Effects of Mindfulness Practice on Performance and Factors Related to Performance in Long-Distance Running: A Systematic Review

Fatigue, boredom, pain, performance anxiety, and negative thoughts are challenges characteristic of competitive running. One psychological technique that is gaining support and has been successfully implemented in sport is the practice of mindfulness. Where conventional psychological skills training interventions aim to change dysfunctional thoughts and emotions, mindfulness focuses on altering the relationship to physiological and psychological states. This could help in dealing with the demands of distance running but this has yet to be examined. This article was focused on reviewing mindfulness interventions on performance and performance-based factors in long distance running, assessing (a) mindfulness scores, (b) physiological performance-related factors, (c) psychological performance-related factors, and (d) performance outcomes. A search of relevant electronic databases yielded seven studies which met the inclusion criteria. The review provided some tentative support for the use of mindfulness interventions regarding: reducing competitive anxiety, attenuating immune responses to high-intensity running, and increasing state mindfulness. However, due to the methodological weaknesses of studies more research is required using high-quality randomized controlled trial designs

An introduction to the biographical narrative interpretive method

Aim The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Biographical Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM) to nurse researchers in search of a research methodology and method. The core methodological assumptions underpinning BNIM are outlined and an overview of the application of the method is detailed. Background Listening to and interpreting the narratives of patients are a core feature of nursing practice. Good nursing care is influenced by a narrative understanding of the person in context. Frequently research methodologies and methods do not, in final research reports convey an explicit understanding of the human elements involved for their participants, as they do not have the capacity to fully account for the historical, psycho-social and biographical dynamic of people’s lives. Discussion The core assumptions of BNIM are intentionally broad based. The analytic strategy it adopts endeavours to analyse three interrelated facets of humanity. These are: the person’s whole life history /life story (Biography), how they tell it (Narrative) whilst appreciating that narratives are subject to social interpretation (Interpretive). BNIM in practice uses a unique interviewing technique to elicit an uninterrupted story from participants. The BNIM analytic tool is formulaic and uses a nine stage case process of individual case analysis. A tenth stage facilitates analysis across cases. Conclusion BNIM methodology and methods enable research participants to articulate the vicissitudes of their life and illness experiences while also, providing the researcher with a framework for data generation and data analyses that interprets and gives meaning to individual’s life stories. Implications for research/practice The BNIM interview technique and analytic framework are useful tools to facilitate an in depth qualitative exploration of life stories in context

An exploration of empowerment from the perspective of Irish nurses and midwives

Empowerment is a complex and multifaceted construct. It is understood to be a perception of ability that can be influenced by numerous factors. Due to the subjective nature of human perception, there is a potential for empowerment to mean different things to different people. Empowerment theory is also equally diverse. Several research approaches have attempted to measure empowerment. Most of these have assumed its meaning which is problematic given the fact that empowerment is interpreted at the level of the individual. Zimmerman (1995) asserts that empowerment is contextually determined. Because nurses and midwives, practice in complex environments, it is also possible that these contexts impact on their perceptions of empowerment. This study aimed to explore perceptions of empowerment amongst ninety-three nurses and midwives. Ten focus groups were held across Ireland with representation sought from five branches of nursing and of midwifery. In total, ten themes emerged from the data, one antecedent theme, three empowerment themes and six impacting themes. Empowerment was found to consist of inherent beliefs of control, personal power and professional respect. Education for practice was found to be antecedent to inherent empowerment beliefs. Six impacting factors were also identified which determine empowerment beliefs. These are organisational factors, management, professional issues, interpersonal issues, individual factors and historical legacy. The findings, while reflecting aspects of empowerment theory and research, suggest that empowerment is conceptualised more broadly by Irish nurses and midwives than previously thought. Education for practice as antecedent and professional respect as an inherent empowerment belief are new findings as is having a clearly defined role and willingness for empowerment. This study supports the view that empowerment is complex and contextually determined and as such, contributes to current understanding surrounding the meaning of empowerment amongst practising nurses and midwives in Ireland

Making sense of the unbelievable: a biographical narrative study of men’s stories of female abuse

