Public perceptions of the brand image of nursing: Cross-cultural differences between the United States and China.

BACKGROUND: Measures of public opinion regarding nursing's brand image are needed to identify and correct perceptions that are incongruent with the breadth and scope of contemporary nursing practice. Misperceptions of nursing's influence may serve to minimize or disregard nursing's unique contributions to addressing the Social Determinants of Health which are foundational for improving the health of global populations. PURPOSE: To compare public perceptions of the brand image of nursing between China and the United States (US) and determine whether sociodemographic variables influenced factors between the two countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among members of the Chinese and U.S. public. Perceptions of nursing's brand image were assessed through the original Nursing Brand Image Scale-Public Version in the US (NBIS-P) and when translated to Chinese (NBIS-P-C). Descriptive statistics and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were used to compare perceptions of the brand image of nursing and to examine the influence of demographics. DISCUSSION: The reliability of the Chinese version of the NBIS-P-C was confirmed by this study. Age and gender did not influence public perceptions of nursing's brand image in either China or the US. Instead, educational attainment was the significant demographic variable and positively correlated with the public's perceptions of nursing in both countries (p < .05). Public respondents with lower educational attainment scored both the traditional nursing factor "Caregiver Virtues/Attributes" (e.g., Trusted, Caring, Nurturing/Mothering) and the factor "Lack Authority/Identity" (e.g., White Cap/Uniform, Subservient, Female) higher, while scoring the factor for "Leadership" (e.g., Decision Makers, Influential, Leaders) significantly lower than those with higher educational levels. CONCLUSION: A disparity exists between nursing's contemporary contributions to healthcare and the public's limited understanding of the diverse leadership roles all nurses provide, across a variety of settings, and in global public health initiatives. The virtuous traits of the nurse are perceived most directly and immediately by the public while their roles as autonomous decision-makers and leaders are less (or not at all) visible. Enhancing the accuracy and visibility of a strong brand image could advance public perceptions of nurses as experts and leaders in nursing science, thus paving the way for nurses to more effectively direct and influence the health of the public, particularly those with lower educational attainment who represent some of the most vulnerable populations. Targeted interventions that incorporate the educational level of the public offer a foundational opportunity for the nursing profession to correct inaccurate and outdated stereotypes that prevent nurses from achieving their desired brand image as influential leaders. Such campaigns could also be used to inform policy, guide strategic planning, and transform the future direction of the nursing profession.

Prognosis prediction models for post-stroke depression: a protocol for systematic review, meta-analysis, and critical appraisal.

INTRODUCTION: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a prevalent complication that has been shown to have a negative impact on rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life and poses a significant risk for suicidal intention. However, models for discriminating and predicting PSD in stroke survivors for effective secondary prevention strategies are inadequate as the pathogenesis of PSD remains unknown. Prognostic prediction models that exhibit greater rule-in capacity have the potential to mitigate the issue of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of PSD. Thus, the planned study aims to systematically review and critically evaluate published studies on prognostic prediction models for PSD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic literature search will be conducted in PubMed and Embase through Ovid. Two reviewers will complete study screening, data extraction, and quality assessment utilizing appropriate tools. Qualitative data on the characteristics of the included studies, methodological quality, and the appraisal of the clinical applicability of models will be summarized in the form of narrative comments and tables or figures. The predictive performance of the same model involving multiple studies will be synthesized with a random effects meta-analysis model or meta-regression, taking into account heterogeneity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is considered not applicable for this systematic review. Findings will be shared through dissemination at academic conferences and/or publication in peer-reviewed academic journals. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023388548.

Thriving psychological well-being in undergraduate nursing student: a grounded theory study with the life grid approach.

BACKGROUND: Psychological well-being (PWB) plays a vital role in successful adaptation to the Bachelor of Nursing journey and affects career development. However, there is little known about the functional and social processes associated with enhancing well-being specific to the subjective perspective of nursing students. AIM: To investigate how nursing students promote their psychological well-being to conceptualize thriving psychological well-being. METHOD: This qualitative study analyzed and reviewed a life grid and semi-structured in-depth interviews of 20 Chinese Nursing graduates by investigators and participants, following Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory. The constant comparative method was used to analyze data. This study took place between 2020 and 2022. RESULTS: All participants experienced fluctuations in psychological well-being. This study identified a new understanding of how nursing students enhance their psychological well-being. Thriving awareness was co-constructed as the core category and based on the relationship with a supportive environment, the thriving psychological well-being of nursing students is conceptualized. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to enhance the psychological counseling and support for nursing students during their clinical placements, during the period just entering university as well as after repeated outbreaks of COVID-19. Nursing educators and administrators could develop appropriate educational programs and interventions based on the theoretical model-Thriving psychological well-being.

