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Chien, Wai‐Tong; Leung, Sau‐Fong
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12015pmid: 23425374
The study reported herein a randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the effectiveness of a nurse‐led, needs‐based psycho‐education program for Chinese patients with first‐onset mental illness over a 6‐month follow‐up. Ninety‐six families of Chinese patients with schizophrenia newly referred to one outpatient clinic in Hong Kong were randomly assigned to a nurse‐led psycho‐education program or usual outpatient care, each comprising 48 subjects. The patients’ mental health, illness insight, self‐efficacy, services utilization, and hospitalization rates were measured at recruitment and at one week and six months post‐intervention. The patients in the psycho‐education program reported significantly greater improvements in mental health, insights into treatment and illness, and hospitalization rates over the 6‐month follow‐up, when compared with those who received usual care. The findings provide evidence that the needs‐based, nurse‐led psycho‐education program can improve the health conditions and treatment insights of Chinese out‐patients with first‐onset mental illness.
Chan, Moon‐Fai; Ang, Emily; Duong, Minh Cam; Chow, Ying Leng
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12020pmid: 23425375
This pilot study aimed to explore the benefits of an online Symptom Care and Management System (SCMS) in the home monitoring and symptom management of patients receiving chemotherapy. A single‐group experimental design was employed, and four patients aged 39–59 years undergoing their first chemotherapy treatment were recruited from one cancer centre in Singapore from November 2010 to February 2011. A mixed method was used to collect patient's data. All patients used the SCMS to record and send daily symptom reports to the cancer centre and receive symptom management advice from the nurse via teleconferencing. Patients' perceptions on the use of the system were evaluated. All participants believed that the system improved the management of their symptom and felt reassured they were being monitored at home. The results presented in this pilot study suggest that the SCMS has the potential to enhance the remote monitoring, feasible and acceptable way for a specific group of cancer patients to manage their symptom at home.
Siang Choo, Tze; Hayter, Mark; Watson, Roger
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12019pmid: 23425376
This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional intervention in the treatment of pressure ulcers. Four databases were searched systematically using the keywords formulated and papers were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The literature search period included articles published from 1 January 2000 to 30 December 2011 (inclusive). Six papers on randomized controlled trials were retrieved. All six trials showed positive outcomes in pressure ulcer healing with nutritional interventions. Secondary outcomes such as lower number of dressings required, less time spent on dressing changes and lower occurrence of infections were reported. The main results emerged from this study generally supported the use of nutritional interventions in the treatment of pressure ulcers. Various methodological issues associated with these trials were highlighted. The implications for clinical practice need to bear in mind both the methodological problems raised and limitations of this review.
Leung, Sharron SK; Lee, Antoinette M; Chiang, Vico CL; Lam, SK; Kuen, Yung Wai; Wong, Daniel FK
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12021pmid: 23425377
Postnatal depression (PND) affects 10–15% of postnatal women worldwide, yet it is poorly recognized and managed. Among the psychological interventions, which are used to manage PND, cognitive–behavioural therapy was found to be effective and promising. In the past decade, research efforts have focused on developing effective antenatal interventions to prevent PND. Strong antenatal predictors such as antenatal depressive symptoms have been identified for targeted early intervention or prevention to help reduce the risk of developing depression after childbirth. However, the findings regarding effectiveness of antenatal preventive interventions have been inconsistent. Based on the reports of previous studies, a brief group antenatal intervention using cognitive–behavioural approach is necessary, particularly one with sensitivity for Chinese woman. This paper reports the details of a nurse‐led cognitive–behavioural programme developed and tested in, and for use with a sample of Hong Kong pregnant women. The trial run showed that the programme was feasible to be implemented and well received by the participants.
Kowitlawakul, Yanika; Brenkus, Rosemarie; Dugan, Nicolette
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12014pmid: 23425378
Second‐degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programmes have grown rapidly in the past 5 years to respond to the nursing shortage in many countries. The purposes of this study are to describe the relationships among age, prerequisite grades, previous degree grade point averages (GPAs), admissions test scores and first semester test scores, and to investigate the most influential predictor for success in the first semester in the nursing program. Pre‐existing data from academic records were used. There were 60 participants and SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyze the data. The results show that age has no relationship with the first semester performance. Fifty‐four per cent of variance in the first semester GPAs (R2 = 0.54) was explained by previous degree GPAs, prerequisite GPAs and admissions test scores in the second‐degree nursing student population. The most influential predictor for success for the first semester of the second‐degree BSN program is admissions tests scores.
Yang, Jinhua; Liu, Yanhui; Huang, Chunping; Zhu, Lefeng
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12016pmid: 23425379
A higher turnover rate was identified in Chinese staff nurses and it was highly correlated with lower commitment. Empowering work environments that support professional practice have been positively related to nurse outcomes. This study was to integrate structural empowerment theory with magnet hospital characteristics and provide empirical evidence on the relationships between structural empowerment, professional practice environments and organizational commitment. A cross‐sectional design was used to examine the relationships in a sample of 750 full‐time nurses employed in five Chinese hospitals in 2011. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results support the hypothesized model. Professional practice environments partially mediated the relationship between empowerment and organizational commitment. Our findings suggest that higher empowerment facilitates the professional practice environments and commitment of these nurses.
Ignacio, Jeanette J; Taylor, Beverley Joan
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12017pmid: 23425380
This paper is a discussion of the possible ethical dilemmas that may arise in both qualitative and quantitative research despite stringent methodological protocols. Three categories of ethical issues will be elaborated on, namely, researcher–participant relations, informed consent and confidentiality and privacy. These are of note because ethical dilemmas most often arise in these areas. Both qualitative and quantitative research types may thus present with problems associated with any, or a combination, of these categories. Methodological rigour will also be discussed as a vital component of any research study. Critics of the qualitative approach have often suggested that the innate lack of methodological rigour has resulted in the preponderance of ethical issues in qualitative studies. Qualitative studies, similar to quantitative studies, have mechanisms that guarantee rigour, quality and trustworthiness. These checks are at par with those of quantitative research but based on different criteria. Both types of research, then, can be considered equal in terms of methodological rigour, regardless of the nature. As no research approach can be perfectly free from threats of ethical issues, it is the researcher's responsibility to address these in ways that will be less harmful to the participants, bearing in mind ethical problems can arise at any time during the research endeavour.
Cleary, Michelle; Happell, Brenda; Lau, Siew Tiang; Mackey, Sandra
doi: 10.1111/ijn.12018pmid: 23425381
In this paper, we outline some key points about student feedback for nurse educators to consider. For nursing students, providing feedback offers an opportunity to communicate whether relevant and effective learning has occurred. Given the importance of student feedback for the quality of learning and teaching, and the significant resources invested in it, it is essential that accurate feedback is obtained and responded to by nurse educators. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to present an overview of factors influencing the quality and reliability of student feedback of their theoretical and clinical learning experiences, and ways the feedback might be used by educators for improving teaching and career enhancement. Nurse educators need to be prepared to respond to well‐intentioned feedback without undue defensiveness to ensure good and effective teaching. Ultimately, feedback systems that are well managed should benefit nursing students, nurse educators and their respective institutions.
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