Transition support arrangements to support new graduate & novice nurses entry into perioperative nursing: A scoping review

Background and objectives

As novice nurses transition into the workforce, they often experience transition shock as they assimilate into a new role, causing cause significant stress, anxiety and job dissatisfaction. This phenomenon is commonly observed within the perioperative nursing speciality. The development of transition support programs is aimed at assisting novice nurses' transition by providing fundamental knowledge, socialisation, support, and training.This review aimed to uncover the support programs and their components available to nurses transitioning into the perioperative speciality. The research question that provided guidance for this review was 'What are the transition support arrangements, and their characteristics, to support new graduate nurses and novice nurses who are transitioning into perioperative nursing?'.

Literature search

Arksey & O'Malley's' five-step scoping review framework was used. The researchers performed a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Proquest, CINHAL and SCOPUS with no limit on publication date until April 2023. A blinded screening process was undertaken, and the data extraction was tabulated. Data was presented as a narrative synthesis following thematic analysis.

Results

The initial search identified 537 publications. Screening and duplicate removal led to the exclusion of 512 publications. Of the 25 publications included in this review, two were primary research publications, while the other 23 were discussion papers. Analysis indicated that program approaches and components of programs were frequently described.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the significance of transition programs within the perioperative speciality area. However, the paucity of empirical evidence on the pedagogical underpinnings and evaluation of effectiveness indicates the need for further research. Conducting further research within perioperative transition to practice will enable programs to be designed based on theoretically-sound and evidence-based approaches to support nursing transition to practice within the speciality perioperative environment.

Individual and environmental factors that influence longevity of newcomers to nursing and midwifery: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review was to identify the literature and map the individual and environmental factors that influence registered nurses' and midwives' decision to stay or leave their professions within the first 3 years of practice.

INTRODUCTION

Nursing and midwifery workforce sustainability is an international concern. One aspect is the retention of new registered nurses and midwives in their first years of practice. Several factors are thought to influence the decisions of new registered nurses and midwives to leave or stay in their professions. This review sought to identify and map those factors to enable further research for workforce sustainability development strategies.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

The study cohort included registered nurses and midwives in their first 3 years of practice, which we called newcomers . Nurses who were required to work under the supervision of registered nurses and midwives (eg, enrolled nurses, licensed practical nurses, and licensed vocational nurses) were excluded. Papers were only included if they explored individual or environmental factors influencing nurses' decision to stay in or leave the professions of nursing or midwifery. Studies could be from any country or care environment, and participants were newcomers providing direct clinical care. Newcomers employed in other health roles, such as education, research, administration, and non-nursing/midwifery roles were excluded. All research designs and peer-reviewed papers were included; policy documents were excluded. The date of inclusion was from the earliest publication on this topic, which was 1974 to the date of the search.

METHODS

The JBI methodology for scoping reviews was followed, and reporting followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidance. The search strategy aimed to locate published and unpublished primary studies, reviews, and text and opinion papers. The initial search of relevant databases was conducted in January 2020 and updated in January 2022. Reference lists of included articles were also screened. Following data extraction, descriptive qualitative content analysis was undertaken.

RESULTS

Twelve articles from 11 studies were included in this review. They were published between 2005 and 2020 and originated from 5 countries. Two studies were observational, 3 were cross-sectional, 5 were longitudinal studies, 1 was a pre- and post-program evaluation, and 1 was a scoping review. All studies focused on registered nurses: no publications on registered midwives met the inclusion criteria. Individual factors we identified that impact newcomers' intention to stay in or leave the profession included physical and psychological health, professional identity, professional commitment, and development. Environmental factors included workplace culture, engagement, and management.

CONCLUSIONS

Professional self-image, identity, and a sense of pride in the profession are important components of newcomer retention. Strategies that positively support transition and create realistic expectations were highlighted. Managers play an important role in registered nurse retention as they can influence many of the newcomers' experiences. It is concerning that no studies about newcomer midwives were found. Many studies explored turnover or intention to leave the job/employer rather than the profession. These are important considerations for future research.

Improving the handover of complex trauma patients by implementing a standardised process

BACKGROUND

Patient handover continues to be an international health priority in the prevention of patient harm. Transitioning patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the ward is complex, particularly for trauma patients, due to the multifaceted aspects of their care requirements as a result of multiple injuries and different speciality teams.

