for nursing policy: The establishment of the Spanish version of the tool will facilitate accurate and timely monitoring of the cultural competence among Chilean nursing students and other Spanish-speaking nursing students and nurses, which can inform the creation of nursing policies aimed at ensuring cultural competence development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine factors contributing to stress experienced by preregistration nursing students in Pakistan, using the Stressors in Nursing Students scale. The aim was to explore the psychometric properties of this instrument and to investigate the effect of a range of demographic variables on the perception of stressors in nursing students. Background Nursing is a stressful profession, and nursing students may experience more stress due to competing demands and challenges of nursing education, assessment, placements and worries about employment prospects. Methods In this cross-sectional survey, data from 726 nursing students from 11 schools of nursing in Karachi, Pakistan, were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive as well inferential statistics. An exploratory factor analysis was also conducted. Results There was no apparent factor structure to the Stressors in Nursing Students scale, unlike in previous studies. The total score on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale was related to gender with males scoring higher. The score generally increased over 4 years of the programme, and students in private schools of nursing scored higher than those in public schools of nursing. Conclusion Nursing students in Pakistan do not appear to differentiate between different stressors, and this may be due to cultural differences in the students and to the structure of the programme and the articulation between the academic and clinical aspects. Likewise, cultural reasons may account for differences between stress experienced by male and female students. Implications for nursing and policy The fact that scores on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale increased over 4 years of the programme and males scored higher than females should alert nursing schools and policymakers related to nursing education and workforce to pay attention to prevent attrition from nursing programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study assessed the cultural competence of nursing students in a Saudi University. Background With the current situation of immigration in Saudi Arabia, the cultural diversity in healthcare facilities is anticipated to grow. This presents a great challenge to the members of the healthcare team. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 272 nursing students in a Saudi university using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of two parts, namely the respondents' demographics and cultural background information sheet and the Cultural Capacity Scale Arabic version. Results The respondents showed the highest competence in their ability to demonstrate communication skills with culturally diverse patients and lowest in the familiarity with health- or illness-related cultural knowledge or theory. Gender, academic level, clinical exposure, prior diversity training, the experience of taking care of culturally diverse patients and patients belonging to special population groups were significant factors that could likely to influence cultural competence. Discussion The findings suggest that the Saudi nursing students possess the ability to provide culturally appropriate nursing care to patients with a diverse cultural background. Conclusions Despite the good cultural competence reflected in this study, some aspects in ensuring a culturally competent care rendered by Saudi nursing students need to be improved. Implications for nursing & health policy With the country's Saudization policy in health care (replacing foreign nurses with Saudi nurses), the findings can be used in designing training and interventions to meet the needs of Saudi nursing students regarding cultural competence development, which is integral in their preparation to assume their future roles as nurses. Policy guidelines, such as including cultural competency training and foreign languages training as mandatory continuing education for nurses, as well as integrating cultural competency and foreign languages in the prelicensure curriculum, should be developed and implemented in Saudi Arabia and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study investigated the role of social relationships in the sharing of cultural competence by testing two hypotheses: cultural competence is a socially shared behaviour; and central healthcare professionals are more culturally competent than non-central healthcare professionals. Background Sustaining cultural competence in healthcare services relies on the assumption that being culturally competent is a socially shared behaviour among health professionals. This assumption has never been tested. Introduction Organizational aspects surrounding cultural competence are poorly considered. This therefore leads to a heterogeneous implementation of cultural competence - especially in continental Europe. Methods We carried out a social network analysis in 24 Belgian inpatient and outpatient health services. All healthcare professionals ( ego) were requested to fill in a questionnaire (Survey on social relationships of health care professionals) on their level of cultural competence and to identify their professional relationships ( alter). We fitted regression models to assess whether (1) at the dyadic level, ego cultural competence was associated with alter cultural competence, and (2) health professionals of greater centrality had greater cultural competence. Results At the dyadic level, no significant associations were found between ego cultural competence and alter cultural competence, with the exception of subjective exposure to intercultural situations. No significant associations were found between centrality and cultural competence, except for subjective exposure to intercultural