Search

Associations between facial appearance and hiring decisions are well-documented within job literature as a source of decision misjudgment with economic and human costs. Notwithstanding, this aspect is yet to be investigated in healthcare. We collected 90 pictures of new-graduates nurses faces to be judged on different facial appearance-based traits by an independent sample. Six months after graduation, the same new-graduates were interviewed about their job situation. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to examine whether facial appearance ratings would predict the probability to be hired as nurse. Results showed that applicants with a face conveying a feeling of familiarity were more likely to be hired. Considering that people might be inclined to these biases during societal crises and the exceptional need to quickly recruit health professionals during COVID-19 pandemic, our study recommends special attention to prevent the influence of facial appearance-based evaluations not reflecting real skills to limit potentially adverse consequences.

Background: Internship represents the context for nursing students to acquire professional skills. The mutual relationship between the intern and the tutor, where both parties have the opportunity to grow and develop, contributes to transforming theoretical knowledge into intellectual, psychomotor, and social skills. However, the gap between education and clinical practice... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The image of a nurse is a source of concern due to its impact on recruitment into the profession, political decisions about the profession, and how the image affects nursing practice. For these reasons, one of the long-term challenges is to assess and maintain a favorable public image that respects the utility and value of the nursing profession. Aim: This study aims to validate an instrument for assessing the image of the nurse as perceived by Italian citizens. Methods: A non-probabilistic sample of 564 people participated in the study between 2022 and 2023. Sociodemographic information of the Italian citizens was collected, and the instrument used to evaluate the perceived public image was the Nursing Attitudes Questionnaire (NAQ). The psychometric properties of the Italian version of the NAQ (NAQ-IV) were calculated using Cronbach's alpha, item–total correlations, skewness, and kurtosis. Factor analysis was performed using principal axis factoring and the varimax rotation method. Results: Factor analysis revealed a four-factor model explaining more than 60.52% of the variance, with the largest variance explained by the "Role and Professionalism" factor (34.08%). The internal consistency calculation showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89 for the scale and between 0.88 and 0.89 among the factors; all the items verified the item–total correlation and response variability criteria. Conclusions: The NAQ-IV could be a valid tool for assessing the perception of Italian citizens. However, further studies are recommended to evaluate the reliability of the instrument, especially in the evolving professional profile and social health welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Music evokes positive emotions and reduces stress and anxiety. Operating room (OR) staff face various challenges which can lead to high levels of stress. The aim of the study is to assess whether listening to music during intraoperative phases improves the work environment by reducing anxiety and stress in the entire surgical team. Methods. A prospective observational study was conducted from February to September 2023, involving medical personnel, nursing staff, and nursing students. They were divided into two groups: Group 1 with music during surgical procedures, and Group 2 without music. Participants were administered two validated instruments: the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale (SAS) to measure anxiety, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule to assess emotions generating stress. Additional items were included for demographics, job satisfaction, and the organization method. Results. Music did not impact anxiety, but increased positive emotions while reducing negative ones. Music had an ancillary effect, highlighting the need for significant organizational interventions aimed at increasing operator satisfaction, including offering voluntary instead of mandatory assignments to nursing staff. Conclusions. Music appears to reduce stress in the intraoperative team when supported by a positive work environment in which assigned operators have chosen to work in the OR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Il fenomeno della violenza domestica e le condotte di approccio a questo problema assumono una particolare rilevanza sia sociale che sanitaria. Lo scopo della ricerca è quello di misurare le conoscenze e le competenze degli infermieri che prestano servizio nelle realtà operative di ED (Emergenza Dipartimento) rispetto alla gestione in urgenza della donna che ha subito violenza domestica. E’ stato effettuato uno studio osservazionale trasversale che ha coinvolto gli infermieri del servizio di emergenza intraospedaliera (EDI) e Extraospedaliera (EDE) in tre ambiti territoriali afferenti ad una Azienda Sanitaria del nord Italia. Il campione è di tipo non probabilistico. Il questionario scelto è stato Help– Knowledge and Attitudes of Gender – Based Violence. Si evidenzia un risultato con un range di risposte corrette che vanno dal 72,6% al 99%. La comparazione fra gli infermieri dell’EDE e quelli dell’EDI ha evidenziato una maggiore comprensione del fenomeno dell’IPV (Intimate Partner Violence) da parte di questi ultimi; ciò con molta probabilità può essere dovuto, da un lato, al fatto che i secondi possiedono più strumenti e tempo per riconoscere i segni di maltrattamento, mentre la