Pain Assessment Among Non-Communicating Intellectually Disabled People Described by Nursing Staff

The purpose of this study was to describe pain assessment among non-communicating intellectually disabled people living in long term care described by nursing staff. The target group of the study consisted of the nursing staff working at seven mental retardation units in different parts of Finland. The data were collected during spring 2008 by a semi-structured questionnaire (Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist – Revised, N=222), and the response rate was 82% (n=181). The data were analyzed by statistical methods (Kruskall-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test) and by content analysis. The findings were described as parameters, frequencies, percentages, and as statistical significance

A Review of Pregnancy in Women Over 35 Years of Age

The objective of the present paper is to review how pregnant women over 35 years have been described in previous research, and to review the risks associated with pregnancy in those of advanced maternal age. Computerized searches of the Cinahl, PubMed, Medic and Cochrane Library databases were undertaken. Research articles in scientific journals, relevant to the objective, and published in English between 2000 and 2008, were included. Data were extracted based on the aims, sample, authors, year and results

Professional autonomy in nursing : An integrative review

Aim To summarize knowledge of professional autonomy in nursing.Background Professional autonomy is associated with experienced meaningfulness of the work. This refers to participation in decision-making and the ability to influence working practices.Evaluation In an integrative review, relevant studies were retrieved from four databases. Quality was systematically evaluated using critical appraisal tools. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse current knowledge of the focal subject.Key issues The search identified 27 relevant studies published between 2000 and 2019. Elements describing nurses' professional autonomy were independence in decision-making and ability to utilize one's own competence. Themes relating to nurses' professional autonomy were shared leadership, professional skills, inter- and intra-professional collaboration and healthy work environment.Conclusion Understanding the multidimensional nature of professional autonomy is essential to create attractive work environments. It is important to enable nurses to participate in decision-making and develop nursing through shared leadership to enhance the recruitment and retention of a skilled workforce.Implications for Nursing Management The findings have anticipated utility for supporting nursing practice and nurse leaders' understanding of approaches to foster nurses' professional autonomy.Peer reviewe

Gerontological nurse teachers' abilities and influence on students' willingness in older people nursing: A cross-sectional, correlational survey

Background: Previous studies have focused on identifying the factors hindering nursing students' interest in gerontology careers, whereas others have suggested interventions to promote students' interest in older people nursing. However, the role of a teacher is equally vital in shaping students' career preference. Objective: This study therefore explored students' perspectives of their gerontological nurse teachers' abilities and its association with students' willingness to work in older people nursing. Design: A cross-sectional correlation study. Setting: Five Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland. Participants: Undergraduate nursing students (N = 243). Method: A self-administered survey using the Gerontological Nurse Teacher Scale (GeNTS) and the subscale (Willingness) of the Students' Interest in Nursing Older People Scale (SINOPS). Descriptive and inferential analysis were conducted using SPSS. Results: There was a moderate positive association (R = 0.25, N = 243, p = 0.000) between students' perspectives of their gerontological nurse teachers' abilities and students' willingness to work in older people nursing. The teachers' abilities to develop gerontological nursing course most influence students' willingness in older people nursing (r = 0.26, p = 0.001), whereas their knowledge and interest in gerontology, least influenced students' willingness in older people nursing (r = 0.14, p = 0.025). Also, the teachers abilities to address students' concerns about aging, promote gerontology careers, and demonstrate leadership skills in gerontology all had a similar statistically significant moderate positive association (r = 0.23, p = 0.001) with students' willingness to work in older people nursing. Conclusion: Faculty need to ensure that there is adequate personal with expertise in gerontological nursing to advocate for resources to establish a reputable gerontological nursing profile in nursing curriculum and to develop and sustain a positive attitude towards older people nursing among students and staff. A qualitative study is needed to understand the reasons behind students' ratings

