Patients expectation strongly associated with patients perception to nursing care: hospital based cross sectional study

Challenges to the delivery and utilisation of child healthcare services: a qualitative study of the experiences of nurses and caregivers in a rural district in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the poorest child health outcomes in the world. Children born in this region face significant health challenges that jeopardise their proper growth and development. Even though the utilisation of child healthcare services safeguards the health of children, the challenges encountered by nurses in the delivery of services, and caregivers in the utilisation of these services, especially in rural areas, have contributed to poor child health outcomes in this region.

AIM

This study explored the experiences of nurses and caregivers in respect of the nursing human resource challenges to the delivery and utilisation of child healthcare services in a rural district in Ghana.

METHODS

Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with ten nurses, who rendered child healthcare services; nine caregivers, who regularly utilised the available child healthcare services; and seven caregivers, who were not regular users of these services. These participants were purposively selected for the study. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interview guides and analysed qualitatively using content analysis. Themes and sub-themes were generated during the data analysis. The Ghana Health Service Research Ethics Review Committee and the Nelson Mandela University's Research Ethics Committee approved the study protocol prior to data collection.

RESULTS

Three main themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme One focused on the shortage of nurses, which affected the quality and availability of child healthcare services. Theme Two focused on inexperienced nurses, who struggled to cope with the demands related to the delivery of child healthcare services. Theme Three focused on the undesirable attitude displayed by nurses, which discouraged caregivers from utilising child healthcare services.

CONCLUSION

Nurses contribute significantly to the delivery of child healthcare services; hence, the inadequacies amongst nurses, in terms of staff numbers and nursing expertise, affect the quality and availability of child healthcare services. Also, caregivers' perceptions of the quality of child healthcare services are based on the treatment they receive at the hands of nurses and other healthcare workers. In this respect, the bad attitude of nurses may disincentivise caregivers in terms of their utilisation of these services, as and when needed. There is an urgent need to comprehensively address these challenges to improve child healthcare outcomes in rural areas in Ghana. Relevant authorities should decentralise training workshops for nurses in rural areas to update their skills. Additionally, health facilities should institute proper orientation and mentoring systems to assist newly recruited nurses to acquire the requisite competences for the delivery of quality family-centred care child healthcare services.

Perspectives of adult patients with mental health disorders on the relationship with nurses: a focus group study

BACKGROUND

The relationship between the nurse and the patient with mental health disorder is crucial to the recovery process. Thus, patients with mental health disorders should be active subjects in this relationship by having autonomy and self-determination.

METHODS

This study aimed to explore the perspectives of adult patients with mental health disorders on the relationship with nurses. A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study was conducted in March 2023, using focus group meetings in an association to support patients with severe mental health disorders in the Northern region of Portugal. The study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). A total of 8 patients participated in the study. Two focus group meetings were conducted. The inductive method was used, and content analysis of the transcripts was performed. The QDA Miner Lite 4.0 and Microsoft Excel were used for content analysis.

RESULTS

Participants considered the relationship with nurses important for their recovery and expected nurses to provide support and help, being able to identify their needs, thus personalising their care. Attitudinal and communication aspects were also considered crucial for establishing a solid, trusting, and meaningful relationship.

CONCLUSION

According to the findings nursing care is expected to focus on the patient, his/her preferences, expectations, and the uniqueness of each individual. The results of this study may be useful for the reflection and improvement of nurses in their relational and communication skills and the driving force for nursing students' awareness of the perspective of the relationship with patients with mental health disorder and its relevance.

The Cost of Caring During COVID-19: A Clarion Call to Action to Support the Pediatric Advanced Practice Nursing Workforce

INTRODUCTION

This study reexamined the holistic impacts of COVID-19 on the pediatric advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) workforce two years after the 2020 assessment.

METHOD

This cross-sectional descriptive study used a convenience sample of pediatric APRNs affiliated with the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). A modified NAPNAP survey explored numerous impacts of COVID-19 on the pediatric APRN workforce.

RESULTS

Study participants (n = 1,087) reported widespread pandemic impacts across personal and professional domains. Alarmingly, 87% reported professional burnout, and 80% expressed concern over their overall mental health. The impacts of the pandemic on child health are ominous, with 94% of participants reporting pediatric mental health concerns, a devastating increase from the previous study.

DISCUSSION

The pediatric APRN workforce is in crisis amid a national pediatric mental health emergency. Multilevel interventions are critically emergent to sustain the APRN workforce and promote the health and well-being of children and families.

