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The antibiotic stewardship programme (ASP) is a new concept initiated by WHO, but nurses are not yet ready to adopt the program. The training and empowerment of nurses are the best strategies for enhancing their knowledge and engagement in ASP. This mixed-method study was used to assess perceived roles and barriers of nurses' involvement in ASP. An online survey was conducted among 420 clinical nurses to identify their role, and 23 individual interviews were performed among nurses and infection control practitioners to explore the barriers and recommendations to overcome the identified barriers. The majority of the nurses agreed with the sixteen identified roles in ASP, of which 'antibiotic dosing and de-escalation' (82.61%), 'IV to PO conversion of antibiotic, outpatient antibiotic therapy' (85.23%), and 'outpatient management, long-term care, readmission' of the patients (81.19%) had the lowest agreement from the participants. The major themes generated through the qualitative interviews were a lack of knowledge about ASP, poor communication between multidisciplinary teams, lack of opportunity and multidisciplinary engagement, lack of formal education and training about ASP, lack of ASP competency and defined roles in policy, role conflict or power/position, availability of resources, and lack of protected time. Nurses play an integral role in the successful implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs. The empowerment of nurses will help them to adopt the unique role in ASP. Nurses can significantly contribute to antibiotic stewardship efforts and improve patient outcomes through addressing these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to identify self-compassion among staff nurses after the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Methods: Anonymous data were collected through an online survey using Microsoft Forms from 300 nurses in 14 health facilities in Qatar. The organization had almost 10,000 nursing staff working in different facilities. Data were gathered using a structured online questionnaire and included socio-demographic information, and the Self-Compassion Scale—Short Form was used to collect the remaining data. Correlation, t-test, and ANOVA analyses were conducted. Results: Nurses in the study showed high self-compassion. Among the sub-domain 'mindfulness', they showed comparatively high scores (7.96 ± 1.55), and the lowest score was for 'isolation' (6.15 ± 1.99). The score for 'self-kindness' was 7.29 ± 1.55, that for 'self-judgement' was 6.79 ± 2.01, that for 'common humility' was 6.62 ± 1.47, and that for the sub-domain 'over-identified' was 6.47 ± 1.91. Mindfulness scores were high among the nurse leaders. Moreover, over-identified scores were high among the nurses who were currently working under COVID-19 at the time of data collection. Conclusions: Nurses faced many difficulties while working during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a heavy workload and tension. The current study's findings add to our understanding of how COVID-19 affected the development of self-compassion. A rise in mindfulness, which aids nurses in managing stress at work and building resilience, further underscores an increase in nurses' acceptance of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also highlight how crucial it is to encourage self-compassion in individuals and offer them emotional support at such times, especially when there is a significant risk factor for mental health, such as COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The phenomenon of theory‐practice gap has endured within the field of nursing from the era of Florence Nightingale until today, persistently manifesting negative consequences within the profession by accentuating the dichotomy between theoretical understanding and the practical dimensions of nursing. This prevalent issue necessitates comprehensive examination to unveil all the circumstances and variables that fuel the gap, along with exploring viable resolutions to bridge these divides. Objective. To identify, summarize, and synthesize literature on the causes leading to theory‐practice gaps and solutions in nursing profession. Methods. MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, EMCARE, ERIC, and Ovid were searched from 2012 to December 2022. Eligible reviews addressed causes of the theory to practice gap in nursing. Extracted data from included reviews were synthesized using guidelines for meta‐synthesis along with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for qualitative research. Result. The analysis of studies yielded 22 significant findings, subsequently categorized into six thematic areas based on their contextual similarity. Following this, a meta‐aggregation process combined these categories, generating two synthesized findings: (1) barriers for the gap and (2) facilitators for the gap. Barriers for the gap had three subcategories: "clinical life challenges," "misconception of clinical nursing," and "lack of collaboration between universities and clinical settings." The second synthesis was "Facilitators for the gap" which had two subcategories: "create clinically culture‐based content" and "develop clinically based curriculum." Conclusion. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of barriers and facilitators influencing the theory‐practice gap in the field of nursing. To effectively reduce this gap in nursing care, stakeholders such as regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals, and academic institutions must take into account various contextual factors while recognizing the ever‐evolving nature of the healthcare environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]