Circulating oxidized low-density lipoproteins and arterial elasticity: comparison between men with metabolic syndrome and physically active counterparts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accumulation of oxidized low-density lipoproteins in the intimae of arteries and endothelial dysfunction are key events in the development of atherosclerosis. Patients with metabolic syndrome are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases but the linkage between metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis is incompletely understood. We studied whether the levels of oxidized LDL and arterial elasticity differ between metabolic syndrome patients and physically active controls.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>40 men with metabolic syndrome and 40 physically active controls participated in this cross-sectional study. None of the study subjects had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Levels of oxidized LDL were assessed by a two-site ELISA immunoassay. Arterial elasticity was assessed non-invasively by the HDI/PulseWave™ CR-2000 arterial tonometer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Levels of oxidized LDL were 89.6 ± 33.1 U/L for metabolic syndrome subjects and 68.5 ± 23.6 U/L for controls (p = 0.007). The difference remained significant after adjustment for LDL cholesterol. Large artery elasticity index (C1) was 16.2 ± 4.1 mL/mmHgx10 for metabolic syndrome subjects and 19.4 ± 3.7 mL/mmHgx10 for controls (p = 0.001), small artery indices (C2) were 7.0 ± 3.2 mL/mmHgx100 and 6.5 ± 2.9 mL/mmHgx100 (NS), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Subjects with metabolic syndrome had elevated levels of oxidized LDL and reduced large arterial elasticity compared to controls. This finding may partly explain the increased risk for cardiovascular diseases among metabolic syndrome patients.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01114763</p

Hoitajien asennoituminen homoseksuaaleihin potilaisiin

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kuvata homofobisten asenteiden esiintymistä hoitohenkilöstöllä sekä niihin yhteydessä olevia tekijöitä. Homofobialla tarkoitetaan negatiivisia asenteita tai tekoja homoseksuaaleja miehiä ja naisia kohtaan. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin strukturoidun kyselyn avulla. Kysely toteutettiin yhdessä yliopistosairaalassa, ja kohdejoukkona olivat kaikki kirurgian, naistentautien ja sisätautien klinikalla työskentelevät kätilöt sekä sairaan- ja terveydenhoitajat (N = 427, n = 322, vastausprosentti 75,4 %). Aineisto analysoitiin frekvenssi- ja prosenttijakaumin, Mann-Whitneyn U- ja Kruskall-Wallisin testein sekä Cronbach’in alfakertoimen avulla. Tulokset osoittivat, että hoitajien enemmistöllä ei ilmennyt homofobisia asenteita. Homofobia oli vähäisempää, mikäli hoitajaa oli pyydetty hoitamaan HIV-positiivista henkilöä tai AIDS-potilasta tai hän oli halukas siihen

Turvallisuuden edistäminen iäkkäiden tehostetussa palveluasumisessa

Turvallisuus on olennainen osa sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon palvelujen laatua. Asumispalveluyksiköissä asuvien iäkkäiden turvallisuuden edistäminen edellyttää monenlaisia toimia, sillä huomioon tulee ottaa asumisen, hoidon, hoivan ja tukipalvelujen turvallisuus. Kattava kuvaus asukasturvallisuuden edistämisen toimista asumispalveluyksiköissä puuttuu. Tässä artikkelissa kuvataan asukasturvallisuuden edistämistä iäkkäiden tehostetussa palveluasumisessa dokumenttianalyysin pohjalta. Tutkimusaineisto koostui iäkkäiden palveluja ja asumispalveluyksiköitä Suomessa koskevista laeista, suosituksista, määräyksistä ja ohjeista (n = 26). Aineisto analysoitiin temaattisella analyysillä. Tulosten mukaan asukasturvallisuutta edistetään iäkkäiden tehostetun palveluasumisen yksiköissä suunnitelmallisella omavalvon-nalla ja omatoimisella varautumisella, moniammatillisella yhteistyöllä sekä lupa- ja valvontaviranomaisten toimilla ongelmatilanteissa. Asukasturvallisuuden edistämisessä korostuu johdon vastuu, mutta omavalvonta kuuluu jokaiselle yksikön työntekijälle. Lisäksi tulisi hyödyntää omaisten ja asukkaiden palaute, näkemykset ja huomiot asukasturvallisuudesta. Moniammatillista yhteistyötä tarvitaan asumisen ja palvelujen turvallisuuden takaamiseksi. Esimerkiksi terveydenhuollon asiantuntemusta tulee olla käytettävissä riittävästi. Pyrittäessä edistämään iäkkäiden asumispalveluyksiköissä asuvien turvallisuutta on tärkeää tiedostaa eri tahojen roolit sekä varmistua riittävästä osaamisesta ja resurssista asukasturvallisuustyössä