The psychometric properties of nursing image measurement instruments: A systematic review.

AIM: To identify the measures assessing the nursing image, and to analyse, evaluate and synthesize the psychometric properties of these available instruments. DESIGN: A systematic review of the psychometric properties of instruments assessing the nursing image. The system review has been registered in the PROSPERO database with the registration number CRD42020221511. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted according to COSMIN guidelines. Search strategies were run in CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, COSMIN systematic review database, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracting the psychometric properties of the included study characteristics and instruments. The methodological quality of the studies, instrument measurement performance, risk of bias and grade of evidence were evaluated and disagreements were resolved via discussion. RESULTS: The search strategy yielded a total of 24 studies and 11 instruments assessing nursing image. None of the measures fulfilled all criteria in the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. The Nurses Self-Concept Instrument (NSCI) and the Nurses Self-Concept Questionnaire (NSCQ) were recommended for measuring the professional image of nursing, and the Nursing Brand Image Scale (NBIS) have the potential to be recommended for measuring a more comprehensive image of nursing. Every instrument evaluated in this review had different characteristics in the nursing image (e.g. the traditional image, the professional image, and the brand image). Therefore, the selection of the most appropriate instrument depends on the psychometrics, the context and the aim of the assessment.

Explaining the Relation Between Perceived Social Support and Psychological Well-Being Among Chinese Nursing Students: A Serial Multiple Mediator Model Involving Integrative Self-Knowledge and Self-Integrity.

BACKGROUND: Addressing numerous calls for understanding the theoretical mechanisms that explain the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being to enhance nursing students' mental health. AIMS: This study focused on how integrative self-knowledge and self-integrity mediate the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being. METHODS: The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to estimate the mediation effects on the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being among 487 undergraduate nursing students. To examine the directionality of effects, the present study also tested the reverse serial mediation model. Multi-group SEM (MGSEM) was used to test gender differences in the mediation model. RESULTS: Integrative self-knowledge and self-integrity, in sequence, mediated the association between perceived social support and psychological well-being among nursing students. In addition, there was no gender difference in these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Improving nursing students' perceived social support, integrative self-knowledge, and self-integrity is beneficial for promoting their mental health.

Psychometric properties and latent profile analysis of the Nursing Brand Image Scale: a methodological study in the Chinese context.

AIMS: To translate the U.S. version of the Nursing Brand Image Scale to Chinese (NBIS-C) and evaluate its psychometric properties when administered to a national sample of Chinese nurses, and identify nursing brand image profiles in Chinese nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted to validate the NBIS-C among nurses in China. METHODS: The psychometric properties of the NBIS-C were tested in accordance with the COSMIN checklist. The reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the 42-item NBIS-C were examined in a national sample of 759 nurses recruited from 29 Chinese provinces. Latent Profile Analyses (LPA) were conducted to reveal nurses' perceptions of the brand image of nursing. RESULTS: Results of this study demonstrated acceptable validity (content validity, structural validity, and construct validity), reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), adequate responsiveness, and no floor/ceiling effect of the NBIS-C. LPA yielded five subgroups: Integrated, Traditional, Subordinate, Creative and Leader. CONCLUSION: The psychometric properties of the NBIS-C are suitable for assessing the image of nursing among Chinese nurses. Future studies with a larger, more diverse sample are recommended. Although the role of nurses in China has evolved, nurses in general have failed to communicate a consistent, positive, and accurate brand image for the nursing profession.

Predicting nursing students' psychological well-being: network analysis based on a model of thriving through relationships.