situations. Discussion Being culturally competent is not a shared behaviour among health professionals. The most central healthcare professionals are not more culturally competent than less central health professionals. Conclusions and implications for health policies Culturally competent health care is not yet a norm in health services. Health care and training authorities should either make cultural competent health care a licensing criteria or reward culturally competent health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To identify the practice patterns of the Australian registered nurse workforce according to position title and to map these disparate titles across all jurisdictions of the country. Introduction Effective nursing workforce planning can contribute to improved patient care and increased effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare systems. Background The prevailing approach to nursing workforce planning focuses on number of nursing staff needed in relation to the number of patients. The level of expertise and skill mix of registered nurses as a variable in workforce planning is rarely considered. Methods A national cross-sectional electronic survey of registered nurses in Australia was conducted using the validated Advanced Practice Role Delineation tool developed from the Strong Model of Advanced Practice. The study involved a sample of 5599 registered nurses. Results Sixty-six nursing position titles nationally were mapped using cluster analysis technique and gave rise to seven clusters of equivalent Australian jurisdictional nursing position titles and practice profiles. Discussion Effective workforce policy and planning is reliant upon access to reliable evidence. This research is an international first in that it has provided comprehensive knowledge of the clinical level and practice profiles of a national nursing workforce. Implications for nursing policy Effective, patient-centred workforce planning must consider both the numerical and expertise mix of a nursing workforce. This research provides Australian health service and policy planners with evidence-base knowledge of the nursing workforce. Internationally, this research establishes a platform from which to develop validated tools and established processes to support replication of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This is a research report examining the influence of organizational politics perceptions on nurses' work outcomes (job satisfaction, work stress, job burnout and turnover intention). Background: Organizational politics is a phenomenon common in almost all institutions and is linked with undesirable consequences in employees. Introduction: Despite the plethora of research around the world on this topic, studies describing organizational politics in nursing remain underexplored. Methods: A cross‐sectional research design was utilized in this study. One hundred sixty‐six (166) nurses participated. Five standardized tools were used: the Job Satisfaction Index, the Job Stress Scale, the Burnout Measure Scale, the Turnover Intention Inventory Scale and the Perception of Organizational Politics Scale. Results: Nurses employed both in private and government‐owned hospitals perceived moderate levels of organizational politics. Positive correlations were identified between perceived organizational politics and job stress, turnover intention and job burnout. Negative correlations were found between perceived organizational politics and job satisfaction. Discussion: Perceptions of workplace politics in Filipino nurses were lower when compared to findings in other international studies. A strong link was found between organizational politics perceptions and the four job outcomes (stress and burnout levels, turnover intention and job satisfaction). Limitations: Use of a self‐reporting questionnaire and exclusion of nurses from other provinces. Conclusion: Perceived organizational politics predicted nurses’ stress and burnout levels, turnover intention and job satisfaction. Implications for nursing and/or health policy: The findings of this study may provide a valuable perspective of this organizational issue and could assist policymakers and nurse administrators in formulating interventions that could minimize the effect of workplace politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine whether self‐efficacy mediated the relationship between anger expression and interpersonal competency in South Korean nursing students. Background: Interpersonal competency allows nursing students to increase their self‐confidence in caring for patients. There is evidence of complex relationships between anger expression, self‐efficacy and interpersonal competency. Self‐efficacy could be considered a potential mediator in the association between anger expression and interpersonal competency in nursing students. However, few studies have investigated the mediatory role of self‐efficacy in this association. Methods: A descriptive, cross‐sectional study was conducted. In total, 207 Korean nursing students completed a structured questionnaire. Measurement tools included the State‐Trait Anger Expression Inventory, Self‐efficacy Scale and Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire. Findings: Significant correlations were observed between anger expression, self‐efficacy and interpersonal competency. Self‐efficacy exerted a partial mediatory effect on the relationships between interpersonal competency and anger‐in and anger‐control within the anger expression subscales. