FORMAÇÃO DE VÍNCULOS PROFISSIONAIS PARA O TRABALHO EM EQUIPE NA ENFERMAGEM

This article resulted from research that aimed to build a strategy of team work in nursing, to promote interpersonal relationships (Professional ties), to reach a therapeutic care committed to users of health services. The methodology is supported by the constructivist current and included the following phases: Interview and observation. After the data analysis these themes emerged: Individual and group position in the micro area of activity; movement of group relationships; communication process; continuing education; professional competence. Strategies for team work in nursing are based on the theoretical foundations of the dynamics of group interplay, providing a new look at the management role of the nurse in the creation and establishment of professional links, in which interpersonal relationships can promote critical, reflective, and participatory praxis.Este artículo es resultado de la investigación que tuvo como objetivo construir una estrategia de trabajo en equipo en enfermería para favorecer las relaciones interpersonales, o sea, los vínculos profesionales, para el alcance de un cuidado terapéutico comprometido con las personas usuarias de los servicios de salud. La metodología tiene respaldo en la corriente constructivista y contó con las siguientes fases: entrevista y observación. Después del análisis de los datos surgieron los temas: posición individual y grupal en el microespacio de actuación; movimiento de las relaciones grupales; proceso de comunicación; educación continuada; competencia profesional. Las estrategias para el trabajo en equipo en enfermería se basan en los fundamentos teóricos de la dinámica de las interrelaciones grupales, determinando una nueva mirada para la función gerencial del enfermero, a partir de la formación y afirmación de los vínculos profesionales que agreguen, en los cuales las relaciones interpersonales puedan favorecer una praxis crítica, reflexiva y participativa.Este artigo é resultado da investigação que teve como objetivo construir uma estratégia de trabalho em equipe na enfermagem, para favorecer as relações interpessoais, ou seja, os vínculos profissionais, para o alcançe de um cuidado terapéutico comprometido com os usuários dos serviços de saúde. A metodologia tem o respaldo na corrente construtivista e conto com as seguintes fases: entrevista e observação. Depois da análise dos dados surgiram os temas: posição individual e grupal no micro espaço de atuação; movimiento das relações grupais; proceso de comunicação; educação continuada; competencia profissional. As estratégias para o trabalho na equipe em enfermagem tem base nos fundamentos teóricos da dinâmica das interrelações grupais, determinando um novo olhar para a função gerencial do enfermeiro, a partir da formação e afirmação dos vínculos profissionais, nos quais as relações interpessoais podem favorecer uma praxis crítica, reflexiva e participativ

Knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional and comparative study among nurses

BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers are a common, painful and costly condition. Results of a 1991 study into the knowledge among Dutch hospital nurses on the usefulness of measures to prevent pressure ulcers showed moderate knowledge. Results were confirmed by subsequent studies. In recent years, Dutch guidelines have been updated and the attention given to pressure ulcer care has been increased. This was expected to improve pressure ulcer care and to increase nurses' knowledge. The aims of the current study were to investigate (1) how much nurses employed in Dutch hospitals know about the usefulness of 28 preventive measures considered in the most recent national pressure ulcer guideline; (2) whether differences in knowledge exist between nurses working in hospitals that audit pressure ulcers and those employed in hospitals that do not; and (3) to study whether knowledge among Dutch hospital nurses regarding the usefulness of preventive measures had changed between 1991 and 2003. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design among nurses employed in Dutch hospitals in 2003 was used to investigate their knowledge and differences in knowledge between nurses employed in different types of institution. A comparative design was used to assess whether knowledge differed between this population and that of Dutch hospital nurses in 1991. The nurses' knowledge was assessed by a written questionnaire. Data of 522 respondents meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed and compared with the results of the 351 nurses included in the 1991 study. RESULTS: Knowledge in 2003 was slightly better than that in 1991. The nurses were moderately aware of the usefulness of preventive measures. Nurses employed in organizations that monitored pressure ulcers did not display greater knowledge than those employed in organizations that did not do so. CONCLUSION: Knowledge among Dutch hospital nurses about the usefulness of measures to prevent pressure ulcers seems to be moderate. Being employed in an institution that monitors pressure ulcer care hardly affects the knowledge level. Knowledge about prevention has improved little since 1991