OBJECTIVES/AIM

To design, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of a standardised handover process and tool for the transfer of ICU trauma patients.

METHODS

A multimethod before/after study design was used. This included observations before and after an implemented transfer process and semistructured interviews with ICU and ward nurses caring for trauma patients. Comparisons were made of data before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Eleven patient handovers were observed, and 21 nurses (11 from the ICU and 10 from the ward) were interviewed. Patients and family members were included during the handover following the intervention (n = 0/10 [0%] vs n = 4/11 [36%]) and the ward nurses were asked if they had any concerns (n = 5/10 [50%] vs n = 10/11 [91%]). Improvements in patient observations handed over were reported following the intervention. However, omissions remained in some key areas including patient introduction, patient identity, fluid balance, and allergies/alerts. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed that the new handover process was perceived advantageous by both ICU and ward nurses because of its structured and comprehensive approach. Identified future improvements included the need for hospital service managers to ensure integration of ICU and ward electronic health record systems.

CONCLUSION

Precise, accurate, and complete handover remains a patient safety concern. Improvements were achieved using a standardised process and handover tool for the transfer of complex trauma patients. Further improvements are required to reduce the failure to hand over essential patient information.

Factors influencing Australian nursing and midwifery students COVID-19 vaccination intentions

Background

Vaccination for COVID-19 has become a cornerstone management plan for many countries. Australian state governments made vaccinations mandatory for all healthcare workers. Despite evidence on the important role vaccines hold in preventing or decreasing serious disease, there have been many nurses and midwives who have demonstrated vaccine hesitancy. This hesitancy has also been present in undergraduate nursing and midwifery students. The aim of this study was to explore factors influencing Australian nursing and midwifery students' intentions towards receiving the COVID-19 vaccine; identify the barriers and facilitators to obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine; and understand students' perceptions of mandating the COVID-19 vaccine and identify any impact on their studies..

Methods

Cross-sectional mixed method study utilising an online survey platform. Data were analysed using binomial and multinomial logistic regression through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A content analysis was completed for the qualitative data.

Results

There were 715 participants and 556 who completed the survey in full. Nurses made up the majority of participants (n = 409), 133 participants were midwives and 30 were in dual nursing/midwifery programs. Education and communication were identified as two major factors that facilitate vaccine acceptance.

Conclusions

Vaccines are integral in the prevention of contracting COVID-19 or reducing the severity of the symptoms. However, many nursing and midwifery students have shown reluctance towards getting vaccinated. The mandate to be vaccinated to attend clinical placement has led to the inability of some students to complete their course. The findings from this study are valuable in informing the future COVID-19 vaccination strategies and improving vaccine acceptance. COVID-19 remains a global health risk and therefore further research is needed of vaccine acceptance amongst the future health workforces. It is crucial knowledge for policy makers and healthcare services as they plan for any future pandemics and implement Australia's national vaccine strategy.

Improving difficult peripheral intravenous access requires thought, training and technology (DART3): a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial protocol

BACKGROUND

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are the most used invasive medical device in healthcare. Yet around half of insertion attempts are unsuccessful leading to delayed medical treatments and patient discomfort of harm. Ultrasound-guided PIVC (USGPIVC) insertion is an evidence-based intervention shown to improve insertion success especially in patients with Difficult IntraVenous Access (BMC Health Serv Res 22:220, 2022), however the implementation in some healthcare settings remains suboptimal. This study aims to co-design interventions that optimise ultrasound guided PIVC insertion in patients with DIVA, implement and evaluate these initiatives and develop scale up activities.

METHODS

A stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in three hospitals (two adult, one paediatric) in Queensland, Australia. The intervention will be rolled out across 12 distinct clusters (four per hospital). Intervention development will be guided by Michie's Behavior Change Wheel with the aim to increase local staff capability, opportunity, and motivation for appropriate, sustainable adoption of USGPIVC insertion. Eligible clusters include all wards or departments where > 10 PIVCs/week are typically inserted. All clusters will commence in the control (baseline) phase, then, one cluster per hospital will step up every two months, as feasible, to the implementation phase, where the intervention will be rolled out. Implementation strategies are tailored for each hospital by local investigators and advisory groups, through context assessments, staff surveys, and stakeholder interviews and informed by extensive consumer interviews and consultation. Outcome measures align with the RE-AIM framework including clinical-effectiveness outcomes (e.g., first-time PIVC insertion success for DIVA patients [primary outcome], number of insertion attempts); implementation outcomes (e.g., intervention fidelity, readiness assessment) and cost effectiveness outcomes. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research framework will be used to report the intervention as it was implemented; how people participated in and responded to the intervention; contextual influences and how the theory underpinning the intervention was realised and delivered at each site. A sustainability assessment will be undertaken at three- and six-months post intervention.

