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Context: The literature does not present a consistent pattern of altered scapular kinematics in patients with shoulder-impingement syndrome (SIS). Objectives: To perform meta-analyses of published comparative studies to determine the consistent differences in scapular kinematics between subjects with SIS and controls. In addition, the purpose was to analyze factors of the data-collection methods to explain the inconsistencies in reported kinematics. The results of this study will help guide future research and enable our understanding of the relationship between scapular kinematics and SIS. Evidence Acquisition: A search identified 65 studies; 9 papers met inclusion criteria. Sample sizes, means, and SDs of 5 scapular-kinematic variables were extracted or obtained from each paper's lead author. Standard difference in the mean between SIS and controls was calculated. Moderator variables were plane of arm elevation, level of arm elevation (ARM) and population (POP). Evidence Synthesis: Overall, the SIS group had less scapular upward rotation (UR) and external rotation (ER) and greater clavicular elevation (ELE) and retraction (RET) but no differences in scapular posterior tilt (PT). In the frontal plane, SIS subjects showed greater PT and ER, and in the scapular plane, less UR and ER and greater ELE and RET. There was also greater ELE and RET in the sagittal plane. There was less UR at the low ARM and greater ELE and RET at the high ARM with SIS. Athletes and overhead workers showed less UR, while athletes showed greater PT and workers showed less PT and ER. The general population with SIS had greater ELE and RET only. Conclusions: Subjects with SIS demonstrated altered scapular kinematics, and these differences are influenced by the plane, ARM, and POP. Athletes and overhead workers have a different pattern of scapular kinematics than the general population. The scapular plane is most likely to demonstrate altered kinematics. These factors should be considered when designing futures studies to assess the impact of altered kinematics in patients with SIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As health services research (HSR) expands across the globe, researchers will adopt health services and health worker evaluation instruments developed in one country for use in another. This paper explores the cross-cultural methodological challenges involved in translating HSR in the language and context of different health systems. Objectives: To describe the pre-data collection systematic translation process used in a twelve country, eleven language nursing workforce survey. Design and settings: We illustrate the potential advantages of Content Validity Indexing (CVI) techniques to validate a nursing workforce survey developed for RN4CAST, a twelve country (Belgium, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland), eleven language (with modifications for regional dialects, including Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish), comparative nursing workforce study in Europe. Participants: Expert review panels comprised of practicing nurses from twelve European countries who evaluated cross-cultural relevance, including translation, of a nursing workforce survey instrument developed by experts in the field. Methods: The method described in this paper used Content Validity Indexing (CVI) techniques with chance correction and provides researchers with a systematic approach for standardizing language translation processes while simultaneously evaluating the cross-cultural applicability of a survey instrument in the new context. Results: The cross-cultural evaluation process produced CVI scores for the instrument ranging from .61 to .95. The process successfully identified potentially problematic survey items and errors with translation. Conclusions: The translation approach described here may help researchers reduce threats to data validity and improve instrument reliability in multinational health services research studies involving comparisons across health systems and language translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper considers several theories about how depression presents alongside schizophrenia and what challenges there are in separating the two conditions through assessment., The analysis highlights the outcome of failure to identify and correctly treat depression in those who have schizophrenia and makes recommendations for the use of assessment for depression as a standard aspect of care., The findings from this review reveal that the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia is a reliable and valid instrument that nurses or other healthcare professionals may use for assessing depression in those who have schizophrenia., Abstract This paper considers the issue of the measurement of depression with those who have a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia. Originally the concept of depression as a core aspect of schizophrenia was raised by Bleuler and that affective disorders are associated with psychosis raised by Kraepelin. The construct of depression within the context of schizophrenia as a distinct condition that constitutes an apparent shift from the individual's usual cognitive style, affect and functioning, is an observation that has been relatively recently highlighted. In individuals with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia comorbid depression can be a factor in risk of suicide, impaired level of functioning, and higher rates of relapse or rehospitalization. The assessment of depression in this population creates many challenges in relation to the differentiation of this condition within the complex presentation of schizophrenia. The depression literature may refer to: (i) depressed affect; (ii) depression as a symptom isolated from the wider signs of depressive illness; and (iii) depression as a syndrome with all the facets required for a formal diagnosis. This review considers the literature in relation to the measurement of depression in people with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia and assesses the psychometric properties of those measures with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the apparent and content validation for the Maternal Self-Efficiency Scale for the Prevention of Childhood Diarrhea. Method: Methodological study with the execution of apparent and content validation by seven judges; semantic analysis, by 30 mothers of children under 5 years old and also a pre-test involving 31 mothers who have been selected through convenience. It has been considered necessary to have the agreement of at least 70% of the judges for apparent validation and a minimum of 80% for pertinence and Index of Content Validation. Results: This paper shows that most items have been considered clear, comprehensive and relevant by the judges. The final Content Validity Index of the scale was 0.96. The suggestions of the mothers were accepted. Conclusion: The scale ended up having 25 items and two domains (family hygiene and general/eating practices) which assess the maternal self- efficiency for the prevention of diarrhea in their children, thereby contributing to the planning of nursing interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research which was conducted to examine the validity of estimating anaerobic power in college-aged students using anthropometric data and a paper and pencil test. Researchers determined peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) in 157 subjects using a standard Wingate anaerobic test. They found that valid estimates for PP and MP could be obtained from anthropometric data and a single question paper and pencil test.