Rac1 Regulates the NLRP3 Inflammasome Which Mediates IL-1beta Production in Chlamydophila pneumoniae Infected Human Mononuclear Cells

Chlamydophila pneumoniae causes acute respiratory tract infections and has been associated with development of asthma and atherosclerosis. The production of IL-1β, a key mediator of acute and chronic inflammation, is regulated on a transcriptional level and additionally on a posttranslational level by inflammasomes. In the present study we show that C. pneumoniae-infected human mononuclear cells produce IL-1β protein depending on an inflammasome consisting of NLRP3, the adapter protein ASC and caspase-1. We further found that the small GTPase Rac1 is activated in C. pneumoniae-infected cells. Importantly, studies with specific inhibitors as well as siRNA show that Rac1 regulates inflammasome activation in C. pneumoniae-infected cells. In conclusion, C. pneumoniae infection of mononuclear cells stimulates IL-1β production dependent on a NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated processing of proIL-1β which is controlled by Rac1

Iron Behaving Badly: Inappropriate Iron Chelation as a Major Contributor to the Aetiology of Vascular and Other Progressive Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases

The production of peroxide and superoxide is an inevitable consequence of aerobic metabolism, and while these particular "reactive oxygen species" (ROSs) can exhibit a number of biological effects, they are not of themselves excessively reactive and thus they are not especially damaging at physiological concentrations. However, their reactions with poorly liganded iron species can lead to the catalytic production of the very reactive and dangerous hydroxyl radical, which is exceptionally damaging, and a major cause of chronic inflammation. We review the considerable and wide-ranging evidence for the involvement of this combination of (su)peroxide and poorly liganded iron in a large number of physiological and indeed pathological processes and inflammatory disorders, especially those involving the progressive degradation of cellular and organismal performance. These diseases share a great many similarities and thus might be considered to have a common cause (i.e. iron-catalysed free radical and especially hydroxyl radical generation). The studies reviewed include those focused on a series of cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases, where iron can be found at the sites of plaques and lesions, as well as studies showing the significance of iron to aging and longevity. The effective chelation of iron by natural or synthetic ligands is thus of major physiological (and potentially therapeutic) importance. As systems properties, we need to recognise that physiological observables have multiple molecular causes, and studying them in isolation leads to inconsistent patterns of apparent causality when it is the simultaneous combination of multiple factors that is responsible. This explains, for instance, the decidedly mixed effects of antioxidants that have been observed, etc...Comment: 159 pages, including 9 Figs and 2184 reference

The influence of connectivity in forest patches, and riparian vegetation width on stream macroinvertebrate fauna

We assessed two dimensions of stream connectivity: longitudinal (between forest patches along the stream) and lateral (riparian vegetation), using macroinvertebrate assemblages as bioindicators. Sites representing different land-uses were sampled in a lowland basin that holds a mosaic of protected areas. Land-use analysis, forest successional stages and riparian zone widths were calculated by the GIS analysis. Macroinvertebrate fauna was strongly affected by land-use. We observed a continuous decrease in the number of sensitive species, %Shredders and IBE-IOC biotic index from the upstream protected area to highly deforested sites, increasing again where the stream crosses a Biological Reserve. When analysing buffer strips, we found aquatic fauna responding to land-use alterations beyond the 30 m riparian corridor (60 m and 100 m wide). We discussed the longitudinal connectivity between forest patches and the riparian vegetation buffer strips necessary to hold high macroinvertebrate diversity. We recommend actions for the increase/maintenance of biodiversity in this and other lowland basins