DISCUSSION

Study findings will help define systematic solutions to implement DIVA identification and escalation tools aiming to address consumer dissatisfaction with current PIVC insertion practices. Such actionable knowledge is critical for implementation of scale-up activities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospectively registered (Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ACTRN12621001497897).

Coping with COVID-19. Work life experiences of nursing, midwifery and paramedic academics: An international interview study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 global pandemic was declared in March 2020. By June 2022, the total deaths worldwide attributed to COVID-19 numbered over 6.3 million. Health professionals have been significantly impacted worldwide primarily those working on the frontline but also those working in other areas including nursing, midwifery, and paramedic higher education. Studies of occupational stress have focused on the clinical health professional roles but scant attention has been drawn to the pressures on university-based academic staff supporting and preparing professionals for frontline health work.

DESIGN AND OBJECTIVES

This qualitative study sought to explore the challenges experienced by health academics (nurses, midwives and paramedics), during COVID-19 and identify strategies enlisted.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Six Australian and two United Kingdom universities collaborated, from which 34 health academics were individually interviewed via video or teleconference, using six broad questions. Ethical approval was obtained from the lead site and each participating University.

DATA ANALYSIS

Thematic analysis of the data was employed collaboratively across institutions, using Braun and Clarke's method.

RESULTS

Data analysis generated four major themes describing academics': Experiences of change; perceptions of organisational responses; professional and personal impacts; and strategies to support wellbeing. Stress, anxiety and uncertainty of working from home and teaching in a different way were reported. Strategies included setting workday routine, establishing physical boundaries for home-working and regular online contact with colleagues.

CONCLUSIONS

The ability of nursing, midwifery and, paramedic academic staff to adapt to a sudden increase in workload, change in teaching practices and technology, while being removed from their work environment, and collegial, academic and technological supports is highlighted. It was recognised that these changes will continue post-COVID and that the way academics deliver education is forever altered.

Telehealth use in rural and remote health practitioner education: an integrative review

INTRODUCTION

For rural and remote clinicians, quality education is often difficult to access because of geographic isolation, travel, time, expense constraints and lack of an onsite educator. The aims of this integrative review were to examine what telehealth education is available to rural practitioners, evaluate the existence and characteristics of telehealth education for rural staff, evaluate current telehealth education models, establish the quality of education provided through telehealth along with the facilitators or enablers of a successful service and develop recommendations for supporting and developing an education model for rural and remote health practitioners through telehealth.

METHODS

An integrative review was conducted following the five-stage integrative review process. Searches were conducted in the electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, Nursing & Allied Health (Proquest), PubMed, Johanna Briggs Institute Evidence Based Practice (JBI EBP) and Embase.

RESULTS

Initial searches revealed more than 7000 articles; final inclusion and exclusion criteria refined results to 60 articles to be included in this review. Included articles were original research, case studies, reviews or randomised controlled studies. Countries of origin were countries in North and Central America, the UK, Europe, and Africa, and Australia and India. One issue noted with this review was classifying rural and remote; contexts used included rural, remote, regional, isolated, peripheral, native communities and outer regional or inner regional. Sample sizes in the studies ranged from 20 to more than 1000 participants, covering a broad range of health education topics. Delivery was mostly by a didactic approach and case presentations. Some included a mix of videoconferencing with face-to-face sessions. Overall, telehealth education was well received, with participants reporting mostly positive outcomes as signified by feeling less isolated and more supported. One interesting result was that quality in telehealth education is poorly established as there appears to be no definitions or consensus on what constitutes quality in the delivery of telehealth education. Very few studies formally tested increase in skill or knowledge, which is usual with professional development programs that do not result in further qualifications. For those that did assess these, formal knowledge and skills assessment indicated that telehealth using videoconferencing is comparable to face-to-face training with significant benefits related to travel reduction and therefore cost. Recommendations were difficult to synthesise because of the broad issues uncovered and lack of quality in many of the studies.

