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Influenza immunization includes a yearly repeated vaccine offered to every healthcare worker, including nursing students, with a high risk of contracting this viral disease. This study aimed to investigate the vaccination coverage, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nursing students against influenza in Greece. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Attica region between September 2022 and July 2023, with the use of an anonymous reference questionnaire. Data from 1261 nursing students were recorded (response rate: 68.6%). The study found that 23% of the sample were vaccinated against influenza for the flu season 2022–2023, and 42% were vaccinated for the previous flu season. Knowledge scores regarding influenza ranged from 0% to 100%, with a mean value of 55 (SD = 18.8%). A higher level of knowledge about influenza was associated with more appropriate attitudes and practices toward the disease (p < 0.001). Notably, participants in their second, third, or fourth year of study and beyond exhibited more suitable attitudes and practices towards the flu compared to those in their first year of study (p < 0.05). The emergence of low vaccination coverage identifies the need for departments of nursing studies to proceed with the design of educational and intervention programs on infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Errors are a common occurrence in all healthcare settings, and the safety of patients is a critical concern that involves multiple factors, including the complex and demanding nature of nursing practice. Nurses, due to their continuous and direct patient care, play a pivotal role in ensuring patient safety. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to errors from the perspectives of nurses in Greek hospitals, with a focus on understanding the challenges they face in their daily practice. Methods: Clinical nurses willingly and anonymously filled out a specific structured questionnaire, the Taxonomy of Error, Root Cause Analysis, and Practice-responsibility (TERCAP) tool that describes the conditions under which an error during clinical practice occurred. The study method included convenience sampling. After obtaining permission, questionnaires were distributed to hospital departments. To accommodate pandemic-related restrictions, an electronic version of the questionnaire was also created for distribution and collection. Analysis of data was accomplished via SPSS 26.0. Results: Five hundred and ninety-seven clinical nurses participated anonymously, reporting errors in almost seven out of ten cases, often attributing them to high workload and staff shortages. Errors were commonly reported during different shifts in this study. Factors such as assigning significant responsibilities to inexperienced staff and inadequate implementation guidelines were highlighted. Conclusions: The in-depth study of nursing errors provides a nuanced understanding of their causes by categorizing them based on various factors. It emphasizes the complexity of challenges and the need to integrate systemic, clinical, and individual factors into intervention strategies, including medication protocols, ongoing training, clear communication, administrative support, and fostering an open communication culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse events are a prevalent occurrence across pediatric healthcare environments, and patient safety is intricately tied to nursing errors due to nurses' consistent presence and interaction with patients, which surpasses that of any other healthcare professional. This research sought to explore the factors influencing errors as perceived by pediatric nurses in Greek hospital settings. Methods: Clinical pediatric nurses voluntarily and anonymously completed a specialized structured survey, utilizing the Taxonomy of Error, Root Cause Analysis, and Practice-responsibility (TERCAP) tool, which delineates the circumstances surrounding errors occurring during clinical practice. Results: Among the participants employed in the pediatric department, 80.8% (n = 84) reported experiencing an error at their workplace. Notably, in 48.7% (n = 38) of these instances, the error was attributed to themselves (personal responsibility), while in 78.9% (n = 56) of cases, it was linked to errors committed by other colleagues in the clinic. As reported by participants in pediatric departments, the primary factors contributing to potential error occurrence include the absence or inadequacy of orientation and training for new staff (43.2%), the absence of a standardized protocol for resolving disagreements (39%), insufficient ongoing training (38.3%), and breakdowns in interdisciplinary communication (21%). Conclusions: By classifying errors based on various criteria such as outcomes, processes, cognitive reasoning, ethical considerations, and importance, this study presents a holistic framework for examining pediatric nurses' errors from diverse perspectives. Through this classification approach, the study establishes a foundation for tailored interventions targeting particular aspects of errors and their root causes in pediatric departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational stress and burnout of health personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially of the nursing population in intensive care units (ICUs), were quite frequent along with negative effects and a direct correlation with the manifestation of many physical, behavioral and psychological symptoms. For the purposes of this research, a quantitative survey was carried out, in which 153 ICU nurses of secondary and tertiary public hospitals in Greece participated. Nurses completed anonymously and voluntarily a special electronic questionnaire about stress, burnout, personal concerns about the pandemic, the consequences of the outbreak and their resilience toward COVID-19 patients’ care. Specific validated scales were used in this study. Female nurses felt, to a greater extent than males, work-related burnout, especially patient-related burnout and total burnout. There was a statistically significant negative relationship between the existence of a psychological support group within a hospital and personal burnout. Participants who had experience in caring for SARS-CoV-2 patients had higher mental resilience than those without experience. As the consequences experienced by the health professionals of the reference COVID-19 hospitals were increased, so did mental resilience and stress coping strategies during the pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak and the conditions configurated in the health system had negative effects on the psychoemotional state of ICU nurses. The manifestation of anxiety, stress and burnout had a direct correlation with both the work and personal functionality of the nurses and the whole of the healthcare services provided. The early recognition of symptoms and their individualized management are imperative for the protection of the psycho-emotional well-being of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality of life associated with health includes general health, functional ability, physical symptoms and emotional, cognitive, social and sexual functions of an individual. Although the quality of life associated with health has been widely studied in patients and in the general population, there are a limited number of studies in relation to the quality of life of people with diabetic foot ulcers. Aims: The aim was to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Methodology: Patients (N=145) from the outpatient clinic of a tertiary Hospital completed a series of questionnaires related to the assessment of the quality of life with the interview method during their waiting for their appointment. Information on patient history and complete biochemical control was taken from the patient's dossier.The participants mean age was 59.7 years, most were married and were private employees. Results: The quality of life among patients with diabetes mellitus seemed to be moderately affected using leisure time (47.6%), physical activity (52%) and satisfaction (40%), while in the other parameters has been affected to a lesser extent. linear regression, where the confounding effects were eliminated, the reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin was associated with an increase in scores at all the scales of the questionnaire. Conclusions: In addition, at all the scales of the questionnaire, patients who were informed about the care of ulcers by a doctor had a higher score than nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cancerous diseases are a major health problem and accompanied by a high psychiatric morbidity. Objectives: It was to investigate two major mental health disorders, anxiety and depression in patients with lung cancer. