Search

Aims and objectives To describe nursing students' experience of stress during clinical practice and evaluate the risk of stress in relation to the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the clinical education. Background Stress during clinical practice is well documented, but there is a lack of knowledge concerning whether the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the education make a difference. Design A cross-sectional study with evaluative design. Methods Data were collected by means of a numerical rating scale for the assessment of stress and questions about the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the education. One hundred and eighty-four students who had completed their final year on the nursing programme at three universities in Sweden were included. Results Nearly half of the students (43%) experienced high level of stress during clinical practice. Measured by decision in the tree analysis, the absolute risk of stress was 57% in students with placements in hospital departments, as compared to 13% in students with placements in other clinical settings. The risk of stress increased to 71% if the students with placement in a hospital took the national clinical final examination. Performance of practice in a hospital department overcrowded with patients was also associated with increased risk of stress. The organisation of supervision and number of students at the clinical placement had an effect on the experience of stress, but did not prove to be risk factors in the analysis. Conclusions The risk of stress in nursing students during their clinical practice differs depending on clinical setting characteristics. The taking of the national clinical final examination could be a source of stress, but this requires further investigation. Relevance to clinical practice It is important that supervisors are aware that students in hospital departments overcrowded with patients are at risk of stress and may have increased need of support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and objectives To describe and compare nutritional status, pulmonary function, gender and marital status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic illness that can lead to poor nutritional status due to an increased energy requirements related to laboured breathing. Inadequate nutritional intake has often been described in this patient group. Nutritional support for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who suffer from nutritional problems is essential, both for their sense of well-being and for their survival with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Design The study design was descriptive and comparative. Methods Quantitative data collection was carried out among 81 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (47 women and 34 men) with an average age of 65 years ( SD 3·5). The Mini Nutritional Assessment was used to assess nutritional status. Results Participants who lived alone had worse nutritional status than those who did not live alone, and female participants had worse nutritional status than their male counterparts. No significant correlation was found between pulmonary function and nutritional status. Conclusions This study contributes knowledge of a potential correlation between nutritional status, gender and marital status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be at an increased risk of malnutrition. Despite the previous results showing malnutrition and underweight to be common, the present study found that many of the participants were overweight, which may reflect a global health trend regardless of disease. Relevance to clinical practice Early identification of patients at risk of malnutrition is important. Registered nurses should be aware that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are female or who live alone may be at an increased risk of nutritional problems. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease must be offered information and support for individually adapted measures at an early stage in order to avoid nutritional problems, regardless of under- and overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]