CONCLUSION

The applications for telehealth are still evolving, with some applications having poor evidence to support use. Overall, telehealth education is well received and supported, with positives far outweighing negatives. Anything that can improve connection with a community and decrease isolation experienced by rural clinicians can only be beneficial. However, further planning and evaluation of the quality of delivery of telehealth education and addressing how education outcomes can be measured needs to be addressed in this widely growing area of telehealth.

Brain and Lung Imaging Correlation in Patients with COVID-19: Could the Severity of Lung Disease Reflect the Prevalence of Acute Abnormalities on Neuroimaging? A Global Multicenter Observational Study

PURPOSE

Our aim was to study the association between abnormal findings on chest and brain imaging in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and neurologic symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective, international multicenter study, we reviewed the electronic medical records and imaging of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 from March 3, 2020, to June 25, 2020. Our inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with acute neurologic manifestations and available chest CT and brain imaging. The 5 lobes of the lungs were individually scored on a scale of 0-5 (0 corresponded to no involvement and 5 corresponded to >75% involvement). A CT lung severity score was determined as the sum of lung involvement, ranging from 0 (no involvement) to 25 (maximum involvement).

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients met the inclusion criteria with 132 brain CT, 36 brain MR imaging, 7 MRA of the head and neck, and 135 chest CT studies. Compared with 86 (64%) patients without acute abnormal findings on neuroimaging, 49 (36%) patients with these findings had a significantly higher mean CT lung severity score (9.9 versus 5.8, P < .001). These patients were more likely to present with ischemic stroke (40 [82%] versus 11 [13%], P < .0001) and were more likely to have either ground-glass opacities or consolidation (46 [94%] versus 73 [84%], P = .01) in the lungs. A threshold of the CT lung severity score of >8 was found to be 74% sensitive and 65% specific for acute abnormal findings on neuroimaging. The neuroimaging hallmarks of these patients were acute ischemic infarct (28%), intracranial hemorrhage (10%) including microhemorrhages (19%), and leukoencephalopathy with and/or without restricted diffusion (11%). The predominant CT chest findings were peripheral ground-glass opacities with or without consolidation.

CONCLUSIONS

The CT lung disease severity score may be predictive of acute abnormalities on neuroimaging in patients with COVID-19 with neurologic manifestations. This can be used as a predictive tool in patient management to improve clinical outcome.

A review of virtual-simulation for assessing healthcare students' clinical competency

OBJECTIVES

Health professional education is transitioning to online platforms to meet students' need for flexibility and international access. However, there is a necessity for authentic presentation of educational material particularly in regard to clinical skills development. There has been major growth in the delivery of virtual simulated-based learning and assessment to provide clinical skill acquisition in an online platform. The aim of this review was to explore the use of virtual simulation to assess clinical competence in health education.

DESIGN

Integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

Peer reviewed studies published between 2008 to March 2020 were searched across PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Medline, Scopus, and PsycINFO.

REVIEW METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses was followed. Twenty-three studies, which met the inclusion criteria, were downloaded, and a quality appraisal and analysis was completed by the research team.

RESULTS

A thematic analysis identified four themes; pedagogy differences across disciplines, debriefing to enhance learning, preparing healthcare professionals in a safe and cost-effective environment, and managing challenges of virtual simulation. Debriefing with students within the online environment enabled students to share experience and reflect on choices for a deeper learning experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Virtual simulation can prepare students for the clinical environment by providing safe practice within complex clinical situations. Challenges related to managing and debriefing students must be overcome to ensure best student learning outcomes. Virtual simulation is a feasible strategy to assess students' clinical competency and support their learning in both medical and nursing programs, however simulation should be authentic and incorporate reflection.

Supporting the development of program leaders in higher education: An action research case study

The higher education (HE) landscape continues to grow in complexity; thus, there is a need to improve the understanding of leadership in this context. This action research (AR) study was undertaken in a multi-disciplinary context of an Australian university to develop and evaluate an action learning (AL) project promoting leadership practice. An overview of AL is provided to situate the case study methodology and to demonstrate how it is used to develop leadership capabilities and benefit ‘team learning’. The findings support the development of AR programs for leaders in the ever-changing environment of HE. The need for an understanding of what leadership is, the development of a learning community and the articulation of the learning processes are seen as essential to support leaders in their development. Leaders not only need to be reflective but also require a safe and trusting environment to support their quest for career progression, grants and awards.