Intimate partner abuse is a serious social issue. The professional practice of education has a mandate to foster competent health and social care practitioners (biographical caretakers) to appropriately care for others. Presently, there is a lack of understanding about how men account for their experiences of female abuse. This is because of prevailing discourses which render men’s vulnerability as ‘unbelievable’. This study examined how men in Ireland accounted for their experiences of abuse in their life stories. Using the ten stages of analysis in ‘classic’ Biographical Narrative Interpretive Method, three cases are presented which were analysed from a social constructionist perspective. The study found that men account for their abuse experiences uniquely. They construct abuse as both an individual and collective endeavour. Dominant conflicting discourses of masculinity and intimate partner abuse disadvantaged both men and their biographical caretakers firstly in identifying abuse and secondly in responding appropriately. Although men use abuse narratives in accounting for their experience, they are more comfortable using dominant narratives of fatherhood and being a husband in constructing the abuse experience. The biographical work of reflection was found to be instrumental in recognising abuse as serious and appeared to speed recovery in the reconstruction of self. These cases illustrate the inadequacy of current abuse definitions and policy which whilst it is changing, remains engendered. Greater sensitivity of biographical caretakers to the biographical process structures and their influence on how individuals present themselves is recommended as a goal for educators. Similarly, use of dominant discourses in talking about abuse with men and promoting the process of safe biographical reflection for those experiencing intimate partner abuses is recommended as helpful practices to recognise and respond to the problem of abuse. This study proves useful in illuminating men’s realities through a novel methodology. It is hoped that the findings of the study prompt further exploration into this under researched area

Simulating Troublesome Contexts: How Multiple Roles within Ward-Based Simulations Promote Professional Nursing Competence

Nursing care is multifaceted and is practised within complex healthcare environments. Although the concept of competence itself is tenuous (Watson et al. 2002), achievement of nursing competencies remains an essential prerequisite for nurse registration in Ireland. The domains of nursing competence are: professional/ethical practice; holistic approaches to care and the integration of knowledge; organization and management of care; personal and professional development; and interpersonal relationships (An Bord Altranais 2005). At a conceptual level, these can be likened, somewhat, to threshold concepts insofar as they represent important transitions of practice and understanding. In this article, we illustrate how a ward-based simulation exercise with evolving scenarios and multiple role performances mimics ‘troublesome contexts’. We find that this exercise successfully promotes both nurse competence and understanding of threshold concepts through the embodiment of multiple identities (e.g. nurse, patient, relative, observer, etc.). Evaluations of this activity amongst a cohort of final year nursing students have consistently identified the transformative nature of this activity, particularly when acting in the ‘patient’ role. In this article, we describe the processes inherent in this simulation exercise and how the multiple layers of complexity are achieved. The very act of performing multiple identities and roles within an evolving complex environment we suggest, results in a consequential, transformed view (Meyer and Land 2003) of values, attitudes and behaviours in addition to enhancing nursing competence. Evidence of this is demonstrated in evaluations of the debriefing exercise undertaken immediately following simulation

Irish nurses’ and midwives’ understanding and experiences of empowerment

Aim This study explored conceptualisations of empowerment amongst Irish nurses and midwives. Background Current literature on the meaning of empowerment in the literature lacks consensus. As a result there is a likelihood that empowerment will be conceptualised differently between managers and sub-ordinates. Method In order to get a sense of how Irish practitioners viewed empowerment, ten focus groups were held in locations throughout Ireland (n = 93). A national distribution of participants was obtained. Results Twenty-one different responses emerged representing what nurses and midwives understood by the term empowerment. In relation to experiences of empowerment, six themes were found to impact on empowerment experiences. Three themes emerged as central to empowerment. One theme (education for practice) was identified as an antecedent to empowerment. Conclusion Empowerment is a complex concept and its meaning is contextually determined. Managers play a key role in impacting on the empowerment perceptions of Irish nurses and midwives

Electron fluence to dose equivalent conversion factors calculated with EGS3 for electrons and positrons from 100 keV to 20 GeV

NRC publication: Ye

Restriction by advancement - the irony of advanced nursing practice in Ireland.

Twenty years ago, a clinical career pathway for Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) was first established in Ireland (Begley et al 2010). This paved the way for expert nurses to optimise patient care through autonomous practice, professional and clinical leadership, and research. This change was not without its challenges for the profession. The first ANP student candidates began university education in September 2017 which is a welcome development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

ICNP® R&D Centre Ireland: Defining Requirements for an Intersectoral Digital Landscape

The apparent speed and impact of creating a global digital landscape for health and social care tells us that the health workforce is playing catch-up with eHealth national programmes. Locating how and where the profession of nursing fits with future models of health service delivery is critical to provide focused engagement for the populations they serve. In 2016, Dublin City University (DCU) School of Nursing and Human Sciences (SNHS) created a research and development centre for International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®) in Ireland. This paper provides a summary of the first year of the centre’s research, describing how the initial activities link to the development of global eHealth policy. A key aspect of service delivery relates to defining care requirements, specifically to support sustainable intersectoral healthcare. Considering how nursing-sensitive language (clinical terminology) is best mapped is necessary to articulate the care requirements and processes to achieve optimal patient outcome. The World Health Organisational Framework for Integrated Care provides a pathway for crystallising the steep learning curve that the profession has currently found itself situated in, to deliver on contemporary digital healthcare