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that appropriate anger expression could result in enhanced interpersonal competency via an increase in self‐efficacy. Implications for nursing and health policy: The results concerning the mediatory role of self‐efficacy in the association between anger expression and interpersonal competency have provided new knowledge for nursing educators, managers and researchers, allowing them to support nursing students' interpersonal competency. Nursing schools should be required to evaluate students' anger expression patterns and to increase self‐efficacy when developing education programmes that provide interpersonal training for nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this work was to present current practices, perceived barriers and perceived facilitators of Polish nurses in using EBP in the assessment and management of acute pain during the postoperative period in elderly patients. Background: Advances in the study of pain and the methods for its relief since the late 1980s have led to a rise in the role of the nurse in pain management and monitoring. Introduction: The application of evidence ‐ based practice associated with acute pain is on the increase in the world at large. Methods: Eleven hospitals participated in this study. The project involved 1300 nurses working on surgical hospital wards. In this study, case study research and qualitative content analysis were used. The study was conducted using a dedicated questionnaire. Results: Access to journals on evidence ‐ based practice on the assessment and management of pain in elderly patients was assessed as less important by the respondents. Knowledge drawn from the media, scientific and medical journals was assessed by the respondents as unsatisfactory. The greatest barrier to nurses was the fact that scientific articles were published in English. Conclusion: Nurses' awareness of evidence ‐ based practice increases with their education. Among the key problems are the lack of available professional publications in Polish literature, ignorance of English, shortage of time and lack of support from chief physicians of the ward. Implications for nursing and health policy: There is a need for the introduction of innovative strategies of teaching and approaches to the problem of evidence ‐ based practice in approach to pain management in elder people among the Polish nurses. It is necessary to promote these issues in Polish scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim was to examine the relationship between the quality of team–member exchange experienced by nursing staff and their intention to leave. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment are considered as mediators. Background: While the shortage of nurses is a management and policy priority, few studies have studied the relationships between nursing staff and their team, key organizational attitudes, and intentions to leave the organization. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 217 registered nurses and nurse assistants in Belgium. Data were collected in 2012. To analyse the data, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression and path analyses were conducted. Findings: Team–member exchange has a positive impact on nursing staff satisfaction and affective commitment. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment fully mediated the impact of team–member exchange on nursing staff's intention to leave. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: This study illustrates the potential benefits of the positive influence of team–member exchange on key organizational attitudes of nursing staff, and the negative influence on intention to leave through affective commitment and job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to describe nurses' perceptions of workplace culture, especially in regard to stress levels, job satisfaction and the practice environment in primary health care. Background: Health care is facing many challenges related to its attractiveness as a place of employment and the maintenance of a sufficient workforce supply. Previous studies report increasing rates of nurse job dissatisfaction and intentions to leave their current positions both in Finland and also globally. Improving workplace culture is thus vital in meeting the challenges related to recruitment and retention. Methods: A cross ‐ sectional descriptive design was used to describe nurses' perceptions of workplace culture. Data were collected by questionnaire from 22 units in nine primary healthcare organizations in Finland, and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Most of the respondents indicated that they were not certain whether their workplace culture was either positive or negative. Profession, age and work shift characteristics had an effect on the respondents' perceptions of workplace culture. Younger licensed practical and registered nurses assessed their workplace culture more positively, whereas older registered nurses and those working rotating rosters viewed workplace culture more negatively. Conclusions: The findings suggest that both unit and demographic characteristics affect workplace culture. This survey highlights that a positive workplace culture is one of the key factors in retaining and recruiting nurses, and provides an essential evidence that may be considered by other healthcare organizations. Implications for nursing and health policy: Nurse managers and healthcare leaders need to address workload management and take into account the related variables that affect a unit's workplace culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background It is important to integrate adolescent health domains into pre-service nursing education in order to enhance undergraduate nursing students' competencies in promoting adolescent health. Aim To determine the effectiveness of a structured adolescent health summer programme for Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate differences in the Chinese undergraduate nursing students' perceived competency in promoting adolescent health. A stand-alone adolescent health course was implemented as an intervention with pre- and post-tests of a 2-week intensive summer programme in 2010. The questionnaire included demographics, adolescent health competency checklist and programme evaluation. Descriptive statistics with the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and the Mann- Whitney U-test were used for data analysis. Results Of the 113 nursing students, seniors perceived higher adolescent health competence mean scores than the juniors