Background: Childhood acquired brain injury (ABI) often leads to impairment in cognitive functioning, resulting in disabilities in both the home and school environment. Assessing the impact of these cognitive deficits in everyday life using traditional neuropsychological tests has been challenging. This study systematically reviewed ecological measures of cognitive abilities available for children with ABI. Method: Eight databases were searched (until October 2011) for scales: (1) focused on ecological assessment of cognitive functioning; (2) with published data in an ABI population; (3) applicable to children up to 17;11 years of age; and (4) in English. The title and abstract of all papers were reviewed independently by two reviewers. Results: Database searches yielded a total of 12 504 references, of which 17 scales met the inclusion criteria for the review, focusing on executive functions ( n = 9), memory ( n = 3), general cognitive abilities ( n = 2), visuo-spatial skills ( n = 2) and attention ( n = 1). Four tasks used observation of actual performance in a natural environment, five were proxy-reports and six were functional paper and pencil type tasks, performed in an office. Conclusion: Overall, few measures were found; eight were still experimental tasks which did not provide norms. Executive functions were better represented in ecological assessment, with relatively more standardized scales available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Beliefs about the controllability of behaviour have been consistently shown to be important in understanding the responses of carers to the challenging behaviour of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). This paper reports the reliability and validity of the Controllability Beliefs Scale (CBS), a 15-item measure of beliefs regarding the controllability of challenging behaviour when used with carers of people with IDs. Methods Two hundred and sixty-four carers of people with IDs completed the CBS, 74 people also completed the Modified Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Self-Injury Behavioural Understanding Questionnaire scale to determine concurrent and convergent validity and 34 people completed the scale twice within a 2- to 4-week period to determine test-retest reliability. Results The scale has a two-factor structure and has adequate internal reliable. The scale is significantly correlated with the controllability, internality and stability items from the Modified Attributional Style Questionnaire, showed expected associations with behavioural and internal emotional understanding items from the Self-Injury Behavioural Understanding Questionnaire. The scale has good test-retest reliability. Conclusions The data support use of the CBS in clinical practice and research to assess carers' beliefs regarding challenging behaviour of people with IDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Children with disabilities and their families experience environmental barriers in the school and community environments. There is a need to understand and appropriately measure environmental factors that influence activity and participation for disabled children. The purpose of this paper is to describe the adaptation process of the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) to make it suitable as a parent proxy measure for disabled children aged 2-12 years. Methods The adaptation process consisted of four steps using data from previous research conducted at CanChild: (i) analysis of item-total correlations from all items on the CHIEF; (ii) frequency of endorsement; (iii) determination of the representativeness of the questions; and (iv) correlations on selected items. Once the items were selected, a test-retest reliability study was conducted. Results The internal consistencies (α) for the time 1 and time 2 administrations were 0.76 and 0.78, respectively. Test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was ICC = 0.73 for the total product score. Conclusion The 10-item CHIEF for Children-Parent Version is an acceptable, easy-to-complete and reliable measure of perceived environmental barriers for disabled children 2-12 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This paper tests the mediating effect of institutional peer support on the relationship between physical declines and depressive symptoms among nursing home residents. Background As the number of older adults living in nursing homes increases, peer support received from other residents in the institutions is critical to the psychological well-being of residents who face physical declines and reduction in family support. This study tested whether institutional peer support would account for the detrimental effect of physical declines on depressive symptoms of Chinese older people residing in nursing homes. Design A cross-sectional design was used. Method The study was conducted between January-March 2009 by convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 187 nursing home residents, with 54 men and 133 women. Interviews were conducted by an experienced research assistant, and responses on physical abilities and institutional peer support were collected. Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms of each participant. Results Participants with poor physical abilities reported more depressive symptoms. Institutional peer support was negatively correlated with physical declines and depressive symptoms. Results of the regression analysis showed that the effect of physical declines on depressive symptoms was no longer significant when the influence of institutional peer support was statistically controlled, indicating a full mediation of institutional peer support on depression of older people. Conclusion Findings of this study reveal that institutional peer support positively contributes to the psychological well-being of nursing home residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty is a key contingency in the relationship between work characteristics and outcomes such as employee performance and well-being. In this paper, we specify and test a self-report measure of work uncertainty for use in any setting to facilitate research and decision making regarding the design of work. Using data collected from three diverse samples, analyses found support for a multi-dimensional model that corresponds to resource, task, and input/output sources of uncertainty. The scales showed discriminant validity, and task uncertainty was found to moderate the relationship between job control and intrinsic job satisfaction in a form consistent with theoretical predictions. Practitioner Points The self-report measure