Effects of Interventions Based on Patient Expectations on Coronary Surgery Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

Coronary surgery can have various outcomes, such as fear of death, cardiac anxiety, and pain disability. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of interventions based on patient expectations on different outcomes of coronary surgery, including expectations, cardiac anxiety, and pain-induced disability.

Methods

This randomized clinical trial evaluated 60 coronary surgery candidates. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The patients were contacted 1 to 2 weeks before coronary surgery to complete the Cardiac Surgery Patient Expectations Questionnaire (C-SPEQ). Based on the analysis of expectations, the intervention group underwent interventions to optimize expectations, whereas the control group received only routine care. The Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) were completed on the day of hospitalization. Three months later, the participants recompleted all 3 questionnaires. The data were analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS 16.0.

Results

There were no significant differences between the control and intervention groups in baseline variables, pain-induced disability (P=0.353), and cardiac anxiety (P=0.479). After the intervention, no significant differences were observed between the groups concerning expectations (P=0.554) and pain-induced disability (P=0.557) when the confounding variables were adjusted. Nevertheless, cardiac anxiety decreased significantly (P=0.027).

Conclusion

Our interventions improved expectations and mitigated anxiety among coronary surgery patients. Actualization and optimization of patient expectations should be considered in the care of coronary surgery candidates.

Quality Perceptions, Expectations, and Individual Characteristics among Adult Patients Visiting Primary Healthcare Centers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Quality is a main concern of primary healthcare centers, and pursuing quality can lead to service improvement as well as affordable healthcare. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe patients' healthcare quality perceptions and expectations and determine the relationships between them and associated factors. The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 470 patients visiting primary healthcare centers. Data were collected between April and July 2022 using an anonymous questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Most participants reported high levels of quality perceptions and expectations. Bivariate analyses showed a significant correlation between quality perceptions and expectations. Both being single and having a higher level of education were statistically different in terms of quality perception and expectations, respectively. Further, being single, highly educated, and employed had significant differences in terms of expectations. In regression, primary education and expectations influenced quality perceptions. Marital status, profession, and perception were the only variables that significantly influenced participants' expectations. Patients' healthcare quality perceptions and expectations are important for ensuring the efficiency of healthcare services. Primary healthcare centers are the key avenue for disease prevention and early detection. The optimization of primary healthcare centers' quality and addressing its potential issues should be performed through interdisciplinary teamwork.

Prevalence and associated factors of low birth weight in Axum town, Tigray, North Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE

Weight at birth is a good indicator of the newborn's chances for survival, growth, long-term health and psychosocial development. Therefore, the aimed of this study is to assess the prevalence and associated factors of low birth weight in Axum town, Tigray, North Ethiopia.

RESULT

The magnitude of low birth weight was 8.8%. Height of mother adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.607 (CI 1.34-15.8), gestational age AOR 4.7 (CI 1.08-20.44), anti-natal care (ANC) visit AOR 0.076 (CI 0.009-0.645), anemia during pregnancy AOR 14.5 (CI 3.821-55.6) and drinking alcohol AOR 6.4 (CI 1.235-33.94) were found to be significantly associated with low birth weight. Pre-conceptual counseling on nutrition, about the effect of short suture on birth outcome and personal maternal habit (drinking alcohol), effective treatment and prevention of anemia and awareness on the importance ANC follow up should be the target.

Blood donation practice and associated factors among health professionals in Tigray regional state public hospitals, northern Ethiopia

Objective

The demand for blood and blood products are increasing in all part of the globe, especially in the developing nations. However, there is limited information on the level of blood donation practice and their related factors. Therefore, assessing the level of blood donation practice and its determinant factors among health professionals have a paramount importance in designing an effective strategy for sustaining adequate and safe blood provision in the hospitals.

Results

Out of 556 health professionals, 266 (47.8%) had ever donated blood in their life time. Age above 30 years (AOR = 2.756 95% CI 1.055–7.197), married health professionals (AOR = 1.729 95% CI 1.091–2.739), health professionals’ knowledge of blood donation (AOR = 3.403 95% CI 2.296–5.044), health professionals’ attitude towards blood donation (AOR = 3.41 95% CI 2.320–5.041) and health professionals who attend degree education (AOR = 0.315 95% CI 0.104–0.950) were significantly associated with blood donation behavior of health professionals. The magnitude of blood donation practice was found low. Therefore, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society and ministry of health should continue increasing the attitude and knowledge of health professionals toward blood donation practices are the key avenues interventions.