donna, dall’altro, ha la possibilità di ricercare maggiore empatia, un sostegno psicologico e una guida ai servizi che possano aiutare la propria famiglia. Le correlazioni provano, inoltre, una notevole sensibilità che il personale di ED ha sulle diverse tipologie di maltrattamenti, non solo fisiche, ma anche psicologiche, economiche e sessuali. Con molta probabilità tali conoscenze sono legate all’esperienza sul campo in quanto il 56,6% (n=56) del campione ha un’anzianità di servizio che va dagli 11 ai 30 anni. Le phénomène de la violence conjugale et les différentes approches à ce problème sont particulièrement importants sur les plans social et sanitaire. Le but de cette recherche est d’évaluer les compétences et les connaissances des infirmiers travaillant aux services d’urgence (ED) et qui assurent la prise en charge des femmes victimes de violence conjugale. Une étude par observation a été menée impliquant les infirmiers des services d’urgence intrahospitaliers (EDI) et extrahospitaliers (EDE) de trois territoires liés à une unité de soins du nord de l’Italie. Il s’agissait d’un échantillon non probabiliste et le questionnaire choisi était le Help–Knowledge and Attitudes of Gender–Based Violence. Le résultat a été globalement positif et les réponses correctes allait de 72,6 % à 99 % selon les questions. La comparaison entre infirmiers de l’EDE et de l’EDI a montré que ces derniers ont une meilleure connaissance du phénomène de la violence d’un partenaire intime (IPV – Intimate Partner Violence) par rapport aux premiers. Cela est peut-être dû au fait que, d’un côté, les infirmiers EDI ont davantage d’outils et de temps pour reconnaître les signes d’abus, tandis que la femme, de l’autre, a la possibilité de recevoir davantage d’empathie, un soutien psychologique et un guide aux services du territoire pour aider sa famille. En outre, les corrélations démontrent que le personnel ED est très conscient des différentes formes de maltraitance, qui ne concernent pas seulement le cadre physique, mais aussi les domaines psychologiques, économiques et sexuels. Il est fort probable que ces connaissances soient liées à leur expérience car 56,6 % des personnes interrogées travaillent dans ce secteur depuis au moins 11 ans. The phenomenon of domestic violence and the different approaches to this are especially important both from a social and health point of view. The aim of the survey is to measure the skills and knowledge of the nurses who work in Emergency Departments providing medical care to women who are victims of domestic violence. An observational study was implemented involving the nurses of the Intra-hospital Emergency Services (EDI) and of the Extra-hospital Emergency Services (EDE) of three territories linked to a Northern Italian healthcare unit. The sample is a non-probabilistic one. The title of the administered questionnaire is Help-Knowledge and Attitudes of Gender–Based Violence. There was a positive result overall with a range of correct answers ranging from 72.6% to 99% depending on the question. The comparison between EDE and EDI nurses showed a better understanding of the IPV phenomenon (Intimate Partner Violence) amongst the latter. This may be due to the fact, on the one hand, that EDI nurses have more tools and time in order to recognize the signs of abuse, while women, using the other services, have the possibility to get more empathy and psychological support along with information about assistance provided by territorial services available for families. Correlations demonstrate, moreover, that EDI staff have a strong awareness of the various kinds of abuse, not only physical but also psychological, economical and sexual ones. This particular knowledge is most likely linked to their experience because 56.6% of respondents have been working in this field for 11 to 30 years.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed people's lifestyles by imposing social, economic, and labor changes. Health professionals have been in the spotlight, occasionally even elevated to the status of "heroes", as they have been at the forefront of the health emergency. Media exposure has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the evolution and perception of the public's image of nurses, especially within the Italian context. Currently, there is only one study conducted in Italy during the pandemic period. For this reason, we have opted to delve further into this subject during the post-pandemic period, with the ultimate goal of identifying this perceptual evolution. Methods. An online snowball sampling survey was conducted among the Italian population using social networks between August 2022 and January 2023. The survey utilized the Nursing Attitude Questionnaire (NAQ) to collect data. Results. The sample consisted of 564 individuals. Among the respondents, 63.8% (n = 360) were familiar with the nursing pathway, and the level of agreement regarding the training of nurses was 81.5% (n = 260). In terms of recognizing the professional role of nurses, variations emerged in certain domains of the NAQ. Specifically, professional values of nurses were more pronounced in northern and central Italy (M = 26.27). Moreover, stereotypes were more prevalent in the north (23.73 ± 3.538) and the center (23.13 ± 4.104) (p = 0.001). Conclusions. The sample acknowledged a unique competence inherent to nurses that cannot be replaced by other professionals. The study population perceives the nursing profession as pivotal within the IHS (Integrated Health System). However, the attractiveness of the profession remains exceedingly low. This study was not registered on a publicly available registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare provider profession strongly relies on the ability to care for others' emotional experiences. To what extent burnout may relate to an actual alteration of this key professional ability