of work uncertainty may be used to evaluate existing work design and facilitate its redesign., As research demonstrates, it is critical that the level of job control afforded to employees is congruent with the level of uncertainty they experience. Failure to consider the role of uncertainty in linking job control to outcomes (e.g., performance, well-being) can undermine work redesign investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This paper examines: the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Five-Times-Sit- To-Stand (FTST5) test administered by experienced and inexperienced assessors; and the correlation of FTSTS test times with lower limb muscle strength and balance performance in healthy older and young people. Method The cross-sectional study investigated reliability using test batteries including: FTSTS times; hand-held dynamometer measurements of hip flexor, knee flexor and extensor, and ankle dorsiflexor and plantarflexor muscle strength; Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores; and dynamic posturography measurements of the limits of stability (LOS). A convenience sample of 12 healthy older and 12 younger participants was recruited in the local university-based rehabilitation centre. Results The FTSTS test showed excellent intra-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) range: 0.914-0.933) and moderate intra-rater reliability (ICC range: 0.644-0.879) in healthy older and young subject groups respectively. Inter-rater reliability between assessors yielded an ICC of 0.990. Test- retest reliability (ICC range: 0.988-0.995) was excellent. FTSTS times were not significantly associated with the older subjects' lower limb muscle strength, BBS scores or LOS results. Conclusion The FTSTS has good intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability. There is no significant correlation of FTSTS times with lower limb muscle strength or balance performance in healthy older people. The FTSTS test is a reliable measurement tool whether used by experienced or inexperienced assessors. A future study with a larger sample size is required for establishing the validity of FTSTS test times in the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: Studies show that loneliness is a major risk factor for health issues in later life. Although research suggests that religious involvement can protect against loneliness, explanations for this general pattern are underdeveloped and undertested. In this paper, we propose and test a theoretical model, which suggests that social integration and social support are key mechanisms that link religious attendance and loneliness. Design and Methods: To formally test our theoretical model, we use data from the National Social Life Health and Aging Project (2005/2006), a large national probability sample of older adults aged 57–85 years. Results: We find that religious attendance is associated with higher levels of social integration and social support and that social integration and social support are associated with lower levels of loneliness. A series of mediation tests confirm our theoretical model. Implications: Taken together, our results suggest that involvement in religious institutions may protect against loneliness in later life by integrating older adults into larger and more supportive social networks. Future research should test whether these processes are valid across theoretically relevant subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

lin s.-c., tsai k.-w., chen m.-w. & koo m. (2012) Association between fatigue and Internet addiction in female hospital nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing 69(2), 374-383. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06016.x Abstract Aims. To report a study conducted to examine the association between fatigue and Internet addiction among female hospital nurses. Background. The Internet provides unprecedented convenience for social interaction and information retrieval. Although excessive Internet use has been demonstrated to correlate with fatigue in adolescents, no studies have examined whether it is associated with fatigue in nurses. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Methods. The study was conducted in August 2010. Female Registered Nurses working in a regional teaching hospital in southern Taiwan were asked to complete a paper-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, the Chen Internet Addiction Scale and the Chalder Fatigue Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed using Chalder fatigue scale as the dependent variable. Results. Of the 564 (79% response) valid questionnaires returned, 6 and 10% of the participants were classified as diagnostic cases and possible cases of Internet addiction, respectively. Fatigue levels, adjusting for other potential confounders including work unit, shift work, regular self-medication, and self-perceived health status, was significantly associated with both possible cases of Internet addiction and diagnostic cases of Internet addiction. Conclusion. This study is the first in reporting a statistically significant association between fatigue levels and Internet addiction in female hospital nurses. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses should pay attention to their Internet activity and whether it adds to their fatigue levels. Addictive behaviour should promptly be dealt with to ensure that the best care is provided to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper reports a study testing the validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Kogan Attitude towards Older People scale. Background. Nursing students' attitudes towards older people can affect their preference for working with them. One of the most common instruments used to assess these attitudes is the Kogan Attitude towards Older People scale. Previous validation studies performed on college students internationally have demonstrated good reliability and validity. The psychometric properties of the Italian version have not yet been tested. Design. A cross-sectional, descriptive study. Method. The study was conducted from March-June 2010 with a convenience sample of nursing students attending two Italian universities. