Nurses' consultative role to health promotion in patients with chronic diseases

Evaluating pre-and post-oral health literacy of undergraduate nursing students on an oral-systemic health learning intervention

INTRODUCTION

Oral health is significantly linked with systemic health. Nurses play a crucial role in patient education. Improving oral health literacy in nursing students can pave the way for the seamless integration of oral health into nursing practice.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate an interprofessional co-designed oral-systemic health learning intervention using a pre-and-post study design that measured oral health literacy levels among Year 2 undergraduate nursing students.

METHODS

Evaluation was measured using the validated Comprehensive Measure of Oral Health Knowledge questionnaire before and after the semester-long education intervention. Data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests and an analysis of variance one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

A total of 78 out of 164 students (82% female, 42% aged 21-24, and 52% speaking English as a first language) participated in the pre- and post-study surveys. Statistically significant improvement was noted in pre-and-post total oral health literacy scores (Pre 14.92 [3.85] vs.. Post 15.85 [3.74], p = 0.031). Students showed the highest proficiency in the domain of oral disease prevention, while oral cancer knowledge was the least mastered domain. Those without English as their first language and those with secondary education as the highest qualification showed the greatest improvement in oral health literacy scores post-intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the efficacy of an interprofessional co-designed oral-systemic educational intervention in increasing oral health literacy among undergraduate nursing students. This intervention marks a preliminary step towards integrating oral health into future nursing practice. Further research is warranted to explore the enduring impact of these interventions on their future clinical endeavors.

Sexual well-being needs of patients with chronic illness expressed in health care: A scoping review

AIMS

To systematically identify and summarize the needs of chronically ill people concerning their sexual well-being in peer-reviewed published literature, to enable healthcare professionals to provide support in self-management satisfying the needs.

DESIGN

A scoping review was performed according to the framework of (JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI Global Wiki, 2020). Findings are reported in line with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews.

REVIEW METHODS

A literature search and thematic analysis were conducted.

DATA SOURCES

Full research was carried out in 2022 in the search engine BASE and the following databases: Scopus, MEDLINE, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index and CINAHL. Peer-reviewed articles published after 2011 were included.

RESULTS

Fifty articles could be found. Seven categories of needs could be identified. People with chronic diseases want their providers to initiate discussions about sexual concerns and treat them trustfully and respectfully. Most of the patients would like the issue of sexuality to be included in routine care. They perceive their medical specialists and psychologists as preferred providers to talk to about this issue. Nurses are seen as primary contact persons but in a smaller number of studies.

CONCLUSION

Although the scoping review included different types of chronic diseases, the needs of chronically ill patients concerning their sexual well-being are not very different. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, who are often the first point of contact for people with chronic illnesses, should take the initiative for open discussions about sexual issues. That requires a new understanding of the role of nurses, training and further education.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Providing patient education and facilitating an open discussion about sexuality require further training in the new understanding of the role of the nurse and the concept of sexual well-being.

IMPACT

What problem did the study address? Chronic diseases have an impact on patients' sexuality. Patients want to be informed about sexual issues, but providers often do not address them. What were the main findings? Patients with a chronic condition expect providers to initiate discussions about sexual well-being, regardless of the type of chronic disease. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The research will impact healthcare professionals', especially nurses', future educational standards and ultimately patients.

REPORTING METHOD

PRISMA extension for scoping reviews.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Not required as it was a literary work (scoping review).

Scope of Iranian community health nurses 'services from the viewpoint of the managers and nurses: a content analysis study

Background

Considering the need for nurses specializing in community health and in order to define professional duties for future planning towards creating the position of community health nurses in the primary health care system of Iran, this study aims to explain the range of services which can be provided by community health nurses from the perspective of the mangers and nurses.

Methods

The present qualitative study was conducted with the approach of contract content analysis in Iran in 2020. This study was conducted through in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 22 participants, including community health nursing faculty members, health deputies and managers, community health nurses working in health centers, and the care seekers visiting comprehensive health centers. The samples were selected through purposeful sampling. The interviews continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed simultaneously with data collection. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through Graneheim & Lundman’s content analysis method, and data management was done using MAXQDA software. To achieve data trustworthiness, the criteria presented by Lincoln and Guba were used.

Results

The obtained data were classified into the two main categories of service provision settings and service provision domains. The category service provision settings covered 7 subcategories including participation in the family physician plan, activities at the centers for vulnerable groups of the community, establishing private community health clinics, leading health promotion programs in the 3rd generation hospitals, activities in comprehensive health centers, follow-ups and home visits, and activities in schools’ health units. Service provision domains consisted of 6 subcategories including participation in health planning, decision-making, and policymaking, research on the health system, health promotion, monitoring and coordination, providing care for the patients with non-communicable diseases and high-risk groups, and eldercare.

Conclusions

From the participants’ perspective, important services that can be provided by the community health nurse are health promotion, the management of chronic patients and the elderly, follow-ups, and home visits. Therefore, it is recommended that health policy makers pay attention to the service provision areas and the services providable by the community health nurse in their macro-planning, and to provide primary health care in comprehensive health centers using inter-professional care models, integrating the community health nurse into the care team.

The components of diabetes educator's competence in diabetes self-management education in Iran: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Limited research has been conducted in the field of diabetes educator's competency. However, no comprehensive and integrated explanations of educator's competence requirements in treatment centers exist in Iran. The aim of this study is to explain the components of diabetes educator's competence in diabetes self-management education in Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a qualitative descriptive-exploratory study. The data were collected through semi-structured and in-depth interviews and using purposeful sampling method in Isfahan University of medical science from April to October 2018. Sampling continued until data saturation. Participants included 20 people who were selected by purposive and snowball sampling method. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis method of Graneheim, Lundman.

RESULTS

Data analysis resulted in the emergence of three main categories including (1) Patient and family centered education, (2) process-based education, and (3) continuous progress in profession and also seven subcategories (patient and family activation, empower), facilitating educational process, comprehensive education assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of educational plans, developing educators' educational knowledge and skills, development of creativity and innovation, promote inter-professional cooperation in education.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation of facilitation factors for participation and empowerment patient and family along with creativity and interprofessional collaboration for comprehensive evaluation of patients in designing, implementation of educational programs were mentioned as important competencies of diabetes educators, which can have a significant impact on patients' recovery, treatment, and the promotion of society's health.

Role of judgment in promoting nurses' decisions and ethical behavior

BACKGROUND

Ethical decision-making and behavior of nurses are major factors, which can effect on the quality of nursing care. It seems that there is a correlation between demographic variables and ethical decision-making and moral behaviors of nurses. Promoting patients' health is one of the issues related to nurses' ethical behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine the role of judgment in promoting nurses' decisions and ethical behavior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which 260 nurses were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Sampling method was available. The data collection tool was the Hospital Ethics Committee Survey Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 20.

RESULTS

In this study, judgments and ethical behaviors of nurses were evaluated at the moderate and good level. Gender, marriage status, education level, and nursing position were effective in judgments and ethical behavior of nurses. Age, job experience, and participation in the ethics workshop had no significant effect on ethical behavior and moral judgment. The mean score of moral belief of nurses participating in this study was 181.56 ± 17.60, and their mean moral practice in the real environment was 168.5 ± 17.77.

CONCLUSION

The judgment competencies in ethical situation of nurses should be promoted to a higher level. It seems that more advanced educational methods are needed to achieve this goal. The findings from this study show the necessity of nurses' ability to improve their behavior and moral judgment. It also shows that nurses need more reinforcement based on the demographic variables.