Sexual Competence in Higher Education: Global Perspective in a Multi-centric Project in the Nursing Degree

Sexuality is an important issue in the university careers of nursing students to ensure that they provide comprehensive care. It is necessary according to the recommendation of the World Health Organization. However, research reveals deficiencies and the need for further development. The aim of the study is to describe the perspective of teachers and students on the content of sexuality in nursing education. The project aims to analyze the attitudes and beliefs of the students about the sexuality of their patients. Furthermore, the experience and sexual lives of the future nurses, as well the teaching of sexuality content in the curriculum, will be analyzed. As for the educators, their level of knowledge about sexuality and vision of sexuality education in undergraduate nursing education will be analyzed. This study is an exploratory and descriptive study with a quantitativequalitative approach in a multi-center context. The sample is composed of students and professors of nursing courses from five universities (Portugal, Spain, Italy and United States). Questionnaires and semistructured interviews will be used for data collection. The results of the study will allow the inclusion of sexual competence in the curriculum from the beginning in higher education. This article describes the research protocol

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI

Correlations between the RTG-2 cytotoxicity test EC50 and in vivo LC50 rainbow trout bioassay

This paper presents data on the validation of the RTG-2 in vitro cytotoxicity test. Correlations between in vivo 96h LC50s on rainbow trout and in vitro EC50s obtained with this test, were established. The acute cytotoxicity of 16 common aquatic pollutants were determined in vitro on RTG-2 cells, an established fibroblastic-like cell line derived from rainbow trout, using three quantitative analyses, as toxicological endpoints, on the same cell microplate intracellular ATP content; cellular viability using neutral red assay (NR), and detachment of the grown surface substratum using FRAME KB protein assay (KBP). The three values obtained, were also transformed by. a cytotoxicity index (CI), in a singular value of cytotoxicity. Dose-response curves were obtained. Good correlations between in vivo LC50s and in vitro EC50s for each endpoint and for the cytotoxicity index (CI) were found. Correlation coefficients were 0.965, 0.968, 0.977 and 0.970 for ATP, NR, KBP and CI50 respectively. Results indicate the applicability of the RTG-2 test as alternative protocol to estimate the acute toxicity of chemicals on fish without using live animals. The inclusion of this test instead of standard toxicity tests on fish would provide a fully alternative system, without testing on vertebrate animals, for the classification and preliminary risk assessment of the environmental hazard of substances

Attitudes and Beliefs of Portuguese and American Nursing Students about Patients’ Sexuality

Nursing school graduates must be prepared to interact comfortably and effectively with patients about their sexual health. This study analyses the attitudes and beliefs about patient sexuality held by Portuguese and American nursing students. Objective: In Portuguese and American nursing students, (1) we analyzed students’ attitudes and beliefs towards sexuality using the Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey (SABS); (2) we identified nationality, socio-demographic information, and affective-sexual beliefs and attitudes. Method: Quantitative, cross-sectional study; convenience sample of 296 students (63.2% Portuguese; 36.8% American); mean age: 21.9 years (SD = 3.12); two-way ANOVA and multiple correspondence analyses were performed. Results: Attitudes and beliefs toward sexuality: Portuguese women are more liberal than men, contrary to American students. Among both nationalities, participants with multiple sexual partners held more conservative attitudes. Sexual orientation: bisexual American students and homosexual Portuguese students are conservative. Multiple correspondence analysis revealed two profiles: (1) Portuguese students: liberal-tolerant in attitudes towards patient sexuality, live with family/roommate, 18 to 21 years old, no or one sexual partner; (2) US students: traditionalist attitudes towards patient sexuality, share house, 22 and 23 years old, multiple partners. Conclusion: Human sexuality must be addressed in nursing education curricula

Sexual education for university students and the community in a european project: study protocol

Abstract Background The World Health Organisation (WHO) calls on stakeholders to give Higher Education a key educational importance for the future of Europe. Within the content of the training programmes at university, sexuality emerges as a relevant topic in the nursing degree, to promote integral health from a holistic perspective. However, research on the presence of sexuality at the curricular level in Higher Education suggests that it is incomplete and underdeveloped. Methods This is a protocol for a long-term, multi-centre, exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional study with a quantitative and qualitative approach lasting two years. The research will be carried out in the educational community, including, on the one hand, students, and professors and health professionals of nursing programmes from five universities in different parts of the world (Portugal, Spain, Italy, and the United States), and on the other hand, women, young people, and immigrants from these communities. The study will have several target populations. Firstly, the target is nursing students, with whom the aim is to define their perspective on the sexuality content taught at the university, and their level of knowledge. Secondly university professors and health professionals, with whom we will check their perspective on sexuality in the classroom, as well as their level of knowledge in this field. And finally, we will work with the community (women, young people, and immigrants) to whom we will try to bring sexuality from a useful and enjoyable perspective. In order to measure these variables in the protocol, instruments such as questionnaires and semi-structured interviews will be used. During data collection, ethical principles will be guaranteed and informed consent will be requested from the participants. Discussion The results of the research will have a high curricular impact on the educational community, and will last over time, since the tools generated in the project will be included as part of nursing training programmes. In addition, participation in the project will improve health education for health professionals and at the community level on sexuality in both urban and rural populations

Pesquisa de Atitudes e Crenças de Sexualidade (SABS): Validação do Instrumento para os Estudantes de Enfermagem Espanhóis

Patient sexuality is a fundamental subject in nursing student’s education. However, beliefs about patient sexuality can influence the care offered. The aim of this psychometric study was to describe the validation process and the psychometrics properties of the Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey (SABS) for Spanish nursing students. The convenience sample was 283 nursing students from a state university in Spain. Participants ranged from 18 to 30 years (M = 19.66; SD = 1.85). Data collection happened in 2019–2020. The translation, back translation and adaptation to Spanish was discussed and refined, ensuring the semantic, idiomatic and conceptual meaning of the items. The psychometric properties were assessed through analysis of validity and reliability. The Cronbach’s alpha for the final version of 12 items was 0.65. Although it has low reliability, the Spanish version of the SABS seems to be a valid and useful tool to measure nursing students’ beliefs about patient sexuality. In addition, it can be a resource for the assessment of the ability of Spanish nursing faculty in engaging topics involving the student’s vision of patient sexuality

Vibrational and structural properties of the RFe₄Sb₁₂ (R=Na, K, Ca, Sr, Ba) filled skutterudites

Vibrational and elastic properties of the RFe4Sb12 skutterudites are investigated by, respectively, temperature (T) dependent extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and pressure (P) dependent x-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments. The Fe K-edge EXAFS experiments of the R=K, Ca, and Ba materials were performed in the T interval 6<T<300K and XRD experiments of the R= Na, K, Ca, Sr, and Ba materials were performed in the P interval 1atm<P<16GPa. From EXAFS, we obtained the correlated Debye-Waller parameters that were thus analyzed to extract effective spring constants connected with the Fe-Y (where Y= either R, Fe or Sb) scattering paths. Our findings suggest that in the case of the light cations, R=K or Ca, the R atoms are relatively weakly coupled to the cage, in a scenario reminiscent to the Einstein oscillators. From the XRD experiments, we obtained the bulk modulus B0 for all R=Na, K, Ca, Sr, and Ba materials, with values ranging from 77 GPa (R=K) to R=99GPa (R= Ba) as well as the compressibility β as a function of P. The trend in β as a function of the R filler is discussed and it is shown that it does not correlate with simple geometrical considerations but rather with the filler-cage bonding properties. © 2022 American Physical Society