Emergency trauma care in rural and remote settings: Challenges and patient outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Trauma is a global public health concern, with higher mortality rates acknowledged in rural and remote populations. Research to understand this phenomenon and to improve patient outcomes is therefore vital. Trauma systems have been developed to provide specialty care to patients in an attempt to improve mortality rates. However, not all trauma systems are created equally as distance and remoteness has a significant impact on the capabilities of the larger trauma systems that service vast geographical distances. The primary objective of this integrative literature review was to examine the challenges associated with providing emergency trauma care to rural and remote populations and the associated patient outcomes. The secondary objective was to explore strategies to improve trauma patient outcomes.

METHODS

An integrative review approach was used to inform the methods of this study. A systematic search of databases including CINAHL, Medline, EmBase, Proquest, Scopus, and Science Direct was undertaken. Other search methods included hand searching journal references.

RESULTS

2157 articles were identified for screening and 87 additional papers were located by hand searching. Of these, 49 were included in this review. Current evidence reveals that rural and remote populations face unique challenges in the provision of emergency trauma care such as large distances, delays transferring patients to definitive care, limited resources in rural settings, specific contextual challenges, population specific risk factors, weather and seasonal factors and the availability and skill of trained trauma care providers. Consequently, rural and remote populations often experience higher mortality rates in comparison to urban populations although this may be different for specific mechanisms of injury or population subsets. While an increased risk of death was associated with an increase in remoteness, research also found it costs substantially less to provide care to rural patients in their rural environment than their urban counterparts. Other factors found to influence mortality rates were severity of injury and differences in characteristics between rural and urban populations. Trauma systems vary around the world and must address local issues that may be affected by distance, geography, seasonal population variations, specific population risk factors, trauma network operationalisation, referral and retrieval and involvement of hospitals and services which have no trauma designation.

CONCLUSIONS

The challenges acknowledged for rural and remote trauma patients may be lessened and mortality rates improved by implementing strategies such as telemedicine, trauma training and the expansion of trauma systems that are responsive to local needs and resources. Additional research to determine which of these challenges has the most significant impact on health outcomes for rural patients is required in an effort to reduce existing discrepancies. Emphasis on embracing and expanding inclusive planning for complex trauma systems, as well as strategies aimed at understanding the issues rural and remote clinicians face, will also assist to achieve this.

What are the support needs of nurses providing emergency care in rural settings as reported in the literature? A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Australia is a country with a rich history, and unique geography, with nearly one-third of its population living in rural areas. This presents certain challenges to nurses providing emergency care in these regions, as their support needs are different from their urban counterparts. This systematic scoping review aims to determine the support needs of these nurses providing emergency care in rural settings as reported in the literature. Many other countries have large rural populations, and relevant international literature will be considered to allow discussion of the key issues and recommendations for the future of the rural nursing workforce.

METHODS

Databases searched included PubMed, Cochrane database, ERIC and Google Scholar using keywords 'rural', 'nurse', 'emergency', 'support needs', 'challenges' and 'Australia', and research from 2012 onwards was examined for relevance. Earlier seminal texts were also included. Reference lists of retrieved articles were searched and citations explored for further relevant research material. The Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review framework was used. The primary focus was on peer-reviewed research with supplementary grey literature (eg materials and research produced by organisations outside of the traditional publishing channels). International material was used where relevant.

RESULTS

Analysis of the literature revealed that the four main areas of concern were a lack of effective graduate training programs or the availability of mentors, poor recruitment and retention numbers, a need for better recognition for the extended role of the rural nurse as a 'nurse generalist' or rural 'specialist' and poor access to role-specific ongoing education. These areas of concern were exacerbated by geographic isolation and a perceived lack of funding.

CONCLUSION

Delivering appropriate evidence-based education to this isolated practice community is vital for safe patient care and improves rural nurse satisfaction and retention. There were gaps in current knowledge, and the body of research to date lacks information on the work of emergency nurse practitioners in the rural context, the effectiveness of graduate mentorship programs and the psychosocial aspect of the rural role. Recommendations are for improved role-specific ongoing education and the availability and development of graduate mentoring programs. Further input into recruitment and retention is required, and further research on the needs of rural emergency nurses is recommended.

