scholarly journals An Analysis of Italian Nurses’ Approach to Patients’ Pain: A Nationwide Online Survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Angeletti ◽  
Cristiana Guetti ◽  
Martina Paesani ◽  
Silvia Colavincenzo ◽  
Alessandra Ciccozzi ◽  
...  

Healthcare providers play a fundamental role in evaluating pain. Several issues about how nurses are educated remain unsolved. The aim of our study was to address how Italian nurses manage patients suffering from pain in daily practice. A cross-sectional survey was administered among Italian registered nurses. Data were collected using a 34-item questionnaire that had been previously validated during a pilot study. The lowest level of participation/education/information events was observed in the South (p=0.0001). A significant difference among the four areas was found in the department affiliation of responders (p=0.0001). Pain assessment at patients’ admission was most frequent in the Northeast (32.9%), whereas the lowest frequency was found in the South (15.1%) (p=0.0001). The prevalence of nurses’ knowledge of pain scales and their distribution in usual applications was similar in the Northwest and -east, and Central Italy, but lower in the South (p=0.0001). This study underlines the need for change in the clinical approach to pain treatment in healthcare. Pain assessment is a fundamental step for preparing individualized therapeutic plans, and nurses play a crucial role in improving the quality of life of suffering patients.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances R. Nedjat-Haiem ◽  
Tamara J. Cadet ◽  
Anup Amatya ◽  
Shiraz I. Mishra

Background: Advance care planning for end-of-life care emerged in the mid-1970’s to address the need for tools, such as the advance directive (AD) legal document, to guide medical decision-making among seriously ill patients, their families, and healthcare providers. Objective: Study aims examine providers’ perspectives on AD education that involve examining (1) a range of attitudes about educating patients, (2) whether prior knowledge was associated with practice behaviors in educating patients, and (3) specific factors among healthcare providers such as characteristics of work setting, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that may influence AD education and documentation. Design: To examine providers’ views, we conducted a cross-sectional, online survey questionnaire of healthcare providers using social media outreach methods for recruitment. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional survey design to examine the proposed aims. Healthcare providers, recruited through a broad approach using snowball methods, were invited to participate in an online survey. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine providers’ views toward AD education. Results: Of 520 participants, findings indicate that most healthcare providers said that they were knowledgeable about AD education. They also viewed providing education as beneficial to their practice. These findings suggest that having a positive attitude toward AD education and experiencing less organizational barriers indicate a higher likelihood that providers will educate patients regarding ADs. Conclusion: Various disciplines are represented in this study, which indicates that attitudes and knowledge influence AD discussions. The importance of AD discussions initiated by healthcare providers is critical to providing optimal patient-centered care.


Author(s):  
Thomas Gerhard Wolf ◽  
Ralf Friedrich Wagner ◽  
Oliver Zeyer ◽  
Duygu Ilhan ◽  
Tin Crnić ◽  
...  

Obtaining information on expectations among dental students regarding their career planning was the main purpose of this observational online survey. The questionnaire was designed with 18 items in five different languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Data were collected on nationality, age, sex, country of residence, university attended, semester, expected year of graduation and expectations about future career. More than 3000 participants (n = 3851, 2863 females 74.34% and 988 males 25.66% with a sex ratio of 0.35) participated in the survey. Almost one-third (31.29%) of the participants plan to start their own practice at least three years after vocational training, a quarter (25.76%) after three, and only 12.59% after one year. A positive influence of the family in the decision to start a practice was observed in 50.07% of the sample with a statistically significant difference regarding sex (p < 0.01). Almost one-third of the participants did not wish to work in an institution run by private equity or insurance companies, while 21.79% would work in that environment (p < 0.01). European dental students desire mainly to become self-employed and start their own practice. New professional practices also offer them options for their future career that they have not yet decided on or thought about.


