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Background: Effective hospital discharge planning is crucial, particularly in educating caregivers on handling medical devices. This education helps manage the patient's signs and symptoms, prevents post-discharge complications, and reduces early readmissions. This study aimed to understand aspects involved in the acquisition of mastery by home caregivers, in handling care of a patient who just underwent gastrostomy, after educational intervention during hospitalization and telemonitoring upon return home. Methods: Qualitative descriptive study. It followed 15 caregivers of people with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. The intervention took place between November 2022 and July 2023 in the neuromusculoskeletal unit of a Brazilian university hospital. Results: The educational intervention had four stages. In stage 1, caregivers felt confused and uncertain about managing PEG. By stage 2, they expressed a desire to be capable of handling care, especially in the event of potential complications, and showed increased awareness and engagement. Stage 3 highlighted the effectiveness of hands-on training with feedback from professionals. In stage 4, during monitoring, several complications were noted, including granuloma formation in the stoma, tube obstruction, and accidental tube loss. However, caregivers demonstrated the ability to handle these situations, indicating the effectiveness of the training and telemonitoring interventions. Conclusions: Nursing professionals should consider various factors when training caregivers in a hospital setting, including providing adequate space, allocating sufficient time for educational interventions, offering both theoretical and practical demonstrations, ensuring effective communication, and taking into account the caregivers' context, as they play a direct role in acquiring a safe and effective skill set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted nursing education in developing and developed countries. In response to pandemic-related challenges such as campus shut downs, nursing schools implemented open and distance learning programs (ODL) that allowed them to continue offering nursing education. This paper reports on an ODL patient safety course implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that was also used to facilitate an international, cross-cultural learning experience. Method: Forty undergraduate senior nursing students in the United States (U.S.) and the Dominican Republic (D.R.) enrolled in a synchronous and asynchronous ODL nursing patient safety course implemented by [Blinded] in conjunction with [Blinded]. Results: Thirty-seven students completed all of the program requirements. The majority of students rated their course experience highly; they agreed or strongly agreed with all course evaluation statements, including whether their overall course evaluation was positive (95%) and whether the curriculum was culturally appropriate (97%). Conclusions: Our experience in implementing a nursing patient safety ODL course can serve as a model for (1) how ODL can help nursing schools respond to restrictions imposed by an ongoing pandemic; (2) how ODL can be used to enhance cross-cultural nursing education; and (3) how nursing schools can collaborate effectively across borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AUTH Why you should read this article: • To understand the factors that contribute to the development of Charcot's foot in patients with diabetes mellitus • To recognise the signs and symptoms of acute Charcot's foot on presentation to an emergency department • To improve your knowledge of the treatment options available for patients with Charcot's foot Charcot neuropathy osteoarthropathy, known as Charcot's foot, is a condition of the foot most frequently related to diabetes mellitus. It is associated with a high mortality rate, especially among patients with diabetes, therefore prompt identification and management of the condition by nurses in emergency departments is important. This article describes the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and diagnosis of Charcot's foot, and offers guidance for initial care in emergency settings. Emergency nurses in the UK have an important role in recognising patients with this condition to ensure they receive optimal treatment and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AUTH Why you should read this article: • To understand how the Leishmania parasite is transmitted to humans • To familiarise yourself with the patient groups who are most at risk of contracting cutaneous leishmaniasis • To recognise how to prevent, diagnose and manage cutaneous leishmaniasis Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in more than 70 countries worldwide. It is a non-fatal disease caused by the Leishmania parasite that is transmitted to humans via bites of infected female sandflies. Cutaneous leishmaniasis causes skin lesions on areas of exposed skin, such as the face and limbs, which often produce scarring and atrophy. If untreated, cutaneous leishmaniasis can develop into mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, which is potentially life-threatening. Furthermore, patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis commonly experience psychosocial issues such as anxiety, distress, stigma and rejection. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is spreading outside of its traditional endemic areas because of the effects of environmental changes such as urbanisation and climate change. In the UK, healthcare professionals may encounter the disease in migrants from endemic areas, members of the armed forces, tourists and expatriates. Therefore, emergency nurses need to be able to assess and support patients who present with symptoms suggestive of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the scarcity of literature regarding COVID-19 impacts on cannabis consumers with chronic illnesses who widely use cannabis to manage their health conditions, we aim to assess the effect of COVID-19 on cannabis use patterns among adults living with chronic diseases. Cannabis consumers with a chronic disease (N = 1,466) from COVID-19 Cannabis Health Study were included in this analysis. The primary outcomes were change in cannabis dosage, past 30-day cannabis usage, and change in route of cannabis administration, with the main exposure being self-reported fear of COVID-19 diagnosis. Significant differences were found between changes in cannabis dose by fear of COVID-19 diagnosis (p = .03) where 41.5% of adults fearing diagnosis reported an increase in their cannabis dosage since the pandemic. Multinomial logistic regression showed that individuals who feared COVID-19 diagnosis had 50% greater odds [aOR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02–2.24 of decreasing their cannabis in reference to their dose staying the same, than those without fear of COVID-19, adjusting for socio-demographics. Our findings highlight the significant association between fear of COVID-19 diagnosis and changes in cannabis usage patterns among adults with chronic diseases. This underscores the pandemic’s impact on health-related behaviors and the role of cannabis as a coping mechanism during uncertain times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocular point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as a pivotal tool in evaluating ocular emergencies in the emergency department (ED), addressing millions of annual visits for eye complaints in the United States. Compared to traditional imaging methods, ocular POCUS's advantages include efficiency, repeatability, and safety. Adequate patient preparation, positioning, and transducer selection are essential for obtaining high-quality images. Ocular POCUS offers static and dynamic imaging,aiding in diagnosing conditions like retinal detachment and increased intracranial pressure. Emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) can use ocular POCUS to expedite diagnosis and interventions, improving patient outcomes. Overall, ocular POCUS represents a rapid, non-invasive, and effective means of evaluating ocular emergencies in the ED, promising improved diagnostic accuracy, treatment initiation, and, ultimately, enhanced patient care., Competing Interests: Disclosure:The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To characterize presenteeism and productivity losses among nursing professionals in public and private health services., Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 123 participants from a public hospital and 159 from a private hospital in Manaus, Brazil. The Sociodemographic Health Questionnaire was utilized to assess presenteeism, while the Work Limitations Questionnaire measured productivity losses. Data were analyzed using non-parametric methods., Results: Health-related work loss and presenteeism were reported by 50.41% of public sector professionals and 39.62% of private sector professionals. Despite this, presenteeism was more prevalent in the private sector (93.65%) compared to the public sector. Common health issues included musculoskeletal (26.49%), mental/behavioral (19.21%), respiratory (17.22%), neurological (16.56%), and gastrointestinal (5.96%) conditions. Additionally, 54.24% of private sector professionals and 44.23% of public sector professionals did not seek treatment. The private sector exhibited greater limitations in receiving care due to time management (40.34%), mental-interpersonal tasks (49.95%), production tasks (52.54%), and physical tasks (61.30%), resulting in higher productivity losses among nurses (13.46%) and nursing technicians (15.82%). High-complexity sectors demonstrated the greatest productivity losses., Conclusion: The study identified significant differences in the characteristics of presenteeism and productivity losses between nursing professionals in the public and private health sectors. These results point to the need to improve management and occupational safety and regulatory measures to solve workers' health problems and mitigate presenteeism and productivity losses in the public and private health sectors., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Introduction: The increased prevalence, severity, and mortality of heart disease and specifically heart failure among Hispanic and Black populations are a concern for clinicians and researchers. Additionally, patients of poor socioeconomic status also have worse outcomes for cardiovascular disease. To address disparities, it is necessary to address the persistent lack of representation in clinical research of diverse populations, including the Hispanic and Black populations and individuals who are of low socioeconomic status. Method: This study was a pilot randomized trial of a medication adherence intervention for heart failure patients conducted at a safety net hospital and affiliated pharmacy with a diverse patient population. Using an evidence-based multifactorial approach, this investigation implemented and adapted best practices to support the inclusion of Hispanic, Black, and socioeconomically diverse participants. Results: A total of 40 participants were recruited, 58% were Hispanic, 38% Black, and 5% White. A total of 40% reported the need for socioeconomic assistance. At 30 days after discharge, follow-up data were obtained for 37 of 40 (93%) of participants either by interview, electronic record, or both. Conclusion: Findings suggest that a combination of strategies used in this trial can be applied to recruit and retain ethnically and socioeconomically diverse participants., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.