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency and item-to-total correlation. Content and construct validity were evaluated using a content validity index and principal factor analysis. Results. A total of 1637 nursing students participated in the study. Two factors were extracted from the factor analysis: prejudice describing a negative disposition and appreciation indicating a favourable feeling and opinion towards older people. Conclusion. The Kogan Attitude towards Older People scale applied to Italian nursing students exhibited good internal consistency. The two-dimensional construct of the scale was congruent with some, but not all, results of previous studies due to methodological differences among the studies. Based on the study findings, the scale can be recommended for future research studies in Italy including use as pre/post-test measurement associated with nursing education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable variability in survival rate after an acute myocardial infarction exists and accurate risk stratification is of significant importance. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association has recommended early risk stratification using several clinical risk scoring instruments to identify high risk patients. The aim of this paper is to identify secondary cardiovascular risk scoring instruments that could be utilized at the time of intervention for acute coronary syndromes and compare their psychometric properties as they were developed. A search using Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection databases identified studies published between January 1990 and January 2010 used to measure risk after intervention for acute coronary syndrome. Four validated secondary risk prediction scoring instruments were identified for comparison. Secondary risk prediction scoring instruments for the acute coronary syndrome patient population are evidence based, valid and reliable. Use of the instruments by cardiac focused clinicians will aid in the determination of treatment strategies, and estimation of short and long term events and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. This paper is a report of a study conducted to investigate differences between nurse practitioners' perceptions of the importance of required competencies and their self-evaluated existing competencies, and the main factors influencing these differences. Background. The difference between nurse practitioners' perceptions of required competencies and their existing competencies has never been investigated. Therefore, it is still uncertain whether these two competencies differ. Design. A nationwide survey study was authorised by the Department of Health (DOH) in Taiwan. Methods. For this nationwide survey study, the Questionnaire of Competencies in the Nurse Practitioner's Role was mailed to all nurse practitioners who qualified for the first annual national NP licence exam in Taiwan. Of 582 questionnaires distributed, 374 valid questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 64·2%. Results. The scores for required competencies were all higher than existing competencies. The competencies with largest differences were (in increasing order) clinical research, direct care, and leadership and reform. The competencies with smallest differences were (in ascending order) medical assistance, communication and coordination, and ethical decision-making. Differences in the total score between required and existing competencies were significantly influenced by nurse practitioners' age, seniority as nurse practitioner, whether the nurse practitioners' institution had a nurse practitioner advancement system, and the number of patients under their care. Conclusions. Nurse practitioners' perceptions of the importance of their expected role competencies were significantly greater in most cases than their actual competencies. Relevance to clinical practice. These findings could serve as a reference to improve cultivation of the NP system in Taiwan, to strengthen professional competencies in NP training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

schou l., høstrup h., lyngsø e.e., larsen s. & poulsen i. (2012) Validation of a new assessment tool for qualitative research articles. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(9), 2086-2094. Abstract Aim. This paper presents the development and validation of a new assessment tool for qualitative research articles, which could assess trustworthiness of qualitative research articles as defined by Guba and at the same time aid clinicians in their assessment. Background. There are more than 100 sets of proposals for quality criteria for qualitative research. However, we are not aware of an assessment tool that is validated and applicable, not only for researchers but also for clinicians with different levels of training and experience in reading research articles. Method. In three phases from 2007 to 2009 we delevoped and tested such an assessment tool called VAKS, which is the Danish acronym for Appraisal of Qualitative Studies. Phase 1 was to develop the tool based on a literature review and on consultation with qualitative researchers. Phase 2 was an inter-rater reliability test in which 40 health professionals participated. Phase 3 was an inter-rater reliability test among the five authors by means of five qualitative articles. Results. The new assessment tool was based on Guba's four criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of qualitative inquiries. The nurses found the assessment tool simple to use and helpful in assessing the quality of the articles. The inter-rater agreement was acceptable, but disagreement was seen for some items. Conclusion. We have developed an assessment tool for appraisal of qualitative research studies. Nurses with a range of formal education and experience in reading research articles are able to appraise, relatively consistently, articles based on different qualitative research designs. We hope that VAKS will be used and further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide psychometric data on the Parental Attitudes Toward Psychological Services Inventory (PATPSI), which is a revised measure to assess parents' attitudes toward outpatient mental health services. Using a sample of adults ( N = 250), Study 1 supported a 3-factor structure (RMSEA = .05, NNFI = .94, and CFI = .94), adequate internal consistency (ranging from .72 to .92), and test-retest reliability (ranging from .66 to .84). Additionally, results indicated that individuals with previous use of mental health services reported more positive views toward child mental health services. Study 2 provided confirming evidence of the 3-factor structure (NNFI = .94, RMSEA = .08, and the CFI = .95) and adequate reliability (ranging from .70 to .90) using a parent-sample ( N = 260). Additionally, discriminate validity of the PATPSI was supported. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures of self-forgiveness that merely focus on the outcome of positive self-regard risk neglecting the process through which offenders restore it. They may thus tap pseudo self-forgiveness where offenders downplay their responsibility for the wrongdoing. For genuine self-forgiveness, the process should instead involve an attenuation of the negative link between responsibility acceptance and positive self-regard. In this paper, we examine how acts of value reaffirmation facilitate genuine self-forgiveness. In Study 1, a role-play experiment (N = 90), participants either confessed their wrongdoing to the victim or not. Although responsibility acceptance was strongly negatively related to reported self-forgiveness (i.e., self-regard), this relationship was tempered when participants confessed their wrongdoing to the victim and, through this, reaffirmed the violated values. In Study 2, a longitudinal study referring to self-reported transgressions (N = 74), responsibility acceptance was negatively related to self-forgiveness measures as well as self-esteem when offenders showed little value reaffirmation, but not when they more strongly reaffirmed the violated values. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

chang h.-y.a., wallis m. & tiralongo e. (2012) Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use by people with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1256-1266. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of a study into factors predicting complementary and alternative medicine use in people with type 2 diabetes. Background. The growing incidence of type 2 diabetes is emerging as a major health issue throughout the world. While the rate of complementary and alternative medicine use in this population is high, it is not clear what predicts its use, in this population. Methods. A cross-sectional survey, using a structured interview, was undertaken among people with type 2 diabetes attending diabetic clinics in three census regions in Taiwan, between July 2006 and February 2007. The survey instrument, derived from a review of Taiwanese and international literature, was developed using the Health Belief Model. Results. A total of 326 participants with type 2 diabetes were interviewed (87·4% response rate). In people with type 2 diabetes, complementary and alternative medicine use was associated with a history of its use, a positive attitude towards it, stronger health beliefs about diabetes and the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine in treating diabetes, a higher degree of self-care activities by the individual and a longer duration of diabetes. Conclusions. The results of this study indicate that complementary and alternative medicine use in people with type 2 diabetes is influenced by people's experience, beliefs, attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine, and their behaviour towards disease management rather than their demographic characteristics. Nurses and healthcare professionals should consider the patient's background, health history, health beliefs and cultural background when planning specific strategies designed to modify lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kuma A .O . & J ordan S . (2012) Pain management in neonates: a survey of nurses and doctors. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1288-1301. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a descriptive survey of nurses' and doctors' knowledge and reported practice regarding procedural pain assessment and management in neonatal intensive care units. Background. There are concerns that pain is often unrecognized and under-treated in neonates. Current guidelines advocate administration of analgesia and comfort measures, but may be vulnerable to inter-professional differences in guideline implementation. Methods. All nurses and doctors working in all seven neonatal intensive care units in one area of the United Kingdom were surveyed between January to August 2007. Lead clinicians distributed and collected anonymous questionnaires. Findings. Response rate was 44% (62 doctors, 137 nurses). Internal consistency was high, overall Cronbach's alpha 0·976. Respondents were knowledgeable, mean score 82% (SD13·3%). They agreed that neonates feel pain and need analgesia. Chest drain insertion was perceived to be the most painful procedure, heel-prick the least. Respondents reported that analgesia and comfort measures were not usually administered for most procedures: nurses were more likely than doctors to report adhering to guidelines advocating administration of analgesia and comfort measures. Statistically significant differences between current and optimal practice were acknowledged. Few (21% and 37%) had received training on neonatal pain and fewer (2·5%) employed recognized pain assessment instruments. Pain management guidelines were available to 29(47%) doctors and 85(62%) nurses; 20(18%) reported that these had been audited. Conclusion. Clinicians were knowledgeable about neonatal pain, but gaps between knowledge and practice remain. This hiatus could be bridged by providing research evidence for the efficacy of guidelines incorporating validated pain assessment instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

linden m. & kavanagh r. (2012) Attitudes of qualified vs. student mental health nurses towards an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1359-1368. Abstract Aim. This paper is the report of a study which sought to compare the attitudes held by student and qualified mental health nurses towards individuals with schizophrenia in the Republic of Ireland. Background. Media portrayals of individuals with schizophrenia often include images of aggression and violence. With global initiatives aimed at reducing the stigma and exclusion associated with mental illness, the attitudes of those who care for people with schizophrenia are of particular interest. Methods. A survey was administered to 66 student mental health nurses, and 121 qualified mental health nurses. Participants completed the community attitudes to mental illness scale and the social interaction scale in 2009. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for the effects of qualification, work setting, years of experience and education on the measures. Results. Nurses employed in a community setting held more positive attitudes, when compared with colleagues who worked in an inpatient setting, as measured by the community mental health ideology subscale, indicating their desire to promote community care for individuals with schizophrenia. Nurses working in an inpatient setting held more socially restrictive attitudes indicating that they felt individuals with schizophrenia were dangerous and should be avoided. These findings were statistically significant at the P < 0·05 level. Conclusions. Mental health nurses must be alerted to the fact that holding negative attitudes may adversely affect the therapeutic relationship and ultimately lead to stigmatization and its negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal Emotion Management (IEM) strategies represent behaviours targeted at managing negative emotions in others. This paper describes the development and validation of the four-dimensional IEM strategies scale. Four studies were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the scale, including content, discriminant, and criterion validity. Results provided strong support for the four-dimensional measure of IEM strategies, distinct from conceptually related constructs, and predictive of subordinates' trust in their supervisor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lobchuk m.m., mcpherson c.j., mcclement s.e. & cheang m. (2011) A comparison of patient and family caregiver prospective control over lung cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1122-1133. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of our secondary analysis of patient and family caregiver prospective control in lung cancer. Background. Control beliefs underlie self-care in sickness and health. Self-care often involves 'shared' activities between the afflicted individual and caregiving family and friends. However, depending on how control is perceived, conflicts can occur in decision-making thus jeopardizing optimal self-care. We need to comprehend how control beliefs compare between patients and caregivers and how their control beliefs are linked with dealing with serious illness. Methods. Based on questionnaire data collected in our larger study between September 2005 and February 2009, we conducted exploratory comparative analyses of 304 patients' and caregivers' control beliefs in managing lung cancer. Eight 5-point response items captured prospective control. Exploratory factor analysis with promax rotation was conducted to compare dyadic perceptions on the dimensionality of prospective control. We also conducted exploratory correlations between control beliefs and smoking cessation, attributional reactions, caregiver helping and symptom reports. Results. Principal component analysis identified the same factors for patients and caregivers: factor 1, Fate control and factor 2, Team control. Patient and caregiver 'Fate' and 'Team' control sub-scales were respectively associated with hope, caregiver helping and patient smoking cessation. Conclusion. Clinicians need to support, adapt or develop a philosophy of cancer care that is inclusive of partnerships, drawing on beliefs of patients and caregivers that controlling lung cancer is a team effort which in turn is tentatively linked to patient smoking cessation, positive emotions and caregiver helping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

papastavrou e., efstathiou g., tsangari h., suhonen r., leino-kilpi h., patiraki e., karlou c., balogh z., palese a., tomietto m., jarosova d. & merkouris a. (2011) A cross-cultural study of the concept of caring through behaviours: patients' and nurses' perspectives in six different EU countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1026-1037. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of an international study of patients' and nurses' perceptions of nurse caring behaviours. Background. Current economic constraints on healthcare systems, demand to increase the quality of care and the incorporation of the consumers' perspective into care, have created a need to develop a clear understanding of nursing behaviours which convey caring. Patients in different areas of the world report different expectations of nurses' caring actions when compared to nurses' views. Method. A descriptive comparative survey design was used to analyse a sample of surgical patients ( n = 1659) and their nurses ( n = 1195) in 88 wards of 34 hospitals in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy. Data were collected in autumn 2009 using the Caring Behaviours Inventory-24. Nurses' and patients' responses were compared using both inferential and descriptive statistics. Results. Independent samples t-tests showed important differences between nurses' and patients' views. Although both groups perceived knowledge and skill as being the most important sub-scale, the nurses' responses were higher compared to patients ( P < 0·05) with important differences in the 'assurance of human presence' ( P < 0·001) and the 'respectful deference to others' ( P < 0·001) sub-scales. Cross-country comparisons showed important differences between the nurses' ( F = 24·199, P < 0·001) and patients' views on caring ( F = 26·945, P < 0·001). Conclusions. Important differences were observed between patient-nurse perceptions in the participating countries. The results form a foundation for future research into the development of a common international perspective about caring behaviours between patients and their nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

scott k., white k., johnson c. & roydhouse j.k. (2011) Knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurses in Australia. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1111-1121. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of the development and testing of a questionnaire measuring knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia. Background. The role of cancer clinical trials nurse, widely acknowledged as an integral member of the clinical research team, has evolved in recent years. Elements of the clinical trials nurse role in cancer have previously been described. To evaluate specific cancer clinical trials nurse educational and training needs, the development of a valid and reliable tool is required. Methods. In 2009, a study was conducted in three stages. Stage I: questionnaire development and pilot testing; stage II: focus group; stage III: national survey. Internal consistency reliability testing and multi-trait analysis of item convergent/divergent validity were employed. Regression analysis was used to identify predictors of clinical trials nurse knowledge and skills. Results. The national survey was a 48-item questionnaire, measuring six clinical trial knowledge and seven skills sub-scales. Of 61 respondents, 90% were women, with mean age 43 years, 19 years as a Registered Nurse and 5 years as a cancer clinical trials nurse. Self-reported knowledge and skills were satisfactory to good. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha: knowledge = 0·98; skills = 0·90). Criteria for item convergent/divergent validity were met. Number of years as cancer clinical trials nurse was positively related to self-reported knowledge and skills. Conclusion. Preliminary data suggest that the national survey is reliable and valid. Data have contributed to better understanding the knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia and development of a postgraduate course in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: This paper is aimed to develop and validate the hypertension scale of the system of Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases, QLICD-HY. Methods: The QLICD-HY instrument was developed based on programmed decision procedures with multiple nominal and focus group discussions and pilot testing. A total of 157 inpatients with hypertension were used to provide the data measuring QOL three times before and after treatment. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated with respect to validity, reliability and responsiveness employing correlation and factor analyses, and t-tests. Results: Correlation and factor analyses confirmed good construct validity and criterion-related validity when using Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) as a criterion. Test–retest reliability coefficients (Pearson r and intra-class correlation (ICC)) for the overall instrument score and all domains except for the hypertension-specific domain (SPD) (0.75) were higher than 0.80 with a range of 0.75–0.91; the internal consistency α for all domains except for the hypertension-specific domain (0.66) was higher than 0.70. The overall score and scores for most facets within each domain except for the social domain (SOD) had statistically significant changes (t-tests) after treatment with moderate effect sizes. Conclusion: QLICD-HY has good validity, reliability, responsiveness and can be used as the quality-of-life instrument for patients with hypertension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

gur-yaish n., zisberg a., sinoff g. & shadmi e. (2011) Development and psychometric testing of a measure of informal caregiving for hospitalized older adults. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(4), 931-938. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of the development and psychometric testing of the questionnaire evaluating informal caregiving for hospitalized older adults. Background. Informal caregiving of hospitalized older adults is an understudied phenomenon that lacks a valid and reliable measure to capture its multi-dimensionality. Methods. An instrument development procedure, followed by an empirical study, was conducted from February to November 2009. Instrument development included item generation and content validity, which was established by five experts. The validation study utilized a retrospective between-patients design. The sample consisted of 279 patients, aged 70 and older, who were hospitalized in a large medical centre in northern Israel. The internal consistency reliability, construct, convergent and divergent validity of the measure were tested. Results. The 14-item scale describes various aspects of informal caregiving for older adults in the hospital setting. The scale has four dimensions: Instrumental care, Supervision of care, Psychological support and Ensuring and Explaining care. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical model of the four dimensions of care. Reliability analysis revealed acceptable-to-high estimates for the total and for the dimensional scores (ranging from 0·78 to 0·89). The convergent and divergent validity coefficients were all in the expected direction. Conclusions. The preliminary psychometric properties of the measure showed acceptable results. The measure should be further explored in different cultural settings and for its ability to link between caregiving attributes, as captured by the measure, and hospitalization outcomes in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

liu c.-c., chen y.-c., yeh y.-p. & hsieh y.-s. (2011) Effects of maternal confidence and competence on maternal parenting stress in newborn care. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(4), 908-918. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a correlational study of the relations of maternal confidence and maternal competence to maternal parenting stress during newborn care. Background. Maternal role development is a cognitive and social process influenced by cultural and family contexts and mother and child characteristics. Most knowledge about maternal role development comes from western society. However, perceptions of the maternal role in contemporary Taiwanese society may be affected by contextual and environmental factors. Methods. A prospective correlational design was used to recruit 372 postpartum Taiwanese women and their infants from well-child clinics at 16 health centres in central Taiwan. Inclusion criteria for mothers were gestational age >37 weeks, ≥18 years old, and healthy, with infants <4 months old. Data were collected between August 2007 and January 2008 using a self-report questionnaire on mothers' and infants' demographic variables, maternal confidence, maternal competence and self-perceived maternal parenting stress. Results. After controlling for maternal parity and infant temperament, high maternal confidence and competence were associated with low maternal parenting stress. Maternal confidence influenced maternal parenting stress both directly and indirectly via maternal competence. Conclusion. To assist postpartum women in infant care programmes achieve positive outcomes, nurses should evaluate and bolster mothers' belief in their own abilities. Likewise, nurses should not only consider mothers' infant care skills, but also mothers' parity and infant temperament. Finally, it is crucial for nurses and researchers to recognize that infant care programmes should be tailored to mothers' specific maternal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