Author(s):  
Karan B. Bhanushali ◽  
Nikita Gupta ◽  
Vinayak Mishra ◽  
Heena Asnani

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a tremendous amount of literature published regularly. In a country like India, historically, where there is a paternalistic approach to practicing medicine, there is a lot of hindrance to evidence-based medicine (EBM). Doctors have always weighed one's clinical experience superior over any other form of decision-making. This system of practice has made decision-making difficult for the physicians during this pandemic as COVID-19 is a reasonably new disease entity and the physicians lack enough 'prior experience' dealing with such a situation. Our survey tries to address the common barriers to evidence-based medical practices especially during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. We also try to explore the various source of information used by the doctors. Methods: It is a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The questions were provided in multiple-choice question format. An online survey comprising of 10 questions entitled “Hurdles faced by physicians to assimilate evidence-based guidelines on COVID-19” was made using Google Forms (Google Inc, California, US) and circulated through email to medical practitioners in the Ghatkopar (Mumbai, India) Medical Association's register from 17th June 2020 to 1st September 2020. Results: Our survey collected 213 responses, out of which 80.3% (n=171) of doctors were involved in care, counseling, or management of COVID-19 patients. The most opted primary sources for evidence-based information during this pandemic were teachings of/discussions with medical colleagues (71.4%, n=152), followed by online webinars (59.6%, n= 127) and social media (41.8%, n=89). When questioned about the main obstacles faced by them to obtain evidence-based information, the responses were as follows: Overload of medical literature (53.5%, n=114), limited access to quality resources (40.8%, n=87), unfamiliarity with the bio-statistics analysis (39%, n= 83), difficulty in locating relevant medical literature (38%, n=81), unfamiliarity with the research methodology (37.1%, n=79), lack of time (30%, n=64).  Our respondents' perspective concerning EBM attributes: 57.3% (n=122) think evidence-based practice takes their clinical experience into account. 93.4% (n=199) of them have shown an interest in broadening their skills. There was no significant difference between doctors' attitudes with less than 10 years and more than 10 years of experience (chi-square value = 0.857, p = 0.65). Conclusion: Our survey results highlight the balance maintained between evidence-based medicine and experience-based medicine by Indian physicians. They identify the importance of EBM while acknowledging its shortcomings. They realize the significance of developing their repertoire to understand, appraise, and practice EBM. Keywords: EBM, COVID-19


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youko Nakano ◽  
Tomoya Yokotani ◽  
Feni Betriana ◽  
Chihiro Kawai ◽  
Hirokazu Ito ◽  
...  

Background: Nurses as primary healthcare providers demonstrate quality nursing care through competencies with healthcare technologies, while nurse managers assume the primacy of managing quality healthcare in their respective care settings. However, little is known about perceptions of the influence of care technologies on their nursing practice. Objective: This study aimed to determine managers’ and staff nurses’ perceptions regarding the Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (TCCN) theory in general hospitals in Japan. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, with 421 participants selected using a stratified sampling method. Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing Instrument–Revised (TCCNI-R) was used for online data collection using Survey Monkey©. Data were analyzed using Welch’s t-test and ANOVA. Results: Nurses with years of experience within the range of 20 to less than 30 years showed the highest TCCNI-R scores among the two groups. Nurses who had received education on caring in nursing showed significant differences for Factor 2 (Technological Competency as Caring), that of expressing Technological Competency as Caring. Three other factors showed no significant difference, namely in Factor 1 (Nursing Expression as Caring), Factor 3 (Technology and Caring), and Factor 4 (Technological Knowing). However, the average scores of these factors were high, which reflect high professional ethics and occupational discipline and increased awareness of caring in nursing. It was also found that the nurse managers were more aware of the TCCN than were the staff nurses. The nurse managers were also more aware of providing care using technology, recognizing the need-to-know patient needs through technology and providing care to the ever-changing patient’s condition. Conclusion: The study discovered that continuing education is needed regarding the practice of nursing based on theory, enabling appropriate and accurate understanding of practicing knowing persons as caring in nursing. Funding: JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17K12159


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Börgeson ◽  
Matus Sotak ◽  
Jamie Kraft ◽  
Grace Bagunu ◽  
Christina Biörserud ◽  
...  