has been little investigated. In an experimentally controlled setting, we investigated whether subjective experiences of global burnout or burnout depersonalization (the interpersonal component of burnout) relate to objectively measured alterations in emotion recognition and to what extent such alterations are emotion specific. Healthcare workers (n = 90) completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a dynamic emotion recognition task in which faces with neutral emotional expressions gradually changed to display a specific basic emotion (happiness, anger, fear, or sadness). Participants were asked to identify and then classify each displayed emotion. Before the task, a subsample of 46 participants underwent two salivary cortisol assessments. Individuals with global burnout were less accurate at recognizing others' emotional expressions of anger and fear, tending to misclassify these as happiness, compared to individuals without global burnout. Individuals with high burnout depersonalization were more accurate in recognizing happiness and less accurate in recognizing all negative emotions, with a tendency to misclassify the latter as positive ones, compared to healthcare workers with moderate/low depersonalization. Moreover, individuals with high depersonalization--but not participants with global burnout--were characterized by higher cortisol levels. These results suggest that the subjective burnout experience relates to an actual, but selective, reduction in the recognition of facial emotional expressions, characterized by a tendency to misclassify negative emotional expressions as positive ones, perhaps due to an enhanced seeking of positive social cues. This study adds to the understanding of emotional processing in burnout and paves the way for more nuanced studies on the role of altered processing of threat signals in the development and/or persistence of burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The increase in the survival rate of patients with chronic renal failure due to substitution treatment prompts an investigation of their quality of life (QoL), a key measure to evaluate the outcomes of chronic disease treatment. To determine whether hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis provide a better QoL, a systematic meta-analysis was performed. Methods: We searched through the database Cinahl, Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Proquest, including articles published from 2011 until June 2016. We selected articles that compared, through KDQOL-SF 1.3 or 36 questionnaires, QoL among patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The data was collected using Excel Office, and t-test has been performed on independent samples to identify significant differences. Results: Only some of the seven articles found significant differences between the two treatments. One of the studies showed a better QoL for peritoneal dialysis patients, while, on the contrary, two other studies support that the best QoL is in patients receiving hemodialysis. Another article displayed significant difference only for satisfaction in relation to care, better in patients on peritoneal dialysis, and for physical health, better in hemodialysis. Conclusions: The analysis has not led to a unanimous conclusion. Quantitative analysis showed that the only statistically significant difference between the QoL of patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis regards the effect of kidney disease, which happens to be better in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlights the role of psychological influences in triggering and amplifying the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., nocebo effects). Fear, beliefs, and expectations about the COVID-19 vaccine, trust in health and scientific institutions, and stable personality traits were measured in 315 adult Italian citizens (145 men) during the 15-min waiting time after vaccination. The occurrence and severity of 10 potential adverse effects were assessed 24 hr later. Nonpharmacological variables predicted nearly 30% of the severity of the vaccine's adverse effects. Expectations are important determinants of adverse effects from vaccines, and the results of the path analyses show that these expectations stem primarily from people's vaccine beliefs and attitudes, which can be changed. Implications for increasing vaccine acceptability and limiting the nocebo effect are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim of the Work: Cardiovascular diseases represent the main cause of death in Italy. Early recognition of pathological electrocardiographic (ECG) trace is an important skill for nurses. The theoretical knowledge and the practical skills on the recognition of pathological ECG trace of trained nursing students were compared with those of emergency nurses., Methods: The study involved 35 nursing students and 41 nurses from the emergency room, emergency medicine and ambulance service. Students were previously trained through a theoretical and practical ECG course. The data were collected using  two questionnaires aimed at evaluating in the two groups the ability to recognize electrocardiographic signs. The tools were uploaded to an online platform and remotely administered., Results: Both the students and the nurses showed a satisfactory theoretical knowledge of the ECG trace, with a statistically significant difference in favor of the nurses. Regarding practical skills, both groups showed difficulty in recognizing pathological electrocardiographic signs, particularly blockages and acute coronary syndromes., Conclusions: Nursing students' knowledge of ECG did not differ much from that of nurses. Training through simulation probably played a key role in improving the skill of ECG evaluation among students. More theoretical and practical courses on ECG should be recommended in Nursing Programme.

