Subject(s)
Health Services Accessibility , Health Services for the Aged/organization & administration , Homes for the Aged , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Transfer , South AustraliaABSTRACT
A number of significant challenges face graduate mental health nurses entering the workforce. In response, Transition to Practice programs have been promoted as a potential strategy for improving recruitment and retention within the mental health system. This review explores the experience of transition for mental health nurse graduates and identifies key aspects of Transition to Practice programs that facilitate the transition to practising professional. A comprehensive review of qualitative research, which sought to provide insight into the experience of transition for graduate mental health nurses, was conducted. Nine studies were identified through a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PsychArticles, Psychology, AMED, EMBASE and Health Source: Nursing/academic edition. Findings showed a disparity between undergraduate perceptions of the mental health nurse role and what is actually observed during placement, highlighting the need for the positive contribution of preceptors and mentors within a transitional support model for newly graduated mental health nurses.
Subject(s)
Psychiatric Nursing , Students, Nursing , Attitude of Health Personnel , Humans , Mentors , Nurse's Role , PreceptorshipABSTRACT
We investigated whether neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) affected the reinnervation of slow and fast motor units. Neurotrophin-impregnated or plain fibronectin (FN) conduits were inserted into a sciatic nerve gap. Fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow soleus muscles were collected 4 months postsurgery. Muscles were weighed and fibre type proportion and mean fibre diameters were derived from muscle cross-sections. All fibre types in muscles from FN animals were severely atrophied and this correlated well with type 1 fibre loss and atrophy in soleus and type 2b loss and atrophy in EDL. Treatment with NT-4 reversed soleus but not EDL mass loss above the FN group by significantly restoring type 1 muscle fibre proportion and diameters towards those of normal unoperated animals. BDNF did not increase muscle mass but did have minor effects on fibre type and diameter. Thus, NT-4 significantly improved slow motor unit recovery, and provides a basis for therapies intended to aid the functional recovery of muscles after denervating injury.
Subject(s)
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism , Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch/drug effects , Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch/drug effects , Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects , Muscle, Skeletal/innervation , Nerve Growth Factors/metabolism , Sciatic Nerve/drug effects , Animals , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/administration & dosage , Male , Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch/metabolism , Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Nerve Growth Factors/administration & dosage , Nerve Regeneration , Rats , Rats, Inbred Lew , Sciatic Nerve/metabolismABSTRACT
L-type calcium channels mediate the persistent inward current underlying plateau potentials in spinal motoneurons. Electrophysiological analysis shows that plateau potentials are generated by a persistent inward current mediated by low threshold L-type calcium channels located in the dendrites. As motoneurons express L-type calcium channels of the CaV1.2 and CaV1.3 subtypes, we have investigated the subcellular distribution of these channels using antibody labelling. The plateau generating a persistent inward current is modulated by the activation of metabotropic receptors. For this reason, we also examined the relationship between CaV1.2 and CaV1.3 subunits in motoneurons and presynaptic terminals labelled with antibodies against synapsin 1a. Motoneurons in the spinal cord of the adult turtle were identified as large neurons, immunopositive for choline acetyltransferase, located in the ventral horn. In these neurons, CaV1.2 subunits were present in the cell bodies and axons. Patches of CaV1.3 subunits were seen in association with the cell membrane of the somata and both the proximal and distal dendrites. Double labelling with an antibody against synapsin 1a showed that CaV1.3 subunits, but not CaV1.2 subunits, were always located at synaptic sites. The distribution of CaV1.2 and CaV1.3 strongly suggests that the persistent inward current underlying plateau potentials in spinal motoneurons is mediated by CaV1.3 and not by CaV1.2. Our findings also show that CaV1.3 may be located in the somatic and dendritic membrane adjacent to particular presynaptic terminals.
Subject(s)
Calcium Channels, L-Type/physiology , Membrane Potentials/physiology , Motor Neurons/cytology , Spinal Cord/physiology , Animals , Choline O-Acetyltransferase/metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Lumbosacral Region , Motor Neurons/physiology , Motor Neurons/ultrastructure , Patch-Clamp Techniques , TurtlesABSTRACT
Delivery of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) to severed sciatic nerves results in specific normalization of atrophied fast 2b gastrocnemius muscle fibres, and promotes preferential neuromuscular junction maturation of fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL). To investigate the selective influence on fast muscle reinnervation due to NT-3 delivery, we analyzed tyrosine kinase C (trkC) mRNA differential expression in EDL and slow soleus motor pools of unoperated rats and at 1-week post-axotomy. Motoneurons (Mns) were identified using retrograde tracers. TrkC mRNA quantification was estimated by silver grain counting. TrkC mRNA expression was higher in EDL than in soleus Mns in unoperated rats. Axotomy decreased trkC mRNA expression only in EDL Mns, this downregulation being prevented by NT-3. These results suggest that differential expression of trkC receptor is the morphological correlate of the preferential effect of NT-3 upon EDL Mns.