Abstract Background It remains unclear to what extent the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the normal progression of biomedical and medical science graduate programs and if there was a lasting impact on the quality and quantity of supervision of PhD-students. To date, multiple editorials and commentaries indicate the severity of the disruption without providing sufficient evidence with quantifiable data. Methods An online survey was submitted to the administrative offices of biomedical and medical PhD-programs at eight major universities in Sweden to gauge the impact of the pandemic on the students. It consisted of multiple-choice and open-ended questions where students could provide examples of positive and/or negative supervision strategies. Open answered questions were coded as either examples of positive or negative support. Results PhD students were divided into two groups: those with improved or unchanged supervision during the pandemic (group 1, n = 185), versus those whose supervision worsened (group 2, n = 69). Group 1 received more help from supervisors and more frequent supervision via both online and alternative platforms (email/messages and telephone). There was no significant difference in educational-stage, gender or caretaking responsibilities between the groups. Conclusions It is important for the scientific community to learn how to provide the best possible supervision for PhD students during the pandemic. Our data suggests that more frequent supervision, and using a diverse array of meeting platforms is helpful. In addition, it is important for the students to feel that they have their supervisor’s emotional support. Several students also expressed that they would benefit from an extension of their PhD programs due to delays caused by the pandemic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Corroon ◽  
Michelle Sexton ◽  
Ryan Bradley

Abstract Background The medical use of cannabis has been legislatively restricted for decades in the US and abroad. In recent years, changing local and national policies have given rise to a community of healthcare providers who may be recommending the medical use of cannabis without the benefit of formal clinical practice guidelines or sufficient training and education. In addition, a citizen science movement has emerged whereby unlicensed and untrained individuals are acting as healthcare provider proxies, offering cannabis-specific clinical care to “patients”. This study sought to characterize the clinical practice characteristics of these provider groups. Methods An anonymous, online survey was designed to describe levels of cannabis-specific education, practice characteristics, indications for medical use, dose, administration forms and adverse effects related to cannabis use. The questionnaire was disseminated via professional medical cannabis associations and by word-of-mouth. It was accessed between June 31–December 31, 2018. A self-selecting sample of respondents (n = 171) completed the survey. Results Formal education or training in the medical use of cannabis was significantly more common among licensed respondents than unlicensed respondents (95.5% vs 76.9% respectively, OR, 6.3, 95% CI, 1.2–32.3, p = 0.03). The vast majority (n = 74, 83.15%) of licensed respondents reported having recommended cannabis as an adjunct to an existing prescription drug. Almost two-thirds (n = 64, 71.9%) reported having recommended it as a substitute. When delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal therapeutic constituent of interest, vaporization is the most common method of administration recommended (n = 94 responses, 71.4% of respondents). In contrast, when cannabidiol (CBD) is the principal therapeutic constituent of interest, oral administration (sublingual or oromucosal absorption) is the most common method (n = 70 responses, 71.4% of respondents). Conclusions Individuals who recommend the medical use of cannabis appear to be self-generating a community standard of practice in the absence of formal clinical guidelines on dosing, interactions and other characteristics. Reducing barriers to clinical research on cannabis products is needed, not only to better understand their risks and benefits, but also to augment the evidence-base for informing clinical practice.


Author(s):  
ABEETHA S ◽  
RAMYA K ◽  
BHAGYASHREE N ◽  
SUMA S ◽  
SUREKA V

Objectives: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice associated with COVID-19 disease by undertaking a web-based online survey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted all over India during the initial phase of COVID-19 hit between March 19, 2020, and March 29, 2020. Anyone aged 18 years and above using social media were included in the study. The questionnaire had a section on sociodemography which had questions regarding age, gender, marital status, and occupation. This was followed by questions on knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The knowledge scores were summarized as median with interquartile range as the data followed a non-normal distribution. Attitude and practice questions were summarized individually as proportions and its association with socio-demographic variables was established using Chi-square test. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Occupational groups, marital status, and age group had significant difference between the groups with at least one of the practices with p<0.05. Conclusion: Since the study provides enhancing effect of knowledge toward protective behaviors, the awareness raising activities and health education through mass media and campaigns, this should urgently be conducted focusing on effectiveness of hand washing, cough etiquette, social distancing, and responsibility to inform suspected cases to local health authority to prevent COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Mehmet Erdevir ◽  
Oğuz Uyaroğlu ◽  
Murat Özdede ◽  
Mine Durusu Tanriover