Background and Aim of the Work: Every year around 275 thousand people in Europe and 420 thousand in the United States are affected by sudden cardiac arrest. Early electrical defibrillation before the arrival of emergency services can improve survival. Training the population to use the AED is essential. The training method currently in use is the BLSD course, which limits training to a population cohort and may not be enough to meet the requirements of the proposed Law no. 1839/2019. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of an online course that illustrates the practical use of the AED to a population of laypeople., Methods: An observational study was conducted to compare a lay population undergoing the view of a video spot and a cohort of people who had participated in BLSD Category A courses. The performances of the two groups were measured immediately after the course and 6 months later., Results: Overall, the video lesson reported positive results. Six months later the skills were partially retained. The cohort that followed the video lesson showed significant deterioration in the ability to correctly position the pads and in safety., Conclusions: Although improved through significant reinforcements, the video spot represents a valid alternative training method for spreading defibrillation with public access and could facilitate the culture of defibrillation as required by the new Italian law proposal.

Background and Aim of the Study: Nursing has not yet received full social recognition and in general the public opinion does not have a completely positive perception of it, which regards it as an auxiliary profession to the medical profession. This study aims to investigate the image of the nurse among year 4 and 5 high school students., Methods: Two groups of students were interviewed, one at their institution without any previous orientation (n = 102) and one at the University of Bologna during orientation day (n = 388). A validated questionnaire (Nursing Attitude Questionnaire) of 30 items was delivered. Two additional questions were added to explore the possibility of advising relatives and acquaintances to become a nurse and therefore to choose the nursing degree course., Results: All areas of the NAQ scored significantly higher in the group where students attended the orientation day, especially the ones related to the professional role, stereotypes and professional value items. Female students ≥ 21 had a more positive image of the nurse. Both groups recognized that nurses are important figures for patients and that they are intelligent people, who must have a degree in order to carry out their work duties. Differences between the groups were recorded. Students in group 1 did not accept nursing autonomy while students in group 2 understood differences between nursing and medical careers, attributing to them the same value. A positive correlation between the positive image of the nursing profession and the interest in becoming nurses or advising others to undertake the nursing course was found. In conclusion, orientation is effective in helping high school students in the choice of their university courses. Regarding nursing, strategies to improve the image of the nurse and enrollment should be combined during orientation day with current up to date communication and learning tools, such as social media and simulation laboratories. Furthermore, it appears increasingly important to extend orientation and tutoring activities to junior high school students, families and teachers.

Background and Aim of the Work: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common symptoms experienced by cancer patients (CPs) and negatively affects quality of life. Although CRF is frequently experienced, it is often underreported, underdiagnosed and undertreated. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the level of fatigue in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy and to analyse its correlation with patients' demographic and clinical variables., Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was implemented in the Oncology Day Hospital of a Northern Italian hospital. A sample of 48 patients receiving chemotherapy were evaluated through the Brief Fatigue Inventory Italian version (BFI-I) between 1 May and 12 October 2016. Data were statistically analysed., Results: Most of our patients (94%) experienced fatigue. Women as well as patients with an age ≥65 years reported more fatigue. Anemia, pain and a weight loss of over 16 kg in the last 6 months were significantly related to the perception of fatigue. Regarding life habits, smoking was related to high global score of BFI-I., Conclusions: In accordance with literature, our study suggests that fatigue is a frequent symptom influenced by many constitutional, clinical and environmental factors. Our results highlight the need for an early and regular evaluation of fatigue among cancer patients, in order to implement all those pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions with proven efficacy in attenuating this symptom.