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty eight patients of a provincial general hospital filled in the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics was performed. SPSS 17.0 was used for analysis. Statistical significance was set at p=0.05. Results: Men were 55.5 %.. The estimation of depression in the sample 21.8%, while anxiety was estimated at 17.9%. Statistically significant correlations were observed between depression and hospitalization, with patients being hospitalized exhibiting almost doubled rates of severe depression (34% vs 14%). Conclusion: Patients suffering from lung cancer exhibit high levels of anxiety and depression. Hospitalization is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression and appropriate interventions are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The clinical practice of undergraduate nursing students in pediatric nursing is a large and important part of their training for the development of knowledge, skills and change of attitudes and behavior regarding the care of children. Aim: To investigate the views of nursing students on the implementation of the training program in pediatric nursing course in real clinical environment. Material and Method: The study population consisted of 175 students of the Nursing Department of the Technological Educational Institute of Athens trained in clinical practice course at Children's Hospitals. The data collection was performed using a structured, anonymous questionnaire. We examined four areas of clinical training :(a) general features of clinical practice, (b) educational goals achievement,(c) characteristics of clinical teacher and(d) self-assessment of students. Data analysis was performed with the IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: Internal reliability of the questionnaire was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha was 0.92).Ninety-three percent of the participants were women while mean age was 22.3 years (0.37). The organization of the clinical course, the application of the clinical course and the application of the clinical practice were evaluated by the students as being from very good to excellent (82.3%, 69.1% and 70.3% respectively). Ninety-five percent argued that the content of the clinical courses met the initial objectives. Ninety-six percent of students answered that the educational goals of clinical practice were set at the beginning of the practice, whereas 65.1%answered that the teacher was qualified. The score in the field “general features of clinical practice”, “educational goals achievement”, "characteristics of clinical teacher”, “students self-assessment" was 15.3, 17.6, 27.2 and 42.3 respectively. Conclusion: Greeks nursing students have a positive perception of the clinical learning environment in pediatric hospitals, although there is still room for improvement. The presented scale is an appropriate tool for the evaluation of clinical practice by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer and particularly lung cancer, which is the most prevalent form of cancer worldwide, constitute a major health problem in developed countries. Beyond physical problems, the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity is also high. Aim: To investigate the prevalence of two major psychological disorders, anxiety and depression in patients with lung cancer. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty eight (128) patients of a provincial general hospital filled in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Descriptive and analytic statistics was performed. SPSS 17.0 was used for analysis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Males were 55.5 % of the sample. Less than 10 % had severe complications. The estimation of depression in the sample was 18%, while anxiety was estimated at 10% of the sample. Statistically significant differences were observed between depression and gender (p=0.035) and anxiety and alimentary system complications (p=0.002). Conclusion: Patients suffering from lung cancer exhibit high levels of anxiety and depression. Gender and alimentary tract complications seem to associate with psychological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess patient satisfaction from chemotherapy and investigate the effect of demographic factors, disease symptoms and treatment on satisfaction., Methods: A non-randomized cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 100 patients undergoing chemotherapy at "Metaxa" Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece for 6 months. A demographic data questionnaire, a Cancer Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ) and visual analog scales were used to evaluate pain, anxiety, fatigue, and nausea while presence or absence of vomit were also assessed., Results: The majority of the patients in the sample were men (51%), with a mean age of 58.5 ± 10.82 years. The mean value of expectations from treatment was 60.55, from treatment's satisfaction was 75.86 and from feelings about treatment's side effects was 44.56. The most serious symptoms were fatigue and anxiety (7.2 ± 1.95 and 6.71 ± 2.5, respectively). Statistical tests have shown that sub-dimensions of CTSQ are associated with pain, anxiety, fatigue, and nausea., Conclusions: Generally, chemotherapy meets patients' expectations with cancer. Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, pain, and nausea affect their satisfaction. Treatment's satisfaction can be improved by evaluating symptoms, which will lead to appropriate interventions.

Aim of the Study: To assess nausea and vomiting in cancer patients during two cycles of chemotherapy, and the impact on their quality of life., Material and Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted in an oncology department of a large general public hospital in Northern Greece. The sample consisted of 200 cancer patients. Data were collected with the MASCC-Antiemesis Tool and FACT-G questionnaire and specific demographic and clinical characteristics., Results: In cycle 2, acute vomiting was experienced by 16% of the patients and delayed vomiting by 14%; acute nausea was experienced by 27.5% and delayed nausea by 38%. In cycle 3, acute and delayed vomiting were experienced by 17.5% and 15% of the patients, respectively, acute nausea by 29.5%, and delayed nausea by 36.5%. The comparison of severity in acute vomiting between cycle 2 and cycle 3 yielded a statistically significant ( p = 0.003) difference; similar results were obtained in the comparison of severity of acute nausea ( p < 0.001). The correlation of severity of acute nausea with physical, emotional, and functional well-being as well as the total score of quality of life in two measurement points was statistically significant ( p < 0.005). Multiple forward linear regression analysis showed that the total score of quality of life was significantly associated with age, gender, educational status, occupational status, type of cancer, family status, and diet., Conclusions: Our study confirms that nausea and vomiting are significant clinical problems that influence quality of life. Further research is needed to evaluate the predictors of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Termedia.)