Transition support for new graduate nurses to rural and remote practice: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

New graduate nurses undertaking transition to practice encounter enormous challenges in their first year, and this is expounded in rural and remote locations. In rural and remote settings where geographical isolation and inadequate resources impact health care delivery, there is a perceived shortage of support systems to assist new graduate nurses to transition smoothly, with reported negative effects for all staff and on recruitment and retention.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate what transition support was reported for new graduate nurses to function effectively in rural and remote settings.

DESIGN

A study protocol was developed using principles for scoping reviews that have been developed over the past fifteen years.

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, Medline, Proquest, Embase, Informit, PubMed, and Science Direct were systematically searched according to a predetermined search strategy.

REVIEW METHODS

Search terms included New Graduate AND Rural OR Remote AND Education. Studies were selected according to an inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three reviewers were involved in independent screening of articles. The degree of agreement for an article to be included was based on a Kappa score calculation for inter-rater reliability.

RESULTS

Of the 662 articles searched, 13 met the inclusion criteria and their findings synthesised to form this review. Three overarching themes (and a number of subthemes) were identified within the context of rural and remote nursing workforce development, and included: new graduates' support needs, multifaceted support strategies and recruitment and retention strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Challenges faced by new graduate nurses when transitioning to practice are exacerbated in most rural and remote settings due to resourcing, lack of structured support programs, lack of training for support staff to mentor and give feedback and this impacts on recruitment and retention as well. Structured, well supported transition programs that provide flexible support are urgently required in these settings.

Strategies to Improve Information Transfer for Multitrauma Patients

The aim of this multiphase mixed-method study was to improve access, flow, and consistency of information transfer for multitrauma patients leaving the Emergency Department. Methods included literature review, focus group interviews, chart audits, staff surveys, and a review of international trauma forms to inform an intervention developed with a researcher-led, clinician stakeholder group. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. Baseline data revealed variability existed in patient-care documentation, showing little standardization. Improvement strategies implemented included a gold standard for information embedded in handover tools, raising staff awareness of complexities for information transfer. Improvement was seen in communication between wards coordinating transfer, improved documentation, decreased information duplication, improved legibility, and increased ease and efficiency in navigating to key information. Improvement in communication at patient transition is essential to continuity of safe, effective care, and is impacted by complex interactions between multiple factors. Difficulty increases for patients with high acuity.

mHealth applications as an educational and supportive resource for family carers of people with dementia: An integrative review

Family carers encounter several challenges related to caring for people with dementia, and they need support in managing care recipients’ health needs. This study aims to identify, appraise and synthesise the existing evidence on the use of mHealth/smartphone applications as an educational and supportive resource for family carers of people with dementia. An integrative literature review approach was used. Seven databases were searched. The search generated 117 articles, with seven meeting the inclusion criteria. Three categories and their attendant sub-categories emerged from the literature. The categories are ‘carer support’, ‘evaluation strategies’ and ‘barriers and challenges’. mHealth applications appear to be a feasible intervention for family carers of people with dementia despite the limited available research and barriers for their development and implementation. Further research on mHealth applications with strong methodological rigour and more research on mHealth applications as an educational and supportive resource for carers of people with dementia are needed.

Transition support for new graduate and novice nurses in critical care settings: An integrative review of the literature

Transition into critical care areas for new graduate nurses may be more difficult than transitioning into other areas due to the specialised knowledge needed. It is unknown which aspects of transition programs best support new graduate nurses improve competence and confidence to transition into critical care nursing specialties. Identifying these aspects would assist to design and implement best practice transition programs for new graduates in critical care areas. Themes identified in the literature include; having a designated resource person, workplace culture, socialisation, knowledge and skill acquisition, orientation, and rotation. Allocation of a quality resource person/s, supportive workplace culture, positive socialisation experiences, knowledge and skill acquisition and structured orientation based on new graduates' learning needs all positively supported increased confidence, competence and transition into nursing practice. Rotations between areas within graduate programs can potentially have both positive and negative impacts on the transition process. Negative impacts of including a rotation component in a transition program should be carefully considered alongside perceived benefits when designing new graduate nurse transition programs.