Background and Aim of the Work: The treatment of cardiac arrest in an extra-hospital environment improves with the increase in the number of people able to establish an early Cardio-Pulmonary Reanimation (CPR). The main aim of the study was to assess the validity of the two-step method in case of prolonged CPR., Methods: A randomized comparison study was conducted in the University Nursing School of a Northern Italian town, during the 2015/16 academic year, among 60 students, to teach them CPR techniques, through two different teaching methods (4-step and the 2-step of CPR training). The effectiveness of the maneuvers performed on mannequins equipped with skill-meter was verified., Results: Our study did not highlight any significant difference between the two methods of CPR training. The comparison between the two methods regarding their efficacy in practical teaching of CPR, highlighted by this study, proved the validity of both the 4-minute continuous method (1st method) and the 30:2 method (2nd method)., Conclusions: The results of the study showed no differences between the 2-step and the 4-step methods, in the effectiveness of cardiac massage. The correct execution of chest compressions during a CPR is the key to increase the patient's chances of rescue. Research has shown that any interruption in the execution of chest compressions, leads to a progressive reduction of the effectiveness of cardiac massage, with negative consequences on the prognosis of the patient undergoing at CPR.

Background and Aim: The public opinion about the nursing profession can influence health service users, the work performance of nurses, health policies, and the choice to become a nurse. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of nursing in modern society., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 398 participants belonging to four population groups: Very Important Persons (VIPs), general population, upper-school students, and nursing students. This phenomenon was assessed through the Nursing Attitude Questionnaire (NAQ) and several additional items., Results: The results highlighted that general population and nursing students showed a significantly better image of nurses than did VIPs and upper-school students., Conclusions: Overall, the sample acknowledged nurses fundamental connotations and functions, although secondary school students poorly recognized nurses' professional autonomy, and VIPs' judgements seemed to be more sensitive to the image of nurses given by mass media.

Background and Aim of the Study: Alzheimer's disease is the most common degenerative dementia with a predominantly senile onset. The difficult management of altered behaviour related to this disorder, poorly responsive to pharmacological treatments, has stimulated growth in non-pharmacological interventions, such as music therapy, whose effectiveness has not been supported by the literature up to now. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of video-music therapy on quality of life improvement in Patients affected by Alzheimer's Disease (AD)., Methods: A pre-post study was conducted in a residential facility. 32 AD Patients, who attended this facility daily to participate in supportive and rehabilitative programs, were treated with 2 cycles of 6 video-music-therapy sessions, which consisted of folk music and video, recalling local traditions. In order to investigate their cognitive status, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered and Patients were divided into stages according to MMSE scores. After each session of video-music-therapy, Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (QOL-AD) was administered to our Patients., Results: 21 AD Patients completed the 2 cycles of video-music therapy. Among them, only the Patients with questionable, mild and moderate neurocognitive impairment (MMSE Stages 1, 2, 3) reported an improvement in their quality of life, whereas the Patients with severe deterioration (MMSE stage 4) did not report any change. Many items of QOL-AD improved, showing a statistically significantly correlation to each other., Conclusions: Video-music therapy was a valuable tool for improving the quality of life only in Patients affected by less severe neurocognitive impairment.

Background and Aim of the Work: Student satisfaction is an important element of the effectiveness of clinical placement, but there is little consensus in the literature as to the preferred model of clinical experience for undergraduate nursing students. The aim of this study was assess, for each academic year, students' perception of the roles of nurse teachers (NT) and clinical nurse supervisors (CNS) who perform tutoring in both apprenticeship and laboratories and to identify and evaluate students' satisfaction with the environment of clinical learning., Method: This analytic cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 173 nursing students in the Northern Italy. The research instrument used is the Clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher (CLES+T) evaluation scale. Data were statistically analysed., Results: 94% of our sample answered questionnaires. Students expressed a higher level of satisfaction with their training experiences. The highest mean value was in the sub-dimension "Pedagogical atmosphere on the ward". Third year students expressed higher satisfaction levels in their relationship with the CNS and lower satisfaction levels in their relationship with the NT. This result may be due to the educational model that is adopted in the course, in which the simulation laboratory didactic activities of the third year are conducted by CNS, who also supervises experiences of clinical learning in the clinical practice., Conclusions: The main finding in this study was that the students' satisfaction with the supervisory relationship and the role of NT depend on how supervision in the clinical practice and in the simulation laboratory is organized.