Nurses' experiences, expectations, and preferences for mind-body practices to reduce stress

BACKGROUND: Most research on the impact of mind-body training does not ask about participants\u27 baseline experience, expectations, or preferences for training. To better plan participant-centered mind-body intervention trials for nurses to reduce occupational stress, such descriptive information would be valuable. METHODS: We conducted an anonymous email survey between April and June, 2010 of North American nurses interested in mind-body training to reduce stress. The e-survey included: demographic characteristics, health conditions and stress levels; experiences with mind-body practices; expected health benefits; training preferences; and willingness to participate in future randomized controlled trials. RESULTS: Of the 342 respondents, 96% were women and 92% were Caucasian. Most (73%) reported one or more health conditions, notably anxiety (49%); back pain (41%); GI problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (34%); or depression (33%). Their median occupational stress level was 4 (0 = none; 5 = extreme stress). Nearly all (99%) reported already using one or more mind-body practices to reduce stress: intercessory prayer (86%), breath-focused meditation (49%), healing or therapeutic touch (39%), yoga/tai chi/qi gong (34%), or mindfulness-based meditation (18%). The greatest expected benefits were for greater spiritual well-being (56%); serenity, calm, or inner peace (54%); better mood (51%); more compassion (50%); or better sleep (42%). Most (65%) wanted additional training; convenience (74% essential or very important), was more important than the program\u27s reputation (49%) or scientific evidence about effectiveness (32%) in program selection. Most (65%) were willing to participate in a randomized trial of mind-body training; among these, most were willing to collect salivary cortisol (60%), or serum biomarkers (53%) to assess the impact of training. CONCLUSIONS: Most nurses interested in mind-body training already engage in such practices. They have greater expectations about spiritual and emotional than physical benefits, but are willing to participate in studies and to collect biomarker data. Recruitment may depend more on convenience than a program\u27s scientific basis or reputation. Knowledge of participants\u27 baseline experiences, expectations, and preferences helps inform future training and research on mind-body approaches to reduce stress

High rates of burnout among maternal health staff at a referral hospital in Malawi: A cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Burnout among maternal healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa may have a negative effect on services provided and efforts to mitigate high maternal mortality rates. In Malawi, research on burnout is limited and no empirical research has been conducted specifically among maternal health staff. Therefore, the aims of the study were to examine the prevalence and degree of burnout reported by healthcare workers who provide antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal services in a district referral hospital in Malawi; and, to explore factors that may influence the level of burnout healthcare workers experience.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the current cross-sectional study, levels of burnout among staff working in obstetrics and gynaecology at a referral hospital in Malawi were examined, in addition to individual and job characteristics that may be associated with burnout.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In terms of the three dimensions of burnout, of the 101 participants, nearly three quarters (72%) reported emotional exhaustion, over one third (43%) reported depersonalization while almost three quarters (74%) experienced reduced personal accomplishment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on these findings, burnout appears to be common among participating maternal health staff and they experienced more burnout than their colleagues working in other medical settings and countries. Further research is needed to identify factors specific to Malawi that contribute to burnout in order to inform the development of prevention and treatment within the maternal health setting.</p

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients and their relatives.

Purpose: To investigate the depression and anxiety levels and the factors that affect patients receiving chemotherapy and their relatives with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scoring system

Quality of life of physicians and nurses working in an oncology clinic

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine possible differences in the perception of quality of life (QoL) between physicians and nurses working in an oncology clinic in Turkey

Oxidative and antioxidative status after anthracyclinebased chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in patients with breast cancer who had undergone surgery

Plasma levels of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in normal and preeclamptic pregnant women.

To explain the pathogenesis of preeclampsia with coagulation induction or a defective fibrinolysis, various hemostatic parameters were studied and different treatment modalities targeting these parameters were evaluated. Considering the role of TAFI in down-regulation of fibrinolysis, in our study we have investigated whether TAFI contributes to impaired fibrinolysis in patient with preeclampsia