hatlevik i.k.r. (2011) The theory-practice relationship: reflective skills and theoretical knowledge as key factors in bridging the gap between theory and practice in initial nursing education. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(4), 868-877. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a correlational study of the relations of nursing students' acquired reflective skills, practical skills and theoretical knowledge on their perception of coherence between theory and practice. Background. Reflection is considered a key factor in bridging the gap between theory and practice. However, it is not evident whether reflective skills are primarily generic in nature or whether they develop from a theoretical knowledge base or the acquisition of practical skills. Method. This study is a secondary analysis of existing data. The data are part of a student survey that was conducted among third-year nursing students in Norway during the spring of 2007. A total of 446 nursing students participated in this study and the response rate was 71%. Structural equation modelling analyses were performed. Findings. The results indicate that students' perception of coherence between theory and practice during initial nursing education is directly influenced by reflective skills and theoretical knowledge. The results also reveal that reflective skills have mediating effects and that practical skills have a fully mediated and theoretical knowledge a partially mediated influence on students' perception of coherence. Conclusion. The findings imply that helping students perceive coherence between theory and practice in nursing education, developing students' reflective skills and strengthening the theoretical components of the initial nursing education programme might be beneficial. The results suggest that reflective thinking is not merely a generic skill but rather a skill that depends on the acquisition of relevant professional knowledge and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major problem for mental health. Empirical studies and clinical observations have shown that the symptoms of depression occur across four main domains-emotional, cognitive, somatic and interpersonal. However, commonly used depression assessment scales fail to address the evaluation of interpersonal symptoms, as summarized in this paper. Therefore, a new depression assessment scale, which aimed to evaluate all four domains of depressive symptomatology, was developed. In an initial analysis, a pilot 85-item questionnaire containing possible depressive symptoms was distributed for evaluation to experts from different mental health professions, from which 52 items were subsequently selected for the new multidimensional depression assessment scale. One hundred community participants completed the questionnaire along with the Beck Depression Inventory-II. The results indicated that the new depression scale had good psychometric properties. It was found to be reliable and valid for the assessment of depression severity and symptomatology, though it is emphasized that these data are only preliminary and based on a relatively healthy sample. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van de mortel t.f., kermode s., progano t. & sansoni j. (2012) A comparison of the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(3), 569-579. Abstract Aim. This paper reports a study examining the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students with the aim of informing undergraduate curricula. Background. In comparison with registered nurses, physician status is a risk factor for non-compliance with hand hygiene guidelines. Little research has been conducted to determine if differences between the professions in relation to hand hygiene are apparent at the undergraduate level. Cross-disciplinary studies that may provide an insight into this topic are lacking. Methods. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 117 nursing and 119 medical students in a large university in Rome, Italy, to determine their hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices. The data were collected in 2007-2008. Results. Nursing students' hand hygiene knowledge ( F = 9·03(1,230); P = 0·003), percentage compliance ( Z = 6·197; P < 0·001) and self-reported hand hygiene practices ( F = 34·54(1,230); P < 0·001) were significantly higher than that of medical students. There were no statistically significant differences between hand hygiene beliefs. Mean scores on the knowledge questions were low for both groups, reflecting primarily a knowledge deficit in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs to decontaminate hands in the healthcare setting. Conclusion. Statistically significant disciplinary differences in hand hygiene knowledge and self-reported practices were apparent among undergraduate Italian healthcare students. Further research is needed to determine the causative factors. The overall low scores on the knowledge items indicate that these students require further education on hand hygiene, particularly in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Education 2012: 46: 267-276 Objectives We reviewed papers describing the development of instruments for assessing clinical communication in undergraduate medical students. The instruments had important limitations: most lacked a theoretical basis, and their psychometric properties were often poor or inadequately investigated and reported. We therefore describe the development of a new instrument, the Liverpool Undergraduate Communication Assessment Scale (LUCAS), which is intended to overcome some of these limitations. We designed LUCAS to reflect the theory that communication is contextually dependent, inherently creative and cannot be fully described within a conceptual framework of discrete skills. Methods We investigated the preliminary psychometric properties of LUCAS in two studies. To assess construct and external validity, we examined correlations between examiners' LUCAS ratings and simulated patients' ratings of their relationships with students in Year 1 formative ( n = 384) and summative ( n = 347) objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) samples. Item-total correlations and item difficulty analyses were also performed. The dimensionality of LUCAS was examined by confirmatory factor analysis. We also assessed inter-rater reliability; four raters used LUCAS to rate 40 video-recorded encounters between Year 1 students and simulated patients. Results Simulated patient ratings correlated with examiner ratings across two OSCE datasets. All items correlated with the total score. Item difficulty showed LUCAS was able to discriminate between student performances. LUCAS had a two-dimensional factor structure: we labelled Factor 1 creative communication and Factor 2 procedural communication. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 (95% confidence interval 0.54-0.85), indicating acceptable reliability. Conclusions We designed LUCAS to move the primary focus of examiners away from an assessment of students' enactment of behavioural skills to a judgement of how well students' communication met patients' needs. LUCAS demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. The instrument can be administered easily and efficiently and is therefore suitable for use in medical school examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]