Construct validity and internal consistency of a Malay version of the FAMCARE scale for measures of informal caregivers satisfaction

Evaluating the satisfaction of caregivers is a highly subjective procedure and there is a need for a culturally appropriate, validated and sufficiently tested measurement tool to identify their needs in a clinical setting in order to improve the quality of care. FAMCARE is a self-report scale assessing patient/ caregivers’ satisfaction with outpatient care. This study evaluated the validity and internal consistency of a Malay-language version of the FAMCARE scale amongst Malaysian informal caregivers. A total of 45 Malaysian informal caregivers in the outpatient oncology clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia completed the questionnaire. Responses were checked for construct validity (including exploratory factor analysis to check the factor structure of the scale) and internal reliability. The 20 items of the FAMCARE scale were subjected to principal axis factoring (PAF) using SPSS, starting with assessing suitability of the data for factor analysis. Correlation matrix showed the presence of many coefficients of 0.3 and above. The Kaiser–Mayer-Olkin value was 0.79 and the Barlett’s Test of sphericity was highly significant (p<.001). PAF showed the presence of four components with eigenvalues exceeding 1, explaining 60.8% of the cumulative variance. The items were loaded in four domains with satisfactory inter-factor correlations. The general FAMCARE questionnaire as a whole was found to have high internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.93). The Malay-language version of the FAMCARE scale appeared as a valid and reliable tool for assessing informal caregiver’s satisfaction in outpatient settings, although it would be preferable to eliminate weak items which have low factor loading

Evaluation of the Impact of an Education Program on Self-Reported Leadership and Management Competence Among Nurse Managers

BACKGROUND: Developing leadership and management competencies for nursing managers is critical to the effective leadership of others and driving team and organizational performance. This paper aimed to evaluate the impact of a system-wide nursing leadership quality improvement initiative in a network of four public hospitals and one specialized outpatient center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The initiative was designed to enhance nursing middle managers’ leadership and managerial competencies. METHODS: This is a quantitative evaluation following the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRES) guidelines. Secondary Data analysis of a pre- and post-course self-assessment for 105 middle nursing managers who attended a nursing leadership quality improvement training program between December 2017 and April 2019. RESULTS: Following participation in this quality improvement initiative, the paired sample t-test analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-assessments total and individual leadership domains mean scores. CONCLUSION: Attending well-structured nursing leadership quality improvement programs positively enhances nurse managers’ professional abilities and perception of their management and leadership competencies. Leadership development programs should equip managers with the skills and tools to achieve their professional goals effectively and support their transition to becoming expert nurse leaders. Healthcare institutions’ ethical obligation is to provide them with the necessary resources and training to achieve this goal

The effect of intentional nurse rounding and nurse prompt response time to Call system on patient satisfaction, patient complaints, and patient clinical outcome: An Audit trial

Background: Improving patient satisfaction and safety is a critical goal for hospitals around the world. Healthcare providers have increasingly recognized the importance of strategic initiatives and the impact they have on patient outcomes.Objectives: This study examines the effect of intentional nurse rounding and the call system's response times on patient satisfaction, patient complaints, falls, and hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI).Methods: This descriptive study was conducted between December 2017 to August 2018 in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates. The Intentional Nurse Rounding (INR) and Prompt Response to Call System (PRTCS) were introduced in December 2017. It comprised of: (1) hourly nurses’ rounds between 07:00 hours to 23:59 hours and 2 hourly rounds between 24:00 hours to 06:59 hours daily, (2) measurement of nurses’ response time to call bells, (3) leadership rounds to assess patient satisfaction. The outcomes were patient satisfaction, patient complaints, fall rates, and HAPI rates. Baseline data were collected through retrospective reviews of the data on these outcomes in December 2017. The second period of data collection was conducted over eight months after the initiation of the system, from December 2017 to August 2018. The Chi-square test was used to detect significant differences in outcomes pre and post intervention.Results: The overall adherence to the “Intentional Nurse Rounding and Prompt Response Time to Call System” was 91% while the overall patient satisfaction rate was 97% in August 2018. The average response to call time was 1.2 minutes. Patient complaints decreased from 0.75/month to 0.125/month between December 2017 to August 2018. During the same period, the rates of patient falls and HAPI decreased from 1.17/month to 0.38/month and 0.35/month to 0.24/month respectively. Though the observed differences were not statistically significant, there was a promising difference in patient complaints pre and post intervention (P=0.08).Conclusion: Integrating nursing-led strategic initiatives such as intentional nurse rounding and reduced response time to the call bell system can positively impact patient satisfaction, complaints, and clinical outcome

Predictive factors contributing to strain and burden among Jordanian's caregivers in chronic disease

Background: It is well known that caregivers are at risk of suffering from diseases, including chronic ones, which might increase the burden of the healthcare worker. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan on 143 caregivers who were randomly selected to participate in self-administered Quality of Life in Life-Threatening Illness—Family Carer Version (QOLLTI-F) questionnaire. The variables were tested using simple linear regression analyses in the SPSS. Results: Male Jordanian caregivers who provide unpaid care, reported lower quality of life than their female counterparts (p = 0.028), (p = 0.077), respectively. A high statistically significant result was found between unshared and shared care (p = 0.009). Statistically significant results were determined between single caregivers compared with those who were married or divorced (p = 0.894 and P = 0.041, respectively). Conclusions: This study concludes that gender, care status, type of care, and marital status are direct predictors of quality of life among Jordanian caregivers

The impact of stress associated with caring for patients with COVID‐19 on career decisions, resilience, and perceived self‐efficacy in newly hired nurses in Jordan: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract Background and Aims The decision to stay in nursing has been challenged by the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. New nurses joined the workforce and provided care to patients with COVID‐19 although they received limited training, which could have influenced their intention to stay in nursing. We aimed in this study to examine the impact of caring for patients with COVID‐19 on career decisions, resilience, and perceived self‐efficacy among newly hired nurses in Jordan. It also tested the predictors of intentions to stay among new nurses. Methods This cross‐sectional quantitative study was conducted using an online electronic questionnaire form. The sample included newly hired nurses (n = 300) working in public hospitals and providing care to patients with COVID‐19 in different levels of acuity units. The perceived stress scale and Connor−Davidson resilience scale 25 were used to measure stress and resilience among nurses. Results The majority chose nursing as their career, but they were not satisfied with the current work conditions or autonomy in decision‐making. Many nurses reported having moderate to high work‐related stress and low to moderate resilience. Among all variables in this study, financial income predicted mild intention to stay in nursing. Conclusions Nurses expressed the presence of work‐related stress and low to moderate levels of resilience. As new nurses, exposure to these stress levels might lead to burnout. Nursing managers should take necessary measures to promote better work conditions and improve resilience to avoid nurses leaving the profession at times when there is a shortage