Improving access to quality clinical nurse teaching--a partnership between Australia and Vietnam

Until recently, standards to guide nursing education and practice in Vietnam were nonexistent. This paper describes the development and implementation of a clinical teaching capacity building project piloted in Hanoi, Vietnam. The project was part of a multi-component capacity building program designed to improve nurse education in Vietnam. Objectives of the project were to develop a collaborative clinically-based teaching model that encourages evidence-based, student-centred clinical learning. The model incorporated strategies to promote development of nursing practice to meet national competency standards. Thirty nurse teachers from two organisations in Hanoi participated in the program. These participants attended three workshops, and completed applied assessments, where participants implemented concepts from each workshop. The assessment tasks were planning, implementing and evaluating clinical teaching. On completion of the workshops, twenty participants undertook a study tour in Australia to refine the teaching model and develop an action plan for model implementation in both organisations, with an aim to disseminate the model across Vietnam. Significant changes accredited to this project have been noted on an individual and organisational level. Dissemination of this clinical teaching model has commenced in Ho Chi Minh, with further plans for more in-depth dissemination to occur throughout the country.

Association between multiple sclerosis and Candida species: evidence from a case-control study

Candida infection among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has not been studied in depth. We determined whether there is an association between serological evidence of Candida infection and MS. Blood specimens were obtained from 80 MS patients and 240 matched controls. Immunofluorescence analysis and ELISA were used to detect Candida species antibodies and slot-blot to detect antigens. Using immunofluorescence analysis, moderate to high concentrations of serum antibodies to Candida famata were present in 30 (37.5%) MS patients vs. 30 (12.5%) controls (p < 0.001). Results for Candida albicans were 47.5% (38/80) in MS patients vs. 21.3% (51/240) in controls (p < 0.001), for Candida parapsilosis 37% (28/80) vs. 17.1% (41/240) (p < 0.001) and for Candida glabrata 46.3% (37/80) vs. 17.5% (42/240) (p < 0.001), respectively. After adjusting for age and gender, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for MS, according to the presence of Candida antigens were: 2.8 (0.3-23.1, p = 0.337) for Candida famata; 1.5 (0.7-3.4, p = 0.290) for Candida albicans; 7.3 (3.2-16.6, p < 0.001) for Candida parapsilosis; and 3.0 (1.5-6.1, p = 0.002) for Candida glabrata. The results were similar after excluding ten patients on immunosuppressants. The results of this single study suggest that Candida species infection may be associated with increased odds of MS.

Histamine-N-methyl transferase polymorphism and risk for multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) is the main metabolizing enzyme of histamine (a mediator of inflammation implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis-MS) in the CNS. We have investigated the possible association between a single nucleotide polymorphism of the HNMT (chromosome 2q22.1), that causes the amino acid substitution Thr105Ile (decreasing enzyme activity) and the risk for MS.

METHODS

We studied the frequency of the HNMT genotypes and allelic variants in 228 MS patients and 295 healthy controls using a PCR-RLFP method.

RESULTS

The frequencies of the HNMT genotypes and allelic variants did not differ significantly between MS patients and controls, and were unrelated with the age of onset of MS, gender, and course of MS.

CONCLUSION

The HNMT polymorphism is not related with the risk for MS.

[Opinions on the organisation of health care in strokes. A survey among hospital medical directors in Spain]

INTRODUCTION

Therapy to treat strokes has changed dramatically. Around 70 years ago, it could not be treated and today it is a medical emergency. Awareness of this change has still not reached many layers of the medical or health care professions or of society itself.

AIM

To use a survey to evaluate the attitudes of medical directors and hospital specialists towards the problems involved in the inpatient care of stroke patients. Materials and methods. A survey was carried out by means of a pilot study in hospitals in Madrid with specific sub-surveys for medical managers in charge of neurology departments, neurosurgery services and stroke units. These surveys were sent out to 108 acute care hospitals with over 250 beds in 2003-2004.

RESULTS

Only the results of the survey administered by medical directors are analysed. Finally, 52 surveys were obtained from 108 hospitals. Information was collected about several aspects of stroke patients, including care in hospital emergency department, admission to hospital, rehabilitation treatment and staffing in stroke units. Care of stroke patients was given a significantly more positive score (better stroke care) by medical directors than by hospital neurologists.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey revealed a great care burden from stroke in hospital emergency departments and from hospital admissions, deficits in neurological duty services and in the capacity to perform fibrinolysis and, above all, in stroke units. The data obtained show that medical directors should improve their attitudes with regard to the care of stroke patients.