in the post-test phase. Majority of nursing students revealed the increasing awareness of the importance in promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours and psychosocial well-being after attending the summer programme. They agreed that nurses do have a role to play. Limitations This 2-week summer programme may only have short-term impacts on students' perception. Conclusions A stand-alone adolescent health summer programme can prepare nursing students to respond to the health issues of adolescents by enhancing their competence in health need assessment and service delivery. Implications for nursing and health policy Nurses serve in a leadership role for health policies and programmes. In nursing education, it is important for students to understand how to put in place policies to resolve adolescent health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To describe perceived work-related quality of life of Ugandan healthcare workers. A secondary aim was to seek participant input on ways to improve work environments. Background Poor patient outcomes, decreased employee motivation and decisions to leave the organization have been linked to poor work conditions. Interventions to correct healthcare worker shortage in developing countries require information about work quality of life. Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in health and educational settings in Uganda in July 2011. Participants completed the Biographical Information Scale demographic questionnaire and the validated 24-item Work-Related Quality of Life scale. Results Sample included 146 healthcare workers employed in various settings. Participants reported poorer quality of work life on the work conditions, control at work and home-work interface subscales. Participants perceived stress at work to be low and experienced higher job career satisfaction. There was a significant relationship between work-related quality of life, gender and hours worked. Participants' suggestions to improve work life ranged from simple no-cost suggestions to more complex system level interventions. Discussion Work-related quality of life was low in this convenience sample. Perceived stress at work was lower than expected, but may have been due to nurses' expectations of a normal work assignment. Predominantly women, the participants had significant caregiving responsibilities. Nursing implications Nurses must acquire a seat at the table where crucial decisions about nursing and its future are made. By advancing leadership skills, nurses can effectively advocate for organizational changes that address broad factors related to increasing job satisfaction, and retaining and attracting nurses. Conclusion Nurses can influence work quality of life individually and collectively by identifying workplace concerns, demanding safe work environments, fostering teamwork and enhancing professional growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Family planning ( FP) is a key global health issue for achieving millennium development goals by 2015. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of changes in FP practice before and after interventions among Ethiopian women of reproductive age in a rural area. Methods This study used a panel survey to identify predictors that placed women at greater risk for non-use of FP methods. The sample consisted of 407 women aged 19-49 years old living in a rural community of Ethiopia who completed both a baseline and follow-up survey. Trained local enumerators conducted face-to-face interviews during home visits. Patterns of FP practice were categorized into four groups: FP use at both baseline and follow-up; use at baseline but non-use at follow-up; non-use at baseline but use at follow-up; non-use at both baseline and follow-up. Logistic regression and classification and regression tree analyses were used. Results In a binary logistic regression, women over 35 years old with a negative attitude towards FP and resided in the Sibu area were less likely to start FP practice. Women over 35 years who were in poor health and resided in Sibu were less likely to continue FP practice. For the decision tree, age was the primary node for FP non-users at baseline while area of residence was the primary node for FP users at baseline. Conclusion Age, health status, attitude towards FP, and area of residence are the primary considerations when developing FP interventions for Ethiopian women in a resource-limited rural area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The demonstration of competence and continuing competence for nurses is becoming increasingly important internationally, and many countries have developed continuing competence frameworks. Aim To explore nurses' perceptions and understanding of and satisfaction with the Nursing Council of New Zealand ( NCNZ) Continuing Competence Framework ( CCF) and the effectiveness of associated processes. Method A total of 1157 New Zealand ( NZ) nurses responded to a web-based survey designed to determine their satisfaction with the NCNZ CCF. The sample was representative of the NZ nursing population with a margin of error of 2.85 and 95% confidence level. Findings The majority of participants believe that the CCF provides a mechanism to ensure nurses are competent and fit to practice. While some participants indicated an element of poor understanding with regard to aspects of the CCF, overall it is perceived as a credible and reliable process to ensure public safety. Conclusions The international literature describes a variety of frameworks and competence indicators used by regulatory authorities to safeguard the public. In the 5 years since the NCNZ implemented the CCF less than 0.02% of notifications related to 'competence' have been recorded. The majority of NZ nurses believe that the CCF provides a mechanism to ensure nurses are competent and fit to practice. However, it is important to note that CCF processes may infer competence but they are not a guarantee that a nurse is safe to practice on any given day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]