BACKGROUND: Psychological well-being plays a vital role in nursing students' mental health and affects their decisions to stay in the nursing profession, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak. Close relationships are undeniably linked to psychological well-being, but it is unknown how the specific pathways through which close relationships are related to each other and which are most strongly linked to nursing students' psychological well-being. AIMS: To explore the network structure, central and bridge factors among well-being characteristics, and predictors based on a model of thriving through relationships. METHODS: A cross-sectional research design was used with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (531 participants from the Southwest part of China). We used a network model to analyze the network structure of perceived social support, mindfulness, self-integrity, self-compassion, professional self-concept, savoring, intentional self-regulation, non-relational self-expansion, relational self-expansion, attachment insecurity, and psychological well-being. RESULTS:  A highly interconnected network of psychological well-being featured predictors and traits were formed. Node 8 (self-kindness), node 9 (self-judgment), and node 23 (non-relational self-expansion) were the predictors with the highest centrality in the network. Perceived social support and professional self-concept were most central in linking predictors to psychological well-being traits. Attachment insecurity was a non-supportive factor for predicting psychological well-being among female nursing students. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions based on these supportive/non-supportive predictors, which operate on different psychological levels, hold promise to achieve positive effects on psychological well-being among nursing students.

Perceived Social Support Promotes Nursing Students' Psychological Wellbeing: Explained With Self-Compassion and Professional Self-Concept.

Background: The psychological distress of nursing students is ongoing and getting worse during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Numerous calls for future research on exploring the effects of perceived social support would be an effective way to improve nursing students' mental health. However, the pathway(s) between perceived social support and psychological wellbeing (PWB) remain unknown. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how self-compassion and professional self-concept mediate the relationship between perceived social support and PWB to explain the theoretical mechanisms of the relationship. Design: This study is the analytical cross-sectional research based on online self-reports and completed validated measures of perceived social support, PWB, self-compassion, and professional self-concept. Methods: The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to estimate the mediation effects on the relationship between perceived social support and PWB. To examine the directionality of effects, this study also tested the reverse serial mediation model. Multigroup SEM was used to test gender differences in the mediation model. Results: The results of an empirical study involving 487 undergraduate nursing students verified an integrative model of social support. In addition, no gender difference was found in these associations. These findings suggest that self-compassion and professional self-concept accounted for the association between perceived social support and PWB, and self-compassion was a significant predictor of professional self-concept. Conclusion: There is a pathway of self-compassion and professional self-concept through which perceived social support may improve PWB. Also, improving nursing students' perceived social support, self-compassion and professional self-concept are beneficial for promoting their mental health. It is meaningful for nursing educators to take measures to develop nursing students' PWB and enhance their professional self-concept.

The Antioxidant Phytochemical Schisandrin A Promotes Neural Cell Proliferation and Differentiation after Ischemic Brain Injury.

Schisandrin A (SCH) is a natural bioactive phytonutrient that belongs to the lignan derivatives found in Schisandra chinensis fruit. This study aims to investigate the impact of SCH on promoting neural progenitor cell (NPC) regeneration for avoiding stroke ischemic injury. The promoting effect of SCH on NPCs was evaluated by photothrombotic model, immunofluorescence, cell line culture of NPCs, and Western blot assay. The results showed that neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (Tuj1) was positive with Map2 positive nerve fibers in the ischemic area after using SCH. In addition, Nestin and SOX2 positive NPCs were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the penumbra and core. Further analysis identified that SCH can regulate the expression level of cell division control protein 42 (Cdc42). In conclusion, our findings suggest that SCH enhanced NPCs proliferation and differentiation possible by Cdc42 to regulated cytoskeletal rearrangement and polarization of cells, which provides new hope for the late recovery of stroke.

Polyphyllin I, a lethal partner of Palbociclib, suppresses non-small cell lung cancer through activation of p21/CDK2/Rb pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are hyperactive in many cancers and have served as cancer therapeutic targets for decades. Palbociclib (Palb) is the first approved CDK4/6 inhibitor to treat hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Acquired drug resistance is one obstacle of Palb be utilized in other cancer. CDK2 compensation of CDK4/6 loss is one of the causes that cancer cells are resistant to Palb. Hence, targeting multiple CDKs could be a novel strategy to prevent the drug resistance of cancer cells and expand the application of Palb in other cancer. In this study, we initially indicated Polyphyllin I (PPI) significantly inhibits non-small lung cancer cell (NSCLC) proliferation, promotes cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PPI can inhibit Rb through the p21/CDK2/Rb signaling pathway in NSCLC. A combination of PPI and Palb exerts a significant synergistic anti-cancer ability on NSCLC. Of note, PPI can reverse Palb drug resistance. Herein, we first time demonstrated PPI can disturb CDK2 function through upregulation of p21. The PPI effect on CDK2 provides a choice for a chemotherapeutic strategy for the elimination of NSCLC. Our study highlighted the clinical significance of simultaneously blocking of CDK2 and CDK4/6 for NSCLC treatment.