[Solitary costal plasmacytoma: a rare cause of subacute demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy]

INTRODUCTION

The solitary plasmacytoma (SP) is a non-frequent, localized variant of multiple myeloma with a single bone lesion and earlier appearance. Polyradiculoneuropathy is the most frequent neurological manifestation. We report the case of a young male who developed a subacute demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy as the initial symptomatology of a costal SP, which constitutes an extremely infrequent association, given age and site of the lesion.

CASE REPORT

A 32-year old, previously healthy, man presented with a one month history of progressive symmetrical paraparesis and paresthesias in feet. The neurological examination revealed 4/5 paraparesis, global arreflexia and hypopalesthesia in legs. Cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed elevated proteins (83 mg/dl) with normal cell count and glucose content. Investigations showed high levels of beta(2)-microglobulin (3 mg/l), and a monoclonal IgG lambda gammapathy. The chest X-ray and thoracic CT revealed an osteolytic lesion in the left third rib. Nerve conduction studies showed sensitive and motor polyneuropathy with secondary axonal degeneration. Bone marrow biopsy was normal. Second and third left ribs were excised, revealing a pathologic diagnosis of plasmacytoma. The patient became asymptomatic after corticosteriod administration lesion excision and local radiotherapy. Conclusions. Subacute demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy can be due to multiple causes. SP can be one of its etiologies and occur at infrequent ages and localizations.

Cross-linking treatment of loaded erythrocytes increases delivery of encapsulated substance to macrophages

Previous investigation has shown that osmotically loaded erythrocytes can act as drug carriers in systemic circulation, whereas chemically modified erythrocytes can be targeted to organs of the mononuclear phagocytic system because of changes introduced in the membrane that are recognized by macrophage cells. In this study we have examined the delivery of 125I-labelled carbonic anhydrase (125I-CA) carried by mouse erythrocytes, either loaded, or loaded and cross-linked with bis(sulphosuccinimidyl)suberate (BS3) and 3,3'-dithiobis-(sulphosuccinimidyl propionate), into homologous peritoneal macrophages maintained in culture. The hypotonically loaded mouse erythrocytes show a slight recognition by macrophages, similar to native erythrocytes. CA loaded into erythrocytes is thus delivered to a limited extent into macrophages. Neither the number of recognized loaded 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes nor the amount of delivered 125I-CA is affected by the presence of serum components or IgG. In contrast, cross-linking these loaded erythrocytes results in a greater phagocytosis by macrophages as assessed by microscopic observations, producing a markedly increased amount of targeted enzyme. The amount of CA delivered into macrophages, after BS3 cross-linker treatment of erythrocytes, is dependent on the presence of serum components in the incubation medium. Thus these cross-linking treatments improve the capacity of loaded mouse erythrocytes to deliver significant amounts of targeted enzyme to macrophage cells, increasing the therapeutic potential of carrier erythrocytes.

Differential induction of macrophage recognition of carrier erythrocytes by treatment with band 3 cross-linkers

Mouse native and hypotonically loaded erythrocytes were treated with two cross-linking reagents: bis(sulphosuccinimidyl)suberate (BS3)- and 3,3'-dithiobis-(sulphosuccinimidyl propionate) (DTSP), excluding clustering agents. Microscopic analyses revealed that band 3 cross-linked native and hypotonically loaded erythrocytes are more strongly recognized by peritoneal macrophages than native and loaded erythrocytes as a result of the cross-linking of band 3 protein in accordance with studies in vivo. Macrophage-recognition analyses of 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes also demonstrated increased recognition of cross-linked and cross-linked loaded erythrocytes. This shows that the only action of these two band 3 cross-linkers on mouse erythrocytes promotes recognition by macrophages without requiring the use of clustering agents. The extent of recognition of BS3 cross-linked and cross-linked loaded erythrocytes by macrophages is dependent on the presence or absence of homologous serum or immunoglobulins. In contrast, the presence of serum factors or IgG in the incubation medium did not seem to influence the recognition of DTSP-modified erythrocytes by macrophages. These results seem to indicate a different mechanism of recognition for the erythrocytes modified with either one or the other band 3 cross-linker. In summary, the unique use of both band 3 cross-linkers procedures can be used to target carrier erythrocytes conveying active compounds to macrophages, with possible therapeutical applications. Different mechanisms of induction of macrophage recognition by these band 3 cross-linkers could reveal differential actions on erythrocytes or the involvement of different factors in the recognition process.