Aims: It is evident that COVID-19 pandemic have affected the medical practice and training of residents. In this study, we evaluated the Physical Examination (PE) habits of residents working in a university hospital and how their PE practices did change during the pandemic. Methods: This single-center, non-interventional, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a university hospital using an online survey questionnaire from 5 to 20 October 2020. Results: 308 residents participated in the study of whom 172 of them (55.8%) were female and the median age was 27 (IQR:3). Among all, 263 participants (85.4%) declared that they have worked in the areas where suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patients were being served. A total of 262 (85%) residents stated that PE habits have changed generally during the pandemic. There was a significant difference between those residents who have worked in the COVID-19 areas (n=230,87.5%) and those who have not (n=32, 71.1%) (p=0.004). PE habits of Internal Medicine Residents were more changed than others (p<0.001). The main reason for the change in PE habits in general (77.9%) and during the examination of suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patients (89.7%) were ‘’self-protection”. Reliance on laboratory and radiologic investigations during practice and not having a thought that less PE will disrupt the diagnosis and course of COVID-19 were also independent risk factors for performing less PE in suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patients. Discussion: This study clearly demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on the PE habits of the residents while examing patients in general and with COVID-19.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 170-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Asibi Abuosi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find out whether there are any significant gaps in perceptions of quality of care between patients and healthcare providers in Ghana’s hospitals. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional survey of patients seeking outpatient consultations in 17 general hospitals in Ghana was conducted. A total of 818 patients and 152 hospital managers were interviewed. A 22-item quality of care scale was used in data collection. Data were analysed with the aid SPSS version 20. Summary statistics and t-test were used to analyse the data. Findings – There was a significant difference in the overall perception of quality of care between patients and healthcare providers (Patients: M=89.11, SD=11.457; Providers: M=94.60, SD=10.922; t (845) −4.956, p < 001, two-tailed). Also, 18 items out of the 22-item quality of care scale showed significant difference between patients and providers. However, levels of quality of care is generally rated fairly favourably by both category of respondents. Research limitations/implications – Further study is required to explore the reasons for the perceived quality gaps between patients and healthcare providers. Practical implications – Management of hospitals need to evaluate patients’ perceptions of quality of care to inform measures aimed at improving quality of care, since what they may consider as good quality service may be rated less favourably by patients. Originality/value – Comparing perceptions of quality between patients and healthcare providers is important in order adopt measures to address any differences in perceptions of quality between the two stakeholders. To the best of the author’s knowledge no study has been conducted in Ghana to that effect.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Benor ◽  
Solomon Abera ◽  
Ayele Mandefro ◽  
Rocktotpal Konwarh ◽  
Arumuganainar Suresh

Abstract COVID-19 has ushered in a catastrophe of an unprecedented scale across all parts of the world. Confirmed cases and death toll are constantly on an upward trend. Various measures to control the disease have been adopted globally including in Ethiopia. However, people’s adherence to such control measures is affected by their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) during the pandemic. This cross-sectional online survey was therefore, conducted to appraise the KAP vis-a-vis COVID-19 containment strategy during May 13-25, 2020. The online survey questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics and interrogations, pertaining to knowledge (15 items), attitude (10 items) and practices (7 items), framed in accordance to previous studies. A total of 1,484 respondents completed the survey. The overall correct response rating and average score of the knowledge were 74.7 % and 11.2 ± 2.2 respectively. Maximum respondents (63 %) could be bracketed together with a moderate level on knowledge, attitudes while only 43 % had moderate level of practice, with significant difference across demographic variables. Despite the moderate level, the practices were not creditable as the registered values evinced that 1 out of 5 never wore nose mask, washed hands or maintained social distance. In a similar vein, 17.6 %, and 43.2 % of the respondents were in high and in medium risk of infection, respectively. Results of our study recommended the importance and need of health education programs aimed at improving KAP, especially the practices in the milieu of COVID-19.


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