Evaluating how paediatric nurses perceive the family-centred model of care and its use in daily practice

Aim: the study aimed to assess nurses perceptions of family-centred care and how they applied the family-centred model of care in everyday practice. The model aims to involve families in the care of hospitalised children and to promote a cooperative relationship between parents and nurses. Method: 183 nurses from a paediatric hospital in thens completed the Family-Centered Care Questionnaire-Revised, enabling researchers to collect demographic data and btain nurses views on a range of topics. Results: participants considered a care philosophy that puts the focus on the family as important (p = 0.01). Factors that had significant correlation with whether nurses implemented family-centred care included educational level (p<0.001), experience (p = 0.006), age (p = 0.05), marital status and whether they had children (p = 0.023 and p = 0.002 respectively). Conclusion: although the importance of the family-centred care model is well established, nurses did not that think that it was essential to apply all its aspects in daily practice. © 2018 MA Healthcare Ltd

Physician and nursing perceptions concerning interprofessional communication and collaboration

The aim of the study was to investigate the physician and nursing perceptions regarding communication and collaboration as well as the factors that may influence these activities. A self-administered questionnaire survey was sent to a random sample of 93 physicians and 197 nurses based in two large public hospitals in Athens, Greece. Descriptive statistics, t-test and chi square test were performed with the SPSS 19.0 statistical package. Years of experience, the size of the clinic, the university degree and the postgraduate studies were found to be significant factors according to nurses' view (p<0.05). For the physicians, age, sex, years of experience and the size of clinic affected the communication and collaboration with the nursing staff significantly (p<0.05). In summary, these findings suggest that nurses and physicians do not share the same views concerning the effectiveness of their communication and nurses' role in the decision-making process of the patients' care. The most important barrier for the establishment of good relations between these professions, according to the physicians, was that they did not recognize the nurses' professional role. The study also indicated that the absence of interprofessional collaboration may result in a higher possibility of errors and omissions in patients' care. Therefore, in everyday practice, both nurses and physicians should acknowledge the importance of their effective communication and they should develop and implement interprofessional teamwork interventions to improve collaboration. Moreover, nurses have to constantly consolidate their role in the decision process and patients' care, especially in countries with limited interprofessional collaboration culture. In addition, factors that improve physicians' attitudes toward collaboration and effective communication should be further explored. © 2014 Informa UK Ltd

The opinion of Greek parents on the advantages and disadvantages of the outpatient pediatric oncology setting

Purpose of the research: The aim of this study was to assess parental opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of a pediatric oncology outpatient setting in comparison to the inpatient oncology ward. Methods and sample: The sample of the study consisted of 104 parents whose children were diagnosed and treated for pediatric cancer. The survey took place at the Pediatric Oncology Wards, as well as their respective outpatient settings of the two General Children's Hospitals in Athens, Greece from May 2010 to August 2010. Key results: According to parents' view the outpatient setting was preferable due to the maintenance keeping of their daily routine (x2=75.9, p=0.000), maintaining the family life (x2=90.1, p=0.000) and young patients' participation in activities (x2=25.6, p=0.000). Moreover, young patients were more happy, less anxious and less scared when they were attending in the daily clinic (x2=25.9, p=0.000). Conclusions: According to parents' view, the outpatient setting has many advantages. The judgment of children and parents on the services offered by the Pediatric Oncology Unit overall, in both inpatient and outpatient setting can give the necessary feedback to improve the qualitative provided care. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Perceptions of children and their parents about the pain experienced during their hospitalization and its impact on parents' quality of life

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess pain levels and perceptions concerning pain by both children and their parents during hospitalization, as well as the impact of that pain upon parents' quality of life.Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 92 pediatric cancer patients, 159 pediatric patients with musculoskeletal problems and one of their parents. The study was performed between November 2010 and May 2011. The Pediatric Pain Questionnaire (Parent Version) and the PedsQL-Family Impact Module were used for pain assessment and the quality of life by the parents. Young patients completed the pediatric version of the Pediatric Pain Questionnaire for the evaluation of pediatric pain. Pain was measured by using the Wong-Baker facial pain scale, included in both parent and child version of the Pediatric Pain Questionnaire. This rating scale is recommended for children 3 years and older.Results: Young patients reported higher acute pain scores than their parents (z = -2.5, P = 0.011; 99% confidence interval: 0.008-0.013). Young patients with orthopedic disorders had higher acute and chronic pain scores in comparison to their parents' reports (z = -3.4, P = 0.001; 99% confidence interval: 0.000-0.001 and z = -2.3, P = 0.021; 99% confidence interval: 0.017-0.025, respectively). Girls reported higher pain scores than boys (z = -2.0, P = 0.047; 99% CI: 0.041-0.052).Conclusions: Parental reports tended to underestimated children's pain, especially acute pain. The sex of children, the age and the marital status affect the perceptions of both children and their parents about pain. The parental quality of life is affected especially when the pain is caused by life-threatening diseases such as cancer. However, it improves as the treatment of their children is completed with no complications. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

Factors associated with parents’ satisfaction with care provided in a neonatal intensive care unit in Greece

Objectives (a) To evaluate parents’ satisfaction with care provided in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), (b) to explore factors associated with this parents’ satisfaction and (c) to identify specific unmet needs of parents with infants in NICU. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 301 parents. Outcome variable was parents’ satisfaction as measured with the questionnaire that used in the Picker Institute NICU survey. Predictor variables included sociodemographic characteristics of the parents, pregnancy characteristics and medical history of infants. Results Parents were satisfied in a great way with care provided to their infants in the NICU. Non-Greek parents, parents with infants that breast-fed, parents with infants in single birth and parents with infants outside infection isolation room were more satisfied. Conclusions The evidence obtained in this study provide some direction as to what is important and satisfying to parents whose infants hospitalized in the NICU. © 2016 Neonatal Nurses Associatio

The relationship between workplace, job stress and nurses' tobacco use: A review of the literature

The aim of this study was to provide a summary of the existing published knowledge on the possible relationship between the workplace as a stressor factor and nurses' tobacco use. A systematic review of the literature from 1995 to 2009, using the MEDLINE database took place. Studies, that referred to nurses' smoking habit exclusively or as a part of the study, were included in the review. 491 studies were retrieved and their titles/abstracts were examined systematically. Twenty one studies were retrieved for further consideration by a comprehensive literature review. Ten studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and they were examined further. There is a conflict on the possible relationship between workplace as a stressor factor and nurses' smoking habits, because there is no evidence on if the nurses' work environment causes smoking initiation. © 2010 by the authors

Oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: Relationship to glycaemic control

Objective: To investigate oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and the possible relationship with glycaemic control. Study design: The study group consisted of 81 female adolescents with type 1 diabetes whose mean age was 15.0 years (range 12-18). The control group consisted of 205 healthy adolescents with a mean age of 15.5 years (range 12-18). Data on menstruation were collected by two parallel self-administered questionnaires. Oligomenorrhoea was defined as having a menstrual cycle longer than 36 days throughout the past year (5-6/year). The metabolic control of diabetes was evaluated by calculating the mean value of HbA1c during the past year. Results: Age of menarche was greater for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (12.2 ± 1.4 vs. 11.7 ± 1.2, p < 0.000) compared to healthy age-matched controls. Logistic regression analysis with oligomenorrhoea as the dependent binary variable revealed an odds ratio equal to 7.8 (95% CI 3.411-17.853) for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (p < 0.000). Finally, a second logistic regression analysis, concerning only adolescents with type 1 diabetes and with the same binary variable, estimated an odds ratio of 4.8 (95% CI 1.784-13.057, p < 0.002) for HbA1c, and an odds ratio of 5.3 (95% CI 1.821-15.130, p < 0.002) for the frequency of hypoglycaemia. Conclusion: In adolescents with type 1 diabetes, menarche occurs later and oligomenorrhoea is more frequent. The relative risk of having oligomenorrhoea is greater when there is an increased value of HbA1c or when hypoglycaemia is more frequent. © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd All rights reserved

Parental presence and distraction during painful childhood procedures

Aim: To investigate the effect of parental presence and the distraction of the attention by a toy in children undergoing a painful procedure. Methods: A randomised study with two experimental groups and one control group - 130 children (64 girls and 66 boys), mean age 8.3 years (range 7-10 years) were randomly assigned to one of the three groups from September 2006 to March 2007: the parent presence group, the toy group, the control group. The verbal rating scale of pain, the assessment of vital signs before and after the procedure and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children were used. Results: Children who had their parent close to them showed a reduction in breaths (95% confidence interval (CI) for gradient of regression line): -4.20 to -2.80, p<0.001), mean blood pressure (95% CI: -4.88 to -2.99, p<0.001) and pulse (95% CI: -8.76 to -5.68, p<0.001) compared to the children whose parents were absent. They also felt less pain (95% CI: -4.40 to -2.71, p<0.001) and they were less distressed (95% confidence interval for A-State tool (CIA-State): -10.46 to -6.49, p<0.001 and 95% confidence interval for A-Trait tool (CIA-Trait): -5.71 to -2.13, p<0.001). Conclusion: Parental presence is considered to be important in decreasing children's pain, stress